Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-17
CHAPTER XXII
Regarding Necklace of Pearls and
Certain Plans OF Two Who
Were Meant to BE One

"eTe Mednt 10 lie One
IRON afar, reaching them only faint
A'ly, came the sounds of mems voices
-Zoraida's men clamoring above,
mystifed and with ample cause.
1T may be our chance is now, not
tonight" said Kendric. Although it, S
but a little way from the house some
Of them, If not all, will have ridden /;
their horses will be down in the canyon.
II we can slip out this way and come
to the horses while they're looking for
US there
This way?" Betty for an instant
wondered If he meant to follow Zoraida
end Rios.
There is another way" he told her.
Come. But first, We'll not go empty
handed"
lie began quick rummaging among
the ancient chests.
Hurry pleaded the girl. "What
90 we want with treasure? They may
md US at any second Oh, hurry
Coming" he answered. but here
are wings to fly with" She saw him
putting number Of small objects into
Ills pockets. He moved to another
point and she could not see what he was
doing, could only guess that still. he
was stuffing something into the provi-
aon bag and further examining his
pockets. Just then there was in Betty s
Nul no thirst for wealths just the
mighty ycarning for the open country
ana flight and the peace of safety far.
-, Here l am jim was again at her
ade. He caught her arm. This
way"
he led her to that other pit giving
estrance to the second tunnel. at
another time Betty might have hcsi-
tated to slip down into It; now she was
eager for anything that gave the vaguest
nope Of fight. For the faint far voices
sil clamored and she feared that the
hounds that hunted In Zoraida's wake
might hnd the secret of the boulder and
Toll 1t back with many hands and rush
down upon them.
But kendric held her back while he
nfst went down. He gripped the edges
e9t the pit with his hands and lowered
mmself to the length of his arms and
dropped. 1t was but short fall and
landed safely and steaded himself
ana managed to save himself from going
aoWn the slide by clutching at the rock
val Betty handed down the rifle and
%g' then lowered herself and he caught
ner IN his arms. And then. In no little
uncertainty and not without grave
geaa OF what dangers they might en-.
counter, they went on.
The slide was steep and vet by going
very guardedly, lying face down ut
uMes and inching down cautiously, they
Isue SLOW descent. The tunnel grew
oNuullV Smnl l1ap tIny
,nelr bodies shut off the light. The
1HTibie thought presented itself to Ken
uric that when they came to the outlet
! might be too small for them TO pass
through; and that to return up the tun-
Sa va was a task that would present its
ermcuitics. SO. WHEN they came to
Esce where Betty could cling Oh and
Sa avtp rom slipping. he called to her tc
"Gs ~, while he went on.
an tne 'iine had come when his rifle YVES
~ Ghcnm6rance; he needed both hands
X, Arep from slipping. He had had
Snwiore iorethought to turn the muz2le
'VMHWard, since Betty was above him
,o NOW he crnncd his neck and sought
svOr peer down along his body. Far
lrhi somewhere, was q CLINT of sun
Ss% saw sha'! but full Of promise. lie
Of aS ne had seen before, tnnge
cnr,susu' lie wondered " 1t wcrc n
tlsS VI pushes on little fiat? Or II
Lss "sfe shrubs clinging to some stcep
Nh u clihE When Mt last he came
via mouth Of this chutc-if It were
tbronNyhh enough for mans body to pnss
nfo,1s"-would the man have reached
tbroW.u,o OF would he be precipitatcd
hlI hlISh ~ space and down fifty foot
be- dsoI,,ID "s pushes ought to stop the rifle"
conS eaHeu' nM' AT any rate, thn time has
i. Ia, waen | need both hands, And
watot y slide past him and sought to
Nlns n az 1t clattcred along the In
,lm n,l but he saw nothing of it in the
Of pHsssage until it struck the fringe
''ue' Then II crashed through