The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1923-10-11


vantage being Meager's belief that he
was dead. and safely OUT OF the way.
He must remain unseen. undiscovered
until he learned the truth. His mind
grasped the situation swiftly. as he
| planned his own course OF action.
| There was no reason why Casebeer's
| outfit should remain In the valley {;
they had already unloaded and stored
away out of sight whatever they had
TO transport. Their whole interest
must be TO get safely away ON the back
trail before daylight. Already the ire
had died down into mere embers. and.
he believed. part at least OF the
pack train had departed After they
all had gone only Meager. and his
small party would be left behind.
How many there might be OF these
keileen had no means OF knowing, yet
II was scarcely probable many were
In the secret of what was going on
Meager himself. Sanchez and one or
two others perhaps: not enough TO
prove particularly dangerous. II they
did not even suspect his being alive.
Tomorrow surely that squad OF cav
alrymen must appear from Box can
yon; they would scout up this way II
nothing occurred TO detain them.
Those were their orders, and. II they
followed the trail. they could scarcely
fail to reach this hole In the desert
All he needed TO do in the meanwhile
was TO discover exactly what this
gang was up TO. and then walt
To Lis mind the key Of the whole
mystery must lie In that cave tunnel
once probe into it's secret the whole
strange case would be solved. II any
Investigation was TO be made, II must
be attempted now-he would take the
chance.
To decide, with Kelleen. was to act.
The peril OF the adventure scarcely
occurred TO him; his life had long be-
fore Injured him TO danger. All he
sought was opportunity. Slowly. eau
tiously, keeping well back IN the
shadow. he lowered his body down the
face OF the cliff. taking advantage. OF
every irregularity. outcropping rocks
giving him foot and handhold. until
he finally reached the firm turf be
low. AS he glanced back over his
course. marfing the high outline OF
the crest against the lighter sky above.
the memory OF that awful plunge over
the edge left him for an instant sick
and nerveless. Then he drove the
..sffA
laugh. What odds he was alive he
would pay the debt. He could not
stand there like a. frightened child In
the dark. He moved on In the depth
OF the cliff shadow with eyes searching
the gloom and ears listening for any
sound.
In that darkness he scarcely real
lied where he was. yet. when he
came TO II, experienced no difficulty
In recognizing the mound on which
he and Deborah had taken breakfast
together. He climbed the sloping side
cautiously on hands and knees, his re-
volver drawn and clenched In his
merry eless fingers. The man was cool
now, and ready. advancing steadily
through the maze OF rocks. strewing
the surface. until he felt out the
slight evidences OF a trail. Here was
where Deborah must have attempted
her retreat. as II skirted the face OF
the cliff. which buiged out above him.
The front was drhped with clinging
vines. while below he found a tangle
OF bushes. almost impenetrable. Kel-
leen crept along these. yainly seeking
some opening. and. finally. In despair.
pressed them aside. crawling noise
that opening in the rock which must
be hidden somewhere beyond. Its
discovery eluded him, and Il was not
until he yentured TO stand erect, feel
ing above the lower barrier OF rock.
that he really convinced himself OF It's
existence. He stood hesltatIngly. his
heart humping from excitement.
There was no sound Of movement
withln--only profound silence and Inn
penetrable darkness. Yet surely this
could be no storage house. no mere
receptacle for stolen goods a he pre-
viously had imagined There was no
beaten trail leading 10 H.; no dead.
trampled vines. no pathway opening
through the shrubs. The secret OF the
place remained hidden. its shield I'M
disturbed. Whoever came here must
have weaved their way as carefully
as he had. conceslInx all evidence OF
passage. leaving no trail behind.
In spite of the shrinking OF his flesh.
Kelleen began TO advance. feeling with
his feet. and keeping one hand against
the rough side wall II was a tunnel
beyond all doubt. leading at FIRST
straight into the cliff. the sides
clipped and irregular. leaving to the
touch Of bis fingers the ridge marks
Of a pick. Men had toiled here. not |
nature. and had plainly left their
When7 How long ago1 |
What had become OF them7 "Alvsra's |
Lost Nlnef" The words seemed 10 |
burn themselves on his mind. and be
fore him arose a vision Of the old |
spaniard working there alone IN the |
long years ago. Could II be possfblef |
After all this time had be actually re-