Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1920-10-27

Mexes on TIE main trail. You cOuldn''
20 straight. bur would have ter circle
out an travel mostly behind that ridge
o sand thar 20 the left. Coin that
away nOb0dy'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 therl sand dunes
whar nobody ever goes. They're tired
'n0ugh ter stand. an there amt any.
thing fer 'em 10 Craze on. Then we
kin hOOf Il over ter the place I'm tell
in yer about. an yer kin sorter size
IL mp fer yerSelves. That's fair. amt
it,"
They went az II 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 a harder Journey than
either Brennan or Westcott had an
ticipated. for Moore led or briskly,
taking a wide circle. untn 2 consider
able ridge concealed their movements
from the south. At last Moore turned
sharply and plunged into what resem-
bled a narrow ravlne through the
ridge. Here they struggled knee deep
in the sand. but finally emerged on the
very rim overlooking the valley.
So perfectly was Il concealed they
were within ten feet OF the edge be
fore the men. their heads bent in the
strenuous effort 10 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" be advised. "SOme
hole. amt It'll"
Il should say So" and westcOtt
dropped TO his knees. 81 never
dreamed OF such a place. Dan. amt
this an eye-openerg
1T sure is" aud the marshal crept
cautiously forward. "Only it's devils
whO've got possession. What's that
down below. Matt2 Houses. by lingo
Wen. don't that beat h-l7-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 TIL
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. "an'
goes along the shelf clear to lie end
then thar's a drop ov maybe five feet
TO that Outcroppin' o. rock Just below.
It's wider than II looks TO be from
we're. After that yer can trace IL
quite a spell with yer eyes. kinder
sldlin' ter the left, till yer come to
that dead root Ov a cedar. Then
thar's a gap or two that amt over
easy. Rn' a slide down ter another
shelf Yer can't miss Il. cause tlsgss
no other way ter go"
"And what's az the hottom?"
'Them huts, an the mouth Of n big
cave just behind 'em. I 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.
n vas almost a sheer wall, and the
very thought Of climbing along the al
most impossible path pointed ont by
Moore made Westcott dizzy. II was
such a sheer. PERCEPTIONS drop, a path
If path IL could be called-so thick
ly studded with danger the mind ac'
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 a revolver. The sound bare