Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1918-09-20
CHAPTER Xxx.
NORM, the Fisherman.

When Rosa Varona regaiDed con-
seriousness sufficiently to understand
what had happened she proved herself
a person of no little self-control. 1t
was she, In fact, who first voiced the
lear that Cobo dead was scarcely less
q menace than Cobo alive.
''What are we going to do with him?"
she inquired
Jacket, too, appreciated the dangers
of The situation. eve must get rid of
him quickly" said he, "for his men
are close by; he will be missed and
there will be search"
II don't intend to make him. pres
ent of that treasure" O'Reilly said.
grimly. ut Is our only salvation"
But how are we going to hide him?"
Jacket inquired. "One might as well
try to conceal church; oxen couldn't
hoist him out of that hole"
''Precisely! He has made our work
easy for us. We can't take more than
small part of the money with us, any,
how; the rest will have to lie here un-
til the war is over. Well! We shall
leave Cobo on guard over what re-
mains!"
Jacket was immensely pleased with
this idea, once he had grasped it.
"What could be betterY' he cried. "The
mans spirit is evil enough to brighten
people away and we will drop stones
upon him, so that he can learn the
taste Of his own medicine. 1t suits me
exactly to think of Colonel Cobo stand
ing on his head in hole In the ground
for the rest Of eternity!"
O'Reilly was by this time suffering
the full reaction from the events of
the past half-hour and he was nearer
exhaustion than he dreamed, but, con-
quering his repugnance for his unes-
capable task, he lowered himself once
more into the well. His arms were
weak, however, and his fingers numb,
so he fell rather than slid the length Of
the rope. He managed to open the
door Of the treasure chamber, then en-
tered and loaded his pockets with gold.
He sent up the Jewel box at the end Of
the rope, dragged the body Of Cobo into
the cave, then wedged the barricade
back into place. 1t required the COM
bined strength Of Rosa and Jacket to
help him the last few feet Of his climb.
ssNow fetch stones, rubbish, anything
and throw 1t in there he gasped.
The boy and the girl fell to with a
will, and after time Johnnie Joined
them. Slowly, laboriously, the three of
them carried debris from the edge of
the quarry and bricks from the ruined
mouse; they scraped up armfuls Of
leaves and trash-anything In fact,
which would serve to raise the bottom
Of the shaft and conceal the entrance
to their enemy's resting place. 1t was
savish work, but O'Reilly kept them
at it until they were ready to drop.
Daylight overlook them at their task.
They were weak, sick, deadly tired !;
they could barely shuttle few yards
at a time when they finally reached
Asensio's hut; nevertheless there was
hope in their hearts, for O'Reilly's rag
ged clothes sagged with the weight of
gold pieces and the little metal box he
carried was heavy. Nor were they
greatly concerned about the safety of
the treasure they had left behind, for
the entrance to the cavern lay deeply
buried, and Cobo, the guerrilla, stood
guard over the chests Of plate and the
casks of coin.
Evangelina. vastly bewildered at the
sight of the coin which was forced into