The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-03-03

nail; but both of yer are mountain
men, an l reckon yer could make the
| trip IL yer took it careful an slow
! like"
Westcott asked: "HOw can we get
there safely? Can you guide us?'
Moore swept his eyes over the dull
! range of sand, eSpectorated thought
fully, and rammed his hands deep into
his trouser-pockets. He was slow
about answering, but the two men
waited mOtionlesS.
''If it was me-" he said finally, 'Td
take it on foot. It'll he iaunt ov
near on to three miles, unless yer
want ter risk bein' seen by them
, Mexes on the main trail. You couldn't
90 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. HCre'd be my plan:
Lead this we're outfir o. mine an your
ponies back inter them sand dunes
whar nobody ever goes. They're tired
'nough ter stand, an there ain't any
hing fer 'em to Craze on. Then we
kin hoOf it 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 will. The
team Was driven into tn" 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.
fled these would not stray. the men
looked carefully to their supply OF
ammunition and set forth on their
tramp.
This proved n harder journey than
either Brennan or WeStcott had an.
ticiDated; for Moore led off briSkly,
taking wide circle. until n considers
able ridge concealed their movements
from the south. At last Moore turned
sharply and plunged into what reSpm.
bled narrow ravine through the
ridge. Here they struggled knee deep
in the sand, hut finally emerged on the
very rim overlooking the valley
So perfectly was ii concealed they
were within ten feet of the edge be.
fore the men, their heads bent in the
strenuous effort TO advance. even real.
lZed its immediate presence. Moore
grinned as he noted the surprise de-
picted Oh their faces, and waved his
hand.
eyer better lie down an crawl up
10 hn
hole, amt it?"
81 should say So" and Westcott
dropped to his knees. 81 never
dreamed Of such 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 Of Badly, more'n
forty miles. Creep up bit an I'll
show yer how the trail runs. Don't
be afccrd; nobody kin see yer from
down below
"All right. son; where is iti"
at starts at the foot o that bowl.
der" indicating with his finger, "an'
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 il looks to be from
yere. After that yer can trace it
quite spell with yer eyes, kinder
Sidlin' ter the left, till yer come to
that dead root or cedar. Then
thar'S gap or two that amt over
easy, an n. 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 a big
cav" 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 sheer wall and the
very thought Of climbing along the nj
most iINraSSablc path pointed ont by
Moore made Westcott dizzy. 1t was
such IL sheer precipitous drop, path
4