The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1923-11-15

bop "NuSti hC& h'lit NhohSu
her. "He was really here with you,
then? What-what happened? Can
you tell me? they will have those
rocks dug away in a moment"
"Yes, yes, he was here, he and Gar
rity-the judge, you know. They
they are both in there now, buried
under tons of rock. hardly know
what did happen; 1t all came on us
In a flash. There was a tunnel in
here, a room, where old Alvara had
been mining years and years ago. He
must have died there all alone, for |
saw his skeleton on a pile of tone.
Then those two went in-Meager and
Garrity-with a broken lantern. l.
! think one of them fell, and-there
must have been some powder left
there-powder old AIvara had, maybe,
a lot of IT. IL saw the flash, and
jumped ~back-they are there yet.
buried"
Bob Meager is dead?"
Crushed TO a pulp"
His head sank back helplessly, and
his eyes closed. Carney and Jones
rolled the last stone from off the i'm
prisoned limbs, but he ley insensible.
The three soldiers bore him out
through the black passage to the en-
trance, and. with the assistance Of
those others outside, lifted his body
I'VE the rock barrier, between the
clinging vines into the sunlight. Deb
orah never left his side, and as they
placed the body o n the short turf, his
head rested again on her arm. The
sergeant knelt, and felt the out
stretched limbs.
Badly bruised, and perhaps crushed
a Bit" he said at last, but l doubt
If there is a zone broken. He'll be
all right presently. One of you fell
lows bring a canteen. Now, miss, a
little water will do the captain more
good than anything else. What is 1t,
Lieutenant"
"We can hardly move him at pres
ent, Sergeant. He'll have to rest
awhile before he can ride. Perhaps
we better search those bodies back
there, and dispose of them i'm some
way"
"Very well, sir"
They disappeared together, all but
two troopers left on guard; below In
the valley the troop horses grazed in
the sunshine. Deborah, bathing the
white face gently, waited with wildly
beating heart. She was free, free, and
Daniel Kelleen lived. There was
nothing else in life to think about.
He slowly opened his eyes, and
smiled up at her, as though her being
there was the most natural thing In
the world.
"The blue sky" he said, his voice
trembling, "how beautiful II is. Cd
but IL Is good to get out of that hole,
with dead men everywhere"
"Yes," she replied, but don't try
to talk now; that is all over with"
But | a TO talk he Insisted.
1T keeps me from thinking 1t makes
me know IL is all real-this blue sky,
and you
"Then X you must. tell me what
happened 1t seems. almost a miracle"
1T was q miracle, and I am not
sure but you were Gods messenger"
he replica soberly. Then slowly, hest.
tatingly, prompted now and then by
a question, he told his story, his, voice
growing stronger IS he spoke. The
guard sat on a rock a dozen feet
away, their carbines between their
knees, eyes on the deserted valley be-
low. The girl bent over eagerly,
seeking not to lose a word. At the
end Kelleen asked suddenly:
'The paper you took from the boys
hand-what was it?' f"
"Only a map. very roughly drawn,
and written on In Spanish. I cdnld
make little out of it-see.'
She held 1t out before him, a vel
low. creased paper, looking a century
old. He held 1t for a in his
own hands, peering at the crisscross
Of lines i~mpatlently.
Perhaps 1t was one Aivara left"
he said slowly, land the boy had
found. He followed the rainbow to
the end"
"And we will never known"
No; the end was DEATH"
They were quiet a long while; then
his hand moved and touched her own.
Her eyes. which had been on the val.
ley. dropped wonderingly to his face.
"This Is not all, Is lt-just to be
alive agaln?" he asked softly.
I'll hardly know what you mean"
Back there In the tunnel" he In.
sisted, "when I first looked up into
your eyes | read a message; / want
to read II again."
"A message-are you surrey"
.Yes. dear. I am sure, II was q
message of love"
She was no longer looking at him.
and she caught her breath. Then
their eyes met once more.
ut Is the same message always
Daniel Kelleen." she said simply.
1.-THE end