The Jasper news., 1919-08-21

Dick and Polly hold one of six pieces OF
a chart flag, the only key to the Location
of a buried treasure Scarface holds
second and he kills Pollys father, gets
her flag and starts after the treasure.
Other holders join Dick and they pursue
Scarface to the gulf, where they capture
a schooner from the outlaws. Landing |
they are set upon by tribe of Aztecs, in
cited by Scarface, and placed bound ON |
n hurdle and plunged into boiling vol
Cano.
It seemed as though no mortal
power could save them. Below them
ya0ned the frightful crater Of boil
ing lava and deadly breath. and into
th!s inferno they were slipping as
raft goes down rapids. Neither
cOolness Of Judgment nor physical
strength could avail them here, for
the elements into which they were
sO soon to be plunged would strangle
ana wither them as n furnace does
moths. leaving no vestige of their
charred bones as an evidence of the
fact that they had ever existed. There
would be sudden leap into the throat
of the crater moment Of writhing In
'it b'illlle Suipl'ui ~
gases, then would come eternal obliv.
ion and their ashes would he mingled
with the molten flow. Even Dick,
who never said die, nearly lost hope
as his mind flashed over the situation.
With a sad smile lie turned to Polly.
Looks as though we were up against
II this time, doesn't it, old girl?" he
said as he looked into her clear eyes
and thought how we'll life would be
worth living with her at his side. I'm
dauntedly the brave girl answered
him:
"Never mind, Dick. dear. We have
loved each other, and 1t Is better to
have loved and lost than never to have
loved at all And we have the con-
ISOLATION of knowing that If we are
going to our deaths, at least we are
going there side by side through no
fault OF our own and without fear.
Scarface and his crowd may gain the
treasure, but l have n feeling that If
they do 1t will be II curse rather than
Il blessing to them"
II am only sorry we did not do for
him when we had a chance" said
Stebbins. "This comes of our being
white men and having n repugnance
to killing anyone who was in our
power. If ] had it to do over again
it would be Scarface and Screweye
who were taking this ride instead OF
us. But we have the satisfaction OF
knowing that we did not show the
white feather and are dying game.
Dick glanclng back over the wa!
which they had slid, saw the prizes
and Scarface peering down at thee
over the ledge from which they hat
been showed Already the fumes o
the pit below were winding arount
them in wreaths, filling their eyes ant
lungs and causing their breaths +
come in wheeling gasps. Then all o
sudden Dicks heart gave a grea
bound of relief. Sliding over the Law
bed, the hurdle slowed perceptibly a
1t tipped toward the crater and Dicl
who never despaired of life, was abl
TO burst the ropes at his wrists, fraye
by contact with the sharp lava. GrasI
rock he held back the hurdle ant
at the same time, released Stebbin
who quickly freed the others.
At the left was a continuation {
the slope, to where the steam frol
the volcano rnn off into sma
stream, and in this they launched til
hurdle and were swept from the seen
Their sense of relief, however, WI
quickly changed to alarm, for dea
ahead was cave, into which Il
stream of hot water disappeared
darkness beneath the mountains. The
discussed their predicament brief
then Dick made the decision:
THE old sailor of whom / spoil
who was shipwrecked upon this coaS
told me other things that he III
learned of these Aztecs and this pa
tcular part of the country. He g
this story from the Indians, who fri
ly believed that it was true.
course it may be myth, but ] W
repeat 1t to you and you can deci
for yourselves.
"These Indians told him that the
had long been legend in their tri
that In ancient days one of their me-
bers had been captured and condemn
TO death even as was done to us. I
members of tie Aztec tribe who sc
fenced him bound him to mat a
sent him over this slide and in sol
way he was precipitated into a riy
that burrowed into the mountains
mole does into mound. In utt
darkness he was swept along by Il