The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1925-02-19
Copyright by w. G. Chapman.
WNU Service

~ tAAf 1NCt 49, 60
quietly. She had understood wha
Lee meant Immediately. Lee tool
Railway through the laurel tangle
and showed him Pelly's remains. Ht
showed him the initials on the handle
Of the revolver.
Railway stood dumbly staring a
the skeleton. He was trembling ever
more violently than before.
HE must nave fallen from the cliff, y
said Lee, indicating the broken bones.
AYE, but where's your proof that
it's Pelly?" Railway burst out sud
denly. why, man, there isn't a court
in the land would admit that skeleton
as proof that Pelly was dead. That's
as like as not the body of his Indian,
carrying Pelly's revolver"
Lee obeyed the instinct not to tell
Railway that Leboeuf was alive.
Besides" Railway went on, "as for
@. P.-Well, that might mean anything,
Charles Patrick, or Clarence Peel.
There used to be a Clarence Peel in
this district who disappeared. l swear
lldlc Int Iully " oOhs my Olb-
timer will tell you that I'm not lying
to you. N-nO, Anderson, you can't
prove that's the body of old Pelly, just
from those initials"
Lee wondered at Railways agita-
ton. The man seemed quite beside
himself. He twined his fingers in his
black beard, and shambled away with
his peculiar hunched SLOUGH. Lee led
him to the cross above the little grave.
II think that's proof" he said
quietly.
But Railway, clenching and I'M
clenching his fists, said nothing. Lee
went back, calling Joyce, and they
proceeded in the direction of the cave.
Lee pointed out the pans and cradle,
and the proofs of dynamiting.
AYE, but the gold-where's the
gold?" Railway demanded.
81 have seen none" answered Lee,
and, if you remember, l made no
guarantee as to it."
How do l know you haven't taken
it away?' Railway shouted. AYE,
you may have stolen my gold as you
stole my wife. You may be planning
to take my wife and my gold away
together"
Lee looked at him in amazement,
for Railway was nearly crazed by
some passion, probably, Lee thought,
the anticipation of obtaining the treas
ure of old Pelly.
fTtNo fo1yap No nn16 ord Bun coon
none,' he answered. 81 must again
remind you of our agreement, Rath-
way"
Railway pulled himself together
with an effort. AYE, that's all right"
he answered. "This looks like Pelly's
mine. Let's look inside. Have you
been inside, Anderson"
"I've only explored the entrance"
Lee answered. ST brought no candle
with me last time I was here"
Relighting the candle, he preceded
Railway within. The sound of the
distant roaring came Immediately to
their ears. BY the candle light Lee
saw fresh footprints on the sands.
They were made by a man wearing
m~occasins, nc doubt LebOeuf. He did
not call Railways attention to them,
and Railway, absorbed with his eager
ness to find the treasure, noticed moth
ing. Lee wondered, however, what the
Indian had been doing in the cavern.
The cave grew narrower; then, just
when Lee thought that they had
reached the end, it suddenly vaulted
out and up into q large chamber.
The roaring Of the waterfall imme-
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
lily. But the mex moment they per-
ceived that what they had taken for
4 precipice was a river, inky black, a
'wift and perfectly soundless stream
'ushing through the cavern from side
o side of the mountain.
1t emerged through a low tunnel in
he rock and disappeared through an
,ther, barely two feet in height, upon
he other side. And the roaring that
hey heard was not caused by this
within the cave, but by some
Instant cataract. either beyond the
fountain or deep within the bowels
f the earth.
There were evidences, in the shape
f rusty pots and kettles, and disinte-
tins strewn about the place,
hat this had been Pelly's head
uarters, while on the opposite side of
he cavern there was a deep sand
unnel extending into a smaller cavern
nder the wall, showing that Pelly had
this part for gold. And the
hole interior was piled high with
,ood ashes and remains of charred /
'gs.
This seemed, in fact, to be the heart {
[ Pelly's gold mine. ]