Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1919-02-06

nnisned putting a double edge upon the
blade fitted handle to II. and then n
cord with which to suspend II round
his neck. He showed IL To O'Rcilly,
and after receiving word of praise he
crept outdoors again and tried TO for
get how sick he was. Black spots were
dancing before Jackets eyes; he ex-
perienced spells of dizziness and nau-
sea during which he dared not attempt
to walk. He knew this must be the re-
suit of starvation, and yet, strangely
enough, the thought of food was dis
tasteful to him. He devoutly wished 1t
were not necessary to climb that hill
again. for he feared he would not have
the strength to descend it.
/ Evangelina spent most of the day
searching for food, while Asensio lay
babbling upon his bed. too i'll to notice
the peculiar actions of his companions.
1t was with strange, nightmare
feeling of unreality that the trio
dragged themselves upward to the
ruined quinto when darkness finally
came. They no longer talked. for con-
versation was drain upon their pow
ers. and the reaction from the days ex-
element had set in. O'Reilly lurched
as he walked. his limbs were heavy
and his liveliest sensation was one OF
dread at the hard work in store for
him. The forcing of that door assumed
the proportions of a Herculean task.
But once he was ut the bottom of
the well and beheld the handlwork of
Sebastian, the slave, just as he had
left il. his sense of reality returned and
with 1t a certain measure of determine
ton. lnasmuch as he had made no
visible impression upon the bulkhead
by his direct attack. he changed his
tactics now and undertook TO loosen
one of the jambs where 1t was wedged
into the rock at top and bottom. After
"A desperate struggle he succeeded In
loosening the entire structure so that
he could pry IL out far enough TO
squeeze his body through.
Il have IL - he cried to Rosa. Selling
the candle, he thrust il into the open
ing. He beheld what he had expected
to find, small cavern or grotto which
had evidently been pierced during the
digging of the well. He could appreci-
ate now how simple had been the task
# sealing ii up so as to battle discoy
D." 'sa roised above him. scarcei,
1nli he Strengthened hinsni
lis face upwarf nf-.
He tried to speak, but voiced moth
Ing more than a hoarse croak; the |
candle In his hand described erratic fig
ures.
what do you seer" the girl cried In
an agony of suspense.
Il It's herel B-boxes. chests. /
casks-everythingw
God be praisedl My fathers for
tune at last :"
Rose forgot her surroundings; she
Dent her hands together, calling upon
- Reilly To make haste and determine
beyond all question that the missing
hoard was indeed theirs. She drew
perliously close to the well and knelt
over Ii like some priestess at her de-
yotions; her eyes were trimming with
tears and there was roaring In her
ears. ii was not strange that she failed /
to see or to hear the approach of a
great blurred figure which material
lied out Of the night and took station
scarcely an arms length behind her.
He Intended 1t for his children"
she sobbed. "and providence saved II
from our wicked enemies. II was the
hand of God that led us here. O'Relny.
Tell me, what do you see now7"
Johnnie had wormed his way into
the damp chamber and a slim rectangle
or light was projected against the op-
posite side Of the well. Rosa could
hear him talking and moving about.
Don Esteban Varona's subterranean
was large enough to store
treasure far greater than his; II was
perhaps ten feet In length. with a roof
nigh enough to accommodate a tall
man. At the farther end were ranged
several small wooden chests bound
with iron and fitted with hasps and
staples. along one side was row of
casks, the sort used TO CON
tain choice wines or liquors; over ell
was a thick covering of slime and
mold. The iron was deeply rusted and
the place itself smelled abominaby
stale.
OReilly surveyed this Aladdln's cave :
IN daze. He set his candle down. for
MS fingers were numb and unsteady. :
Cautiously, as II fearful of breaking
some spell, he stopped and tried 10
move one OF the casks, but found that
It resisted him as IL cemented TO the
rock. He noted that Its head was
oulged upward, as If by the dampness
SO ne took his iron bar and aimed
sharp blow at the chine. A hoop gave
way; another blow enabled him to pr,
put the head Of the cask. He stood
blinking nf tho Qie,hf nx,,r.x1 = A.,