The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-05-01
CHAPTER XVI-Continued

The cave grew narrower; then, just
when Lee thought that they had
reached the end, it suddenly vaulted
out and up into large chamber.
The roaring of the waterfall lmme-
diately became accentuated as the
sounds echoed from wall to wall. By
the light Of the candle they could
now see what looked like a sheer drop
into darkness Immediately in front
of them.
They drew back from the edge has
tily. But the next moment they per-
ceived that what they had taken for
precipice was river, inky black, a
swift and perfectly soundless stream
rushing through the cavern from side
to side of the mountain.
1t emerged through low tunnel In
the rock and disappeared through an
other, barely two feet in height, upon
the other side. And the roaring that
they heard was not caused by this
stream within the cave. but by some
distant cataract, either beyond the
mountain or deep within the bowels
of the earth.
There were evidences, in the shape
of rusty pots and kettles, and disinte-
grating tins strewn about the place,
that this had been Pelly's head
quarters, while on the opposite side Of
the cavern there was deep sand
tunnel extending into smaller cavern
under the wall, showing that Pelly had
worked this part for gold. And the
whole interior was piled high with
wood ashes and remains of charred
logs.
This seemed, in fact, to be the heart
Of Pelly's gold mine. ST..
Suddenly Railway, who had been
wandering apparently aimlessly about
the interior, uttered a shout and
leaped toward the obscurity of the op-
posite wall. In another moment he
had returned, dragging with him a
large sack, from whose mouth tiny
yellow particles exuded.
AS If unconscious of the presence Of
Lee and Joyce, he kneeled down, and,
muttering feverishly, began untying the
COTu dDOul the StCh HULL. Lie SAP
ing sides disclosed pit of gold.
Gold in fine dust, gold In nuggets.
Railway plunged his arms within the
sack up to the elbows, chuckling and
mumbling. There was a fortune in
that bag, the accumulation Of old
Pelly's years Of nocturnal labors. 1t
was impossible to estimate it, but it
would make it's pOssessor very rich
man for life.
"Well, I'm glad you've got it, said
Lee.
But he was thinking bitterly of
Joyce's loss.
He turned away. Suddenly some in
stinct caused him to duck and spin
around. The flash of flame spurted al
most into his face. He heard Joyce's
cry ring through the cavern.
Railway had pulled a second pis-
tol from his clothes and fired at Lee
at five or six feet distance.
The bullet Clipped silver of gran
tie from the wall behind his head.
At the same instant Lee saw Joyce
aim her automatic and fire deliberately
at Railway.
But Of course no discharge followed
the pulling of the trigger. Lee had
known the automatic was empty,
though it had not seemed necessary to
warn Joyce.
AS he sprang forward, Railway
brought the butt of the weapon smash
ing down upon Lees forehead.
Lee dropped foolishly upon his
knees; he saw Railways face, con-
vulsed with fury, over him; Rath-
ways arm. yellow with gold dust
raised to strike again Lee leaned
backward, overbalanced, fell into the
stream.
He saw Joyce run forward and
grasp at him as he was swept past,
saw Railway graphing with her
then he was in the whirling current,
and Joyce and Railway and the cav
ern vanished as swiftly as a picture
on the screen.
Lee was only dimly conscious of
what was happening to him, for his
senses reeled under Railways blow,
and it Was only an intense effort of
the will that enabled him to keep his
| face above the water. He had vague
consciousness that he was being
whirled through the depths of the
mountain in complete darkness. The
rock roof swept his hair, and the
rock walls on his two sides formed
a sort of hydraulic tube against which
the stream tossed and buffeted him,
hurting him from side to side in it's
fury.
And ever the stream grew swifter,
and ever that ominous roaring sounded
louder in his ears.
The river was carrying him toward
some subterranean waterfall. Half
conscious. Lee visualized death among
the grinding rocks-death in that
viscous blackness that no ray of sun
light had ever Illuminated.
He knew in dim way that this was
the end, and resistance being impos-
sible, resigned himself to the rush of
the waters, gasping in few mouth
fuls of air whenever it was possible.
The tunnel was growing still mar
rover, and now the roaring sounded
In his ears like thunder. The rock
roof dipped to the water. Lee drew
in one last breath. He went under.
He flung up his arms. and his fingers
scraped the roof-then touched only
emptiness. The current hurled him to
the surface again. He opened his
eyes.
Starlight overhead, appearing be-
tween high, PERCEPTIONS walls. that
seemed to scrape the sky. A narrow
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