The Holly chieftain., 1923-12-06

ular army, who has volunteered ior
special scouting detuil to stop this
border work. The character OF the
Frisco Kid has been made to order,
to permit Of my thus gaining the con.
fldence of these outlaws. The whis-
per reached me week ago that mu-
ni.tons were being run through here
that Bob Menger's outfit was doing IL;
that t*ls was the leak we had
been unable to stop. I came up to
Nogales: hung around there in the
lowest quarters Of the town, picking
up stray bits Of r,mor. Finally
heard about Garrity, learned he was
going out to the Menger ranch. His
henchman split little, leaving me to
believe there was going to be run
made across the line this week.-Mrs.
Casebeer outfit. That's why I came
out; that's how Garrlty picked me up
at Silver Springs. and / rode on with
him to Meager's"
She was deeply interested now, i'm
pressed by his earnestness.
II had sent word to our people from
Nogales. There is a narrow pass
through the hills on the trail below.
which this outfit must use just before
they cross into Mexico. There is no
other way south leading from here.
Early this evening squad of cavalry
got there from the north, and are
waiting"
"And II the outfit they are watching
Tor do not show up tonight, or early
tomorrow. what VIII the soldiers doy'
"Hard to tell. This halt here has
knocked out my plans completely !;
my guess at the game has gone wrong.
AS 1t is I have the choice of two
thlngs-etther remain here and learn
what these birds are really up to-
or else ride south. bring those troop
ers back, and round up this entire
OUTFIT on general principles. I'd like
most OF all to discover where Mea-
ger Is"
Perhaps can help you. have a
story to tell you yet"
Deborah spoke rapidly, clearly, de-
plcting her experiences In the con-
cealcd tunnel. her escape up the mar
\ row passage leading to the desert
level, how she came to be hidden in
the gully. and what had occurred there
after Kelleen had ridden away. The
| captain listened eagerly to her recital
of adventure. interrupting the narra-
4 tive with numerous questions. This
fresh knowledge brought a new ele-
ment into the affair, complicatlng the
whole matter.
| "YOu say this WIS tunnel?" he
asked finally. ''Dug out, you mean?'
'The light was too poor for me to
tell very much. i thought at the time
1t might be an ancient watercourse,
but work had certainly been done on 1t.
found pick and shovel on q heap
OF ,loosened rock. Quite n pile of bro
ken stone lay at the farther end, as
though 1t might have been blasted
from the wall. i had to climb over 1T
Kelleen drew a long breath, his hand
shifting his knee in sndden conviction
':By 'G-d" he said slowly. Il be,
lieve 1t must be the Lost Nine Mea.
ger may have found 1t, and is trying
to keep 1t to himself"
'"The Lost Mine'?"
| "Hes; 1t Is tradition of this ceun-
try, an old Spanish legend. believe.
but implicitly believed for hundred
years. Men by scores have lost their
lives hunting for 1t from one end Of
this desert to the other. The story
goes that II was fabulOuSly rich dis
covered by a Spanish explorer, who
l carried samples of ore clear to Mex
leo City. He came there twice with
laden mules, hut refused all definite
| information, and the men he took hack
with him as helpers were never per-
| mitted to go beyond the edge of tho
desert. He would then 60 in aiOne,