“ ‘ No,’ I answered, ‘ where and what is it ?’
‘‘‘ Up here at the head of this ravine. It is a deep cave ex
tending far back into the mountain. ’
“At the word ‘ cave ’ I started. Here was a clue. At last I
had stumbled upon the hidden treasure. Already visions of golden
wealth floated before my excited eyes and I began dreaming of
what its riches would bring me.
Then I heard Cecil continuing:
‘‘ l That is where I was the day I was hurt. I had been up
there hunting for a spot from which to sketch it.’
“ ‘Let us go up to it. lam really anxious to see it,’ I said,
with difficulty suppressing my excitement.
Then as we walked along, I asked:
“ ‘ Why do they call it ‘ Death’s Gate ?’ ”
“ ‘ Oh, that is due to an old Indian legend. I believe a young
brave and the girl who eloped with him to escape a forced mar
riage, were sieged to death there. Surely you have heard that
story. ’
“ ‘Yes, I do believe Wewoka told me something of the sort
once. ’
“ And then, ashamed of my duplicity, I told Cecil of my hopes
and vain searches for the treasure, and assured her that this was
the right track. She laughed at my credulity.
“ ‘ Do you really believe there was a treasure in the story ?’
she asked.
“ ‘ Yes, I do, and I shall find it, too,’ I answered resolutely.
“ ‘Here is the pjace, then,’ she said, stopping at the base of
what seemed a solid vine-covered cliff.
“ ‘Where ?’ I asked, staring hard before me.
“ ‘ Here,’ and with a quick motion she drew back a handful of
the vines, disclosing a jagged hole in the rock some six feet high.
No wonder I had not noticed it, so cunningly had the hand of
nature hid it that it would have taken a more than ordinary
observer to detect it.
“ Quickly taking out my clasp-knife, I cut away enough of the
vines to make a fairly large entrance. Then I noticed that the
stream which we had followed extended far back into the cave
until it lost itself in the deep gloom.
“ ‘I am going to explore it,’ I said, after looking into the dark
recess a moment. Running to a dead pine near by, I lopped off
two pitch knots and split their ends. Then lighting one I stepped
The Free Lance.
[February,