Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1920-10-08

Mexes on the main tran. You COULDN'T
so straight, but would have ter circle
out an travel mostly behind that ridge
o. sand thar to the left. Coin that
away nobody's likely ter get sight o.
yer on foot. You couldn't take no
hoss though. Here'd be my plan !:
Lead this we're outfit o. mine an your
ponies back inter them sand dunes
whar nobody ever goes. They're tired
'nough ter stand, an there amt any
thing fer 'em to Craze on. Then we
kin hoof 1t over ter the place I'm tell
In yer about, an yer kin sorter size
It up fer yerselves. That's fair, amt
it?"
They went at 1t with a will. The
team was driven into the security of
the sand drifts and unhitched. The
saddles were taken from the backs OF
the ponies, and what grain Moore had
In the wagon was carefully appor-
toned among the four animals. Salts.
fed these would not stray, the men
looked carefully to their supply of
ammunition and set forth on their
tramp.
This proved harder journey than
either Brennan or Westcott had an
ticipated, for Moore led Off briskly,
taking a wide circle, until a consider
able ridge concealed their movements
from the south. At last Moore turned
sharply and plunged into what resem-
q
ridge. Here they struggled knee deep
in the sand, but finally emerged on the
very rim overlooking the valley.
So perfectly was 1t concealed they
were within ten feet of the edge be-
fore the men their heads bent In the
sssU4YNOrs effort to advance, even real
lied its immediate presence. Moore
grinned as he noted the surprise de-
picted on their faces, and waved his
hand.
Yer better lie down an crawl up
ter the edge" he advised. "Some
hole, amt itT'
Il should say So" and Westcott
dropped to his knees. II never
dreamed of such a place. Dan, amt
this an eye-opener?"
1T sure is" and the marshal crept
cautiously forward. "Only it's devils
who've got possession. What's that
down below, Matt2 Houses, by lingo
Well, don't that beat h-l?-all the
comforts of home"
1.-Two big cabins,' explained Moore,
rather proud of his knowledge. Cart;
ed the logs In from oil Badly, more'n
forty miles. Creep up a bit an I'll
show yer how the trail runs. Don't
be afeerd; nobody kin see yer from
down below"
"All right, son; where is it?'
1T starts at the foot o. that bowl
der" indicating with his finger, IAN
goes along the shelf clear to the end;
then thar's drop ov maybe five feet
to that outcroppin' O rock just below
It's wider than 1t looks to be from
we're. After that yer can trace 1t
quite spell with yer eyes, kinder
sidlln ter the left, till yer come to
that dead root ov cedar. Then
thar's a gap or two that amt over
easy, an slide down ter another
shelf. Yer can't miss it, cause there's
no other way ter go"
"And what's at the bottom?"
Them huts, an the mouth OF big
cave Just behind 'em. / reckon it's In
the cave they've got the gal; there's
places there they kin shut up, but
don't know what they was ever made
fer. / asked Lacy wunst. but he only
laughed"
The two men lay fiat, staring down.
1t was almost a sheer wall, and the
very thought of climbing along the al
most impossible path pointed out by
Moore made Westcott dizzy. It was
such sheer, precipitous drop, a path
If path 1t could be calIed-so thick
~ studded with danger the mind &C
tually recoiled In contemplation
They were still sitting there cross
legged in the sand when the silence
was suddenly punctuated by the sharp
report of revolver. The sound bare