The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-10-14

Mexes or the main rrail. You couiun't
20 straight. but would have ter circle
out an travel mostly behind that ridge
o. sand than to the left. Coin that
away n~obody's likely ter get sight O.
yer on foot. You couldn't take no
boss, 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
'pough ter stand, IN there ain't any
thing fer 'em to Craze IN. Then we
kin hoof II over ter the place I'm tell
ia yer about, an yer kin sorter size
II up fer yerselves. That's fair, amt
it?"
They went at II with a will. The
team was driven into the security OF
the sand drifts and u%nhitched. The
saddles we're 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 obN SCt bVtlh Ou AiSAh
tramp.
This proved a harder journey than
either Brennan or Westcott had an
ticipated, for Moore led OFF briskly,
taking a wide circle, until q consider
able ridge concealed their movements
from the south. At last Moore turned
sharply and plunged into what resem-
bled n narrow ravine through he
ridge. Here they struggled knee deep
in the sand, but finally emerged on the
very rim overlooking the valley.
SO perfectly was it concealed they
were within ten feet Of the edge be-
fore the men, their heads zen In the
strenuous effort to advance, even real
lied it's 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 it?"
II should say So" and WestcOtt
dropped TO Lis 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, Matt? 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"
"Au right, son where is it2'
cit starts at the foot o. that bowl.
der" indicating with his finger, IAN
goes along the shelf clear to the end;
then thar's a drop ov maybe five feet
to that outcroppin' o. rock just belJw.
It's wider than 1t looks to be- from
we're. After that yer can trace 1t
quite a spell with yer eyes, kinder
sidlin' ter the left, till yer come to
lHdL uedu TOOt OV u ceudT. Inen
thar's a gap or two hat amt over
easy, an a slide down ter another
shelf. Yer can't miss it, cause there's
ne other way ter GO"
and what's at the bottom?"
"Them huts, an the mouth Of a big
cave just behind EN-. l 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 fat, staring down.
IT a almost n sheer wall, and the
very thought of climbing along the al
most impossible path pointed out by
Moore made Westcott dizzy. II was
such a sheer. precipitous drop. a path
If path 1t could be called-so thick
ly studded with danger the mind &C
tually recoiled In contemplation.
They were still sitting there cross
legged In the sand when the silence
vas suddenly punctuated by the sharp
report of n revolver. The sound bare