The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1923-04-19
Outofthe Darkness

10 protect them / wonder what wa
In them"
Barley sas anxious to learn wha
that truck was doing In the woods
and why the men on IL were SO deter
mined that no one should know wha
they were carrying. that they wer,
willing TO fire upon anyone who In
terfered. AS we followed the track
with the aid Of Bartley's pocket torch
we saw that the wheels had sunk q
foot into the sod In places. and that
more than one heavily loaded truck
had passed this way.
We followed the road for about hall
mile before II ended In clearing
quarter OF an acre square.
BARLEY examined the four sides OF
the clearing carefully before he came
back to US and said. In a voice that
sounded strange In the darkness,
''The road ends here. l have an Idea
that this Is where they got their load"
Currie had been peering through
the darkness as the flashes OF Bart
iey's light shot between the trees. II
have fool idea. John" he said slow
ly. "that I know where we are"
"You. dor came the eager response.
~Yes. II am not mistaken. we are
within a hundred yards OF the old
cemetery that Is on Sykes ground
II must be over a hundred years old.
and was founded by the early settlers
Several years ago slyke showed me
the place. We had the devil Of time
reaching II. for there was no path
to II. All there is left OF II Is an old
vault and half dozen stumbling
tombstones"
l was unable to see Bartiey's face
but his voice was eager.
"A vault What kindT he asked.
"Why." replied Currie. "just a
vault. One OF those things dug into
the side Of hill where dead bodies
are placed. II l am right. tn IRE is
small hill only few yards from
here"
BARLEY turned and. flashing his
Hight on the ground. moved II slowly
back and forth as he advanced. lie
paused and bent to examine the
ground.
II guess | have IT," he called TO us.
Here are footprints"
without giving US time t. examine
them. he went deeper into the woods.
and we followed. Some city feet
from the clearing. the little path We
were on ended abruptly In q small
mound.
'It's your vault. CurrIe." said Bart
ley.
Hts light rested on the massive
wooden door OF an old-fashioned
burial vault dug out of the hillside
and fastened securely by large lock.
As Barley examined 1t. he gave
little whistle. "well, Currie. { may
be an old vault. and an old door, but
the lock on II is modern. 1t has been
placed there within short time.
I'm going TO open IT,"
With thin piece OF wire md bit
II steel. BARLEY picked the lock. then
lung the door open and turned his
iashlight into the darkness within.
think that Currie and myself both
ield our breath as the light swept
Jack and forth over the walls and
ioor II disclosed nothing more star
ling than a number of boxes. similar
o those we had seen on the truck.
,lled one on the other against the
wallis. II was plain enough where the
Dad had been gotten
BARLEY led the way In and closed
he door behind us. Once more he
wept the vault with his torch. and
his time we noticed q lantern on a
'ox and III II.
The vault was about twenty-five
eet long and had been dug Into the
lde OF the hill. but the sides ana
oof we're OF stone. Along the walls
rere inches for collins. and these were /
lied high. and the door as well. with |
undreds OF small boxes. The flame
Z the lantern nickered In draft and
ueer shadows danced on the walls.
ihile a musty. earthly smell rose half
hoklngly. II was not the most pleas
mt place to be In.
But BARLEY did not seem o mind II.
lie stood In the center Of the floor.
lancing around the vault with such
n amused smile that | new that
had pleased him particu-
sriy. Suddenly he went to the near
st box. ripped OF the cover. and drew
ut n bottle. We crowded around him
: he removed fae paper and dis
osed the label OF well-known
rand OF imported whisky.
~rNat's what expected BARLEY
,mmented. 1--WE know now what was
q that truck. Captain Lowe won't
ave to hunt any longer for the place
here they hide srnugEled whisky"