The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-10-21
CHAPTER xI.
The Cave In the CHI.

inc cave IN lHc SllU'
Dazcd, helpless, yet continuing to
struggle futnely, Stella realized little
except giving a glance at the hated
faces of her captors. What occurred
was not clear TO her mind; but sud
denly what appeared to be an open
fireplace seemed to swing aside, leav-
ing revealed a great black opening In
the rock. To the lleutenants snarl Of
command. one OF the men released his
grip Of her arm, and III a lantern
which ne took from n nearby shelf.
The dim flicker of light penetrated n
few feet into the dark hole, only serv-
ing to render the opening more grim
and sinister. The girl shrank back,
but the fellow still holding her tight.
ened his grip. Cateras' thin lips
smiled, and he bowed, hat In hand,
hatefully polite.
$50 ahead with the light, Silva not
too fast, my man the room beyond the
senor's. Now. Merodez, release the
girl.
"Ah, so you can stand alone, senior
tia that is well. Step In here, ahead
of me, and follow the lantern-there
Is nothing to fear"
She hesItated, and the smile on the
MexiCan's lips changed into a cruel
grin.
"Shail I make you agalnf"
"No, senior"
"Then you VIII do as l bid"
"Yes, senior; / cannot resist"
The passage was clean and dry, and
seemed 10 lead directly back into the
cliff. The faint light revealed the side
walls and low roof, and the girl, again
partially mistress Of herself, recog-
nized the nature of the rock to be lime
stone.
Her view was limited TO the slight
radius illumined by the lantern, and
even within that small area, her own
shadow, and those Of the three men,
helped render everything indistinct.
They had turned a sharp corner, and
advanced a few feet beyond when the
man with the lantern stopped sudden
ly, and held II up to permit the light %
stream full on the exposed wall to the
right. Another OF these odd Sits in the
rock was visible here, and the girl was
able to perceive more clearly It's nature
beyond question II was an artificial
opening, leading into a space on the
farther side Of the wall. Cateras push
ed past the girl, his body interfering
with her view, and bent down. FUN
bling along the rock surface.
"Hold the light closer" he command
ed. AYE, that's IL. IT'S some trick
TO find the thing All now / have H."
II seemed like a bit OF wood, so re-
sembllng the color OF the rock as to
be practically imperceptible TO the eye
In thai dim light-a bit Of wood which
slid back to reveal q heavy iron bolt,
shot firmly into the stone. This the
Mexican forced back and an opening
yawned In the side wall, the rays Of
the lantern revealing the interior Of a
black cave. Cateras stepped within.
Bring the woman" he commanded
shortly, land you, Merodez, see first
to the light"
Silva thrust her forward, his grip
no light one, while the other struck a
match and applied ii TO the wick Of a
lamp occupying a bracket beside the
doorway. AS this caught the full in
terror was revealed beneath the slckly
glow, a cell-liSe place, although Of a
fair size, unfurnished except for a
rude bench, and n three-legged stool,
the floor Of stone, and the sides and
roof apparently of the same solid struc-
ture. 1t was gloomy, bare, horrible
In its drearlness-a veritable grave.
The girl covered her face with her
hands, appalled, at the sight, unnerved
at the thought of being left alone in
such a place. Cateras saw the move
ment, and laughed, gazing about care
lessly.
"Some boudoir, senorlta," he said
meaningly. "Well, we will see what
can be done for you later. Perhaps
q few hours In such a hole may work
a miracle. When / come again you
will be glad to see wen me. I'll leave
you to think 1t over; then I'll come
back for an answer. Until then, senior
tia, adios."
The fellow lifted his hat, and step
ped back into the passage, his manner
insolent. She remained motionless,
contempt In her eyes, but In truth
hopeless and crushed. Silva closed the
door silently, although her ears caught
the click Of the bolt when It was shot
home.
No sound Of ~retreatsng footsteps
reached her through the thick wall
The stiffness Of her prison seemed