The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-06-17
uApTER XVI-Continued

and up Into large chaiupei'
ho roaring of the waterfall imme-
oIv became accentuated as the
,ds echoed from wall to wall. By
light of the candle they could
coo what looked like sheer drop
darkness Immediately in front
hem.
bey drew back from the edge has
But the next moment they per-
cd that what they had taken for
-ocinice was a river, inky black, a
h and perfectly soundless stream
hing through the cavern from side
Idle of the mountain.
emerged through a low tunnel In
rock and disappeared through an
r. barely two feet in height, upon
other side. And the roaring that
heard was not caused by this
am within the cave. but by some
ant cataract, either beyond the
"a ntaIn or deep within the bowels
he earth.
here were evidences, In the shape
|2 fusty pots and kettles, and dislnte-
hing tins strewn about the place,
this had been Pelly's head
tiers. while on the opposite side of
cavern there was deep sand
1I;1 ell extending into a smaller cavern
er the wall, showing that Pelly had
ked this part for gold. And the
81 lie interior was piled high with
u M ashes and remains Of charred
S15lhis seemed, in fact, to be the heart
Pelly's gold mine.
q nddenly Railway, who had been
dering apparently aimlessly about
interior, uttered shout and
led toward the obscurity of the OPP
lite wall. In another moment he
returned, dragging with him a
Re sack, from whose mouth tiny
pw particles exuded.
s II unconscious Of the presence of
W and Joyce, he kneeled down, and,
ttering feverishly. began untying the
about the sacks mouth. The gap
sides disclosed pit Of gold.
+ old in fine dust, gold In nuggets.
hway plunged his arms within the
up to the elbows. chuckling and
nbling There was a fortune in
bag, the accumulation of old
Us years Of nocturnal labors. 1t
impossible to estimate it, but 1t
- ld make its possessor a very rich
for life.
Well, I'm glad you've got It," said
= pit he was thinking bitterly of
les loss.
turned away. Suddenly some in
Et caused him to duck and spin
nd The flash of flame spurted al
into his face. He heard Joyce's
ring through the cavern.
hthway had pulled a second pis-
from his clothes and fired at Lee
We or six feet distance.
Pc bullet Clipped a silver Of gran
&from the wall behind his head.
the same instant Lee saw Joyce
her automatic and fire deliberately
pathway.
pit of course no discharge followed
pulling of the trigger. Lee had
IN the automatic was empty,
Ign 1t had not seemed necessary to
Joyce.
he sprang forward, Railway
ght the butt Of the weapon smash
down upon Lees forehead.
Re dropped foolishly upon his
IS; he saw Railways face, con-
ed with fury, over him; Rath-
s arm, yellow with gold dust,
"a to strike again. Lee leaned
ward, overbalanced, fell into the
I'm.
saw Joyce run forward and
at him as he was swept past,
halfway graphing with her
he was in the whirling current,
Joyce and Railway and the cav
vanished as swiftly as a picture
he screen.
e was only dimly conscious of
was happening to him, for his
reeled under Railways blow,
1t was only an intense effort of
Siii that enabled him to keep his
ABOVE the water. He had a vague !
ciousness that he was being
'eu through the depths of the
tain In complete darkness. The
root swept y his hair, and the
walls on his two sides formed
y hydraulic tube against which
~eam tossed and buffeted him,
~ MIN from side to side in its
- ever the stream grew swifter,
ever that ominous roaring sounded
er In his ears.
river was carrying him toward
suoterranean waterfall. Half
'ious' Lee visualized death among
srinuing rocks-death in that
Us olackness that no ray of sun
iiad ever Illuminated.
knew In dim way that this was
nu' and resistance being impos-
eslgned himself to the rush of {
"tes, gasping in a few mouth
IL az Whenever 1t was possible. I
.annel was growing still mar I