The Holly chieftain., 1924-01-10
cs,rssh k,A M<o1so


Bob Meagerr her heart choked
her. "He was really here with you.
thenf What--what happened7 Can
you tell met they will have those
rocks dug away In a moment"
Eyes, yes. he was here. he and Gar
rity-the Judge. you know. They
they are both in there now. buried
under tons of rock. I-hardly know
what did happen Il all came on Us
in q flash. There was q tunnel in
been mining years and years ago. He
must have died there all alone. for
saw his skeleton on a pile Of stone.
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-p0wder old Alvara had. maybe.
lot Of It IL saw the fash. and
Jumped back-they are there yet
buried"
"Bob Meager is deadf"
'.Crushed to pulp"
His head sank back helplessly. and
his eyes closed. Carney and Jones
rolled the last stone from of the Inn
prisoned limbs. but he lay 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
over the rock barrier. between the
clinging vines into the sunlight. Deb
orah never left his side. and as they
placed the body on 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 doubt
If there 10 a bone broken. He'll be
all right presently. Ono Of you fell
lows bring a canteen. Now. miss. q
little water will do the captain more
good than anything else. What Il 1t,
Lieutena6t9"
1--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 In some
way"
"very we'll, 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 .KeHeen 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.
1.-THE blue sky" he said. his voice
trembling, show beautiful 1t is. G-dl
but 1t 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 l want to talk" he insisted.
ut keeps me from thinking; 1t makes
me know 1t II all real-this blue sky,
and you"
"Then II You must. tell me what
happened: 1t seems almost miracle" :"
ut was . miracle, and am not
sure but you were Gods messenger" !"
he replied soberly. Then slowly. hest.
tatingly. prompted now and then by
a question. he told his story. his voice
growing stronger as be spoke. The
guard sat on a rock dozen feet
away. their carbines between their
knees, eyes on the deserted valley be-
low. The girl bent over eagerly.
seeking not to lose q word. At the
end Kelleen asked suddenly:
1.-THE paper you took from the boys
hand-what was itY'
"Only map. very roughly drawn.
and written on in Spanish. ! could
make little out of it-see"
She held 1t out before him. vel
low. creased paper. looking century
old. He held 1t for moment In his
own hands. peerIng at the crlsscross
Of lines impatiently.
perhaps 1t was one Alvara left"
he said slowly. ''and the boy had
found. He followed the rainbow To
the end"
"And we will never know7"
mo; the end was DEATH"
They were quiet long while: then
his hand moved and touched her own.
Her eyes, which had been on the val.
ley. dropped wonderingly to his face.
"Thls is not all. is it-just to be
alive again7" he asked softly.
Ill hardly know what you mean.'
"Back there in the tunnel" he In.
sisted. "when I first looked up into
your eyes read message; want
to read It again"
"A message-are you sure7"
"Yes. dear. am sure; 1t was .
message of love"
She was no longer looking at him
and she caught her breath. The3
their eyes met once more
ut Is the same message always
Daniel Kelleen," she said simply.
1.-THE END.1