The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-01-15

~ ~1A =.
Per nnished, they began their prepara-
tion for the nights sleep.
It was decided that the girl should
take the inner room Of the house.
John the second and Morgan the out
side room. The Spider was to sleep
with the men in the auxiliary shacks.
This arranged and all being tired from
the strenuous day just passed. they
bade each other good night and re
tired. There being NO bed or bunk In
Johns room. he. spread blanket upon
the hoor. and bringing saddle for
pillow. stretched himself for the night.
Twenty minutes later he was slssping
peacefully.
The hour Of midnight came and sd-!
lence brooded close over the camp.
The door Of Aorgan's room quietly.
opensd and ths paetter crypt out, 10 be
Joined q momsnt later BY Spider and
the mine boss. Otherwise the fake
"Doctos" Fream. Passing to the back;
Of the house they disclosed the en-;
trance to desp cellar which ran Inn
mediately under the middle compart.
ment Of the house wherein John was
deep in slumbsr, and into this hole
they disappeared.
II arranged It this afternoon before
you came" whispered Bellas ~ they.
were safely underground. "She works
~ slick a. grease and without .
sound" Lighting 4 lantern he led the
way to the cellar, on the sides Of which
were revealed two wheels with ropes
wound about them and which led to .
simple lowering and hosting arrange
ment connected with the ceiling above,
which also composed the floor Of the
sleepins mans room. Tho Spider tax
ing hold Of one Of these wheels and
Morgan the other. they began letting
them slowly unwind. Az they did 90
| the door upon which John lay sank,
foot By foot into the cellar until 1t,
came to rest on the eafthen fioor. 30,
slow and slleot had bsen the process
that the weary slumberer had not
awakened.
With . spring the three were upon
him. Caught aslesp and covered by
his blanket he was half stihed and
bound before he was fairly awake. and
before he could gain his breath 4 gag
was placed In his mouth and a sack
drawn over his head. Then laying him
aside. the floor was hoisted back into
place and securely propped from be-
low, leaving NO sign that 1t had ever
been tampered with which could be
observed By anyone who should now
enter the room above.
BY the Arst morning light Ethel
awoke. Hastily dressing herself for
the day, shs went 10 the door Of Davis
room and Knocked. There was no re-
spooss and she repeated her tapping.
lo06ef this tine. There still being NO
answcs. and feeling assured that he
already had arisen and gone out, she
opensd ths door q little way and
pespea In. The room was empty. A.
she turned away she eneountered Nor
ean, Just arisen. yawning slsspaly and
In tho act Of going to the basin 0utside
for his morning wash. She accosted
him.
"Where 10 JohnT'
Haven't seen him yet, Miss Ethel.
In fact I Just this minute rolled out.
II he isn't in his room you'll nnd him
somewhere around camp" But when.
breakfast had been eaten and still no
Davis. all admitted that 1t had begun
to look queer. An examination Of bis
room revealing nothing. Morgan sug-
gested that he probably had seen
deer and was stalHbnS It In the hills.
"Anyway. We have got to get these
men on their way and start them At
work. 20 We will 20 along. leaving the
boss and one Of his men to wait for
him. That is all We can do just now
Ethel. secretly protesting. was com
PEELED, to admit that It would be folly
for the whole party to remain behind
and await the return Of one man.
Leaving the pair named BY Morgan to
linger about the place until the van
lshed one came back from his hunt.
tho remainder Of the party continued
its way into the mountains and toward
the mine. That Rainface had disap-
peared worried Ethel but little. She
knew the Indian and his strange, silent
ways. and felt suresthat he would re-
turn unerringiy homo whenever the
mood came upon him.
As the departing party wended its
way out Of sight around bend in the
trail the boss and his helper got upon
their feet.
wen wander around for a while.
then slowly follow the bunch and
catch up with them tonight at the
mine. We can tell them that We wait
ed all day and no signs Of him. and let
them do what they Ike" announced
Fream. Nouasiae tAsir horses tAays
went riding leisurely away. ~ w.
In the cellar, John had once more
managed to free himself by means Of
the secret knife which he carried con-
cealed In his waistband. This done,