The Washington herald., 1919-12-25
RAINBOW'S END


may q bad lightning split himS-hs
ran after me until nearly expired.
II my new knife bad been sharp ]
would have turned And sent him home
with II between his ribs. Tomorrow I
shall put an cage on Il. Believe me.
ran until my lungs burst"
Little food remained in the huh.
barely enough Tor Asensio and ths
women. and inasmuch as O'Reilly had
spent his last centayo for candles he
and Jacket were forced TO 80 hungry
again Late that evening. after the
wretched prison quarters had grown
quiet the three treasure-hunters stole
out OF their hovel and wound up the
MIL In spite OF their excitement they
went slowly, for none Of them had
the strength 20 hurry. Fortunately,
tnere were few providers within the
lines. hunger having robbed the re-
concentrates OF the spirit TO yentyrs
forth. and In Consequence. Spanish
vigilance had relaxed; Il was now con-
nneo TO the far-fung girdle OF IN
trenchments which encircled the city.
The tho encountered no one.
leaving jacket on guard at the crest
OF the hill, O'Reilly stationed Rosa at
the mouth Of the well, then lowered
himself once more into a. LIGHTING
his candle. he made a careful EXAMINE
alton Of the place with the hesult that
Esteban's theory OF the missing riches
I seemed even less improbable than IL
had earlier in the day. The masonry
work, he discovered. had been done
with a painstsking thoroughness
which spoke Of the abundance Of slave
labor, and time had barely begun 70
AFFECT II. Here and there a piece Of
! the mortar had loosened and come
away. but for the most part II stood
as solid as the stones between which
IL was laid Shoulder-high TO o'ReilIy
there appeared to be q section Of the
curbing less smoothly fitted than the
rest, and through an interstice in this
he detected what seemed to be a
damp wooden beam. At this point he
brought his iron bar into play.
1t was not long before he discovered
that his work was cut out for him.
The cement was like flint and his
blunt makeshift implement was almost
useless against Il. Ankle-deep in the
muddy water. he patiently pecked end
| pounded and Clipped. endeavoring &c
enlarge the crevice so as TO use la
I bar as a lever. The sweat streamed
from him and he became dismayed at
his own weakness. He was forced to
! rest frequently.
Rosa hung over the orifce above,
encouraging him. inquiring eagerly az
to his progress. During his frequent
breathing spells he could discern her
white face dimly illumined by the
candlelight from below.
After he had worked for an hour or
two. he made q report: 1T begins to
look as IL there really was q bulk
head or a door in there"
The girl clapped her hands and
laughed with delight do hurry.
dear; I'm dying of suspense"
O'Reilly groaned: That fellow. Sc
bastisn. knew his business. This
cement is like steel. and I'm sfra "a
/ OF breaking my crowbar."
Rost found a leaf. folded a kiss into
II, and dropped it TO him That Will
give you strength" she declared.
| O'Reilly lost all count OF time after
a while and he was incredulous when
Jacket came to warn him that day
| light was less than an hour away.
Why, ] haven't started" he pro-
tested. He discovered. much 10 his
( surprise, that he was ready TO drop
! from fatigue and that his hands wANs
! torn and blistered: when he hid
climbed the rqke TO the upper air he
fell exhausted tn the deep grass. i
| I'm not myself at ALL he apologized:
nothing to eat. you know. But the
work will go faster now. for I've mado
| a beginning"
CTo Be Continued.)