Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1919-09-04

disappeared, returning il moment later
with the body of Shellum. This they
deposited at the side Of the fallen one.
From II corner of the cave a rude lit
ter was brought and upon this the
Senseless body of Davis was placed.
Shellum's turban was fitted upon his
head and the pointed native shoes Of
the dead Hindu drawn upon his feet.
Then draplng his body with the tunic
80 that only the head and feet pro
jected ut either end, they left him and
devoted their attentions to their for
mer companion who had persisted be-
fore the Indians big gun. Placing
Johns coat over Shellum, they carried
the corpse to a niche in the wall and
there left It.
Returning to the unconscious one,
two seized the front Of the ~improviSed
litter, two the rear and gravely left
the cave, o noticing that their bare
feet left more or less distinct imprintS
upon the soft ground,
Left alone In his vigil beside the
now smUldering fire, the Spider sat
under "A tree smoking lazily. Present
ly his eyes wandered upward to the
limb, and as they did SO IL thought
seemed to strike him, for putting his
pipe aside lie arose. Shining up the
tree he worked his way out on the limb
until he came to where the remnant of
the rope still dangled. there pauslng
and looking down. Followed II mo
ment's reflection, whereafter he pulled
up the fragment of rope and inspected
it. Extending half way through it he
saw II cut such us could only have been
made by a sharp-edged instrument. A
frowr crossed his face.
"He's lower down than even |
thought him." he muttered as he let
the rope end fall.
Next he looked down into the ruins
of the temple. The blaze was dying
and the top of the altar, ashes covered.
was plainly revealed. A second glance
showed him the pivOted stone still
partly open, and he uttered an excla-
iu'i'h =" hsitiii'ttihNb''
"Well, I'll be hanged If he amt got
away again."
Marveling over his discovery he de-
scended to the ground, cut down a few
saplings and began making Il sort Of
bridge which started upward from the
ground and ran to the altar top. over
which the still hot debris was smoking.
This done, he began mounting it eau
tlOusly. Gaining the top of the altar
he saw how Il part of the arm Of the
god had wcdgcd the pivot. and began
kicking into the ashes, ut the same
time saying:
swell. you were some good after all,
old man."
Next he tested the pivot and found
1t firm, and being satisfied that It
would not close upon him and make
him a prisoner, he dropped into the
cellar as John had done.
The place was still dimly lighted by
the glow from above, and a short
search discovered to him II fragment
Of candle. This he lighted and pro.
ceeded down the passageway, follow
ing in the tracks of Davis. He arrived
ut the ave and proceeded to search
the same, 500 later running across the
dead body Of Shellum which was cov-
cred by Johns coat. The coat he NJ
once recognized. Looking at the torn
and footprint-markcd floor, he saw the
heavy imprints of Johns shoes mingled
with the tracks of the bare feet of the
natives; further exploration revealing
where the Hindu's had cut poles and
made a litter. He began sollloquizlng.
hDavis fell through the nitar and
came here, lie wns attacked by the
Hindus and put up Il big fight, hut
they made him II prisoner, put some
of the dead mans clothes on him aud
took him away. Now ! wonder why?'
Not hain9 able to solve the proposi'