, 1923-02-17
FIRE MOUNTAIN"
A Tale Of Mystery, Treas ure, Love and the Sea.
BY NORMAN SPRINGER
Author of "The Blood Ship
INSTAILNIENT No. TMELN

came out u the DLdCh uGIlhbs anu
suddenly the hard. packed sand be-
gan to crawl beneath his feet, things
swayed dizzily before his eyes, and a
sharp nausea attacked the pit Of his
stomach.
The Tour japanese sailors and Motto
I were plainly terrified. Ichi held him.
self in hand. but HE mouth gagged.
Always comes the strange noise,
and then the shake" he said to Mar
tin. There was tho hint of a Quaver
in his voice. "Out OF the deep place,
they come-like the strugglers OF EVIL
Onesr'
his men. bracing them with words
''They are OF much ignorance" he
continued to Martin. They have
much fear. They know a silly story
their mothers have old them, about
the Evil Ones calling from the deep
pit"
He Chartered peremptory words to
his followers. Ono OF the sailors
picked up a lantern. Motto stepped be-
hind Martin. and Ichi lifted the other
lantern and stepped toward the cave
mouth.
AS they entered the cave, Icht walk.
ed first, then Martin. the grim Moto
next, and the our sailors trailed be-
hind. the last man carrying the Sec
ond lantern.
Martin was sensible OF a sharp rise
OF temperature. There was n strong
draft in h p~assageway. and the hot.
smelly air blew in his face and
rufned the hair oil his bare head
He was also conscious of the low,
steady. moaning sound that came out
OF the heart Of the darkness ahead Of
him.
They passed a dark opening, but it
was on the left hand.
The whaleman's directions were in
his mind: - starboard-windy cave"
That must mean hat the fourth open
ing on the right hand led to the windy
ave.
They passed q cave opening on the
right hand, another, and another.
Ichl stopped, Martin saw in front OF
him the yawning mouth OF the cave
OF winds.
1t was not the length or breadth Of
the windy cave that fastened Mar.
n started regard. II WIS the
depth. For there. at his very feet
almost, plain in the lantern light, was
the deep place. OF Ichl's reference,
the "bottomless hole" OF Winters log.
1t was q crack in the floor. It's width
and length lost in the gloom. Its
edge was but a foot or two inside the
cavern entrance. Tho surroundings
were wet. The black rock was wet
underfoot and as slippery az a waxed
floor. There was Il floor along the
left wall. Martin saw-a ledge about
six feet wide nat extended from the
wall to the edge of the pit. t was
wet and shining, and. a most trcacher.
Gus footing. The words Of the code
were-"windy cave port-aloft,'
50 he knew they must travel that
dangerous path till they reached the
second opening in the wall. There,
along the wall of the dangerous ledge,
the Japs stretched a lifeline, waist
high. They had fetched a tackle, and
not n length Of rope because though
there were no juttIng rocks about
which a rope might be knotted, the
hooks OF the blocks fitted easily over
the small inequalities the edges of the
openings presented. So long as a
strain was kept upon the hauling line.
the hooks would bite.
Ichi set his lantern down beside
the man holding the line. Then he
looked at Martin. He did not attempt
to speak-he indicated they were to
cross.
Once the perilous crossing was eff.
focted. they found themselves on the
level floor, in the entrance to another
cave.
This entrance was not wide, and
there vas room for u four, hudd,ed
togther-the sailor who had strung
the line, Ichi. Martin. and Motto. The
two sailors stayed on the soIping
ledge. graspIng the tackle. The re.
naming man held to his position at
the Ian end of the tackle, the rome
wrapped about him.
"Ah-it is here that we
our looking!' exclaimed Ichi. we
have already searched this cavern,
but not 'aloft.' So now wo gaze with
~upwsrdness and test the statements
OF the young female and your honor.
able self. Mr.. Blake. Are you of sure.
ness as to the words7 All, the worthy
Motto is OF readinessp'
The code says 'aloft," answered
Martin. look for a hoe II the roof.
leading up to a dry cave"
Martin felt Moto's fingers RESTING
lightly upon his shoulder. But he
also felt the hard outline OF the CUR
in Ichi's cont pocket. against his leg.
they were crowded closely together in
the ave entrance.
lchi chartered an order and the
sailor picked up the lantern and hello
1t over his head. Overhead was an
opening. a crack in the ceiling.
lchi pointed and cried out excited
~, while his features contorted with
triumphant greed.
Martin glanced at Motto. He, also
had his eyes upon tho opening. Tho
careless moment had come! Martin
with a slight, convulsive Jerk, frced
his right wrist OF the ~handcutf.
Then. before he could straiEhter
! his arm IchI turned and Grinned ur
into his face.
"Ah-so. It was with truthfulness
you spoke! We have, then, perhaps,
no further needfulness-"
So far he got, and then he EtIf.
fPnpd. his month garvcd ,x,,.1,- -