The Cave by the Beech Fork: A Story of Kentucky-1815

for trappers. They were well known to all the neighbors, and were both musicians, and often supplied the music for rural dances and picnics. Jerry especially was sought for, and it was co

d for their protracted absence from their home by pretending that they had gone on long hunting expeditions into the central part of the State. Every spring they went south on one of the many flat-boats or rafts, which carried the products of Kentucky

ree men were seated around a dim fire, w

t 'em," demanded

it, I will! They must

"Shoot two boys for a little chink; never!

e will think that they were drowned, that they shot

never do. I once knew a murderer who was haunted by a

in it!" said the Tinker; "besides, th

ics around here, or I'll make you swallow one of these red-hot coals. I'm a Cathol

as si

fore, Tom, not to run down the Catholics, and if you do so agai

'll club both of you until you feel like wild cats under a dead-fal

d, sent to jail!"

hung, just kill them boys! Just kill them, and you'll have every man in the coun

d, "and you'll have thes

ey'd be found. They'd come up to the top to tell

t keep secrets

to 'em, and if ever they says one word about this here cave, we'll burn the

ng. I don't like your plans, but you have been as sly as a red fox since we started in

t his money was safe. His last words on leaving the cave

Jerry. "We've done all the running. Tom couldn't have done it by himself. You have done the s

stored away mu

ut I'll stand by you, Jerry. You have always st

. You is for a fact the bestest friend I ever h

I did go back on my Church, and I've been t

o kick the bucket, I reckon you can make it all right. Y

are caught-and you want me to

him. I never seen him, but t

cook for twenty years, and could get ready a repast on short notice. The bre

orch and went in to arouse the boy

want to show you the size of this cave, and then, while you are eating your b

wen. "Almost as well

nd then it seemed to me that I dozed off a

y my cursing and so on. You see, boys, I was very mad when you told me that you had seen inside of the cave. But it is all right; so don't get scared any mo

ite to the rock door through which Stayford had introduced his frightened prisoners, and the other to the right of this latter entrance. Through

nly ushered into a spacious apartment, whose size was magnified a hundred-fold in the dim, uncertain light of the smoky torch. How dreamy and ghost-like it seemed!

large flat rock, which he began to remove from its place by means of a lever. Several sma

Owen. "The s

ed Martin, stooping down and pe

gh. Besides, I want to show you another way I have of getting in and out of the cave. Afterward you must

but a few feet. "If you fall into t

ed to be the work of man-a dark, cylindrical passage cut through the solid, limestone floor, a portal black and forbidd

" Into the hole Stayfo

t bounded from side to side, while the vaults abov

Stayford

n!" Sile

ld his

down-

nconsciously grasped th

echoes ceased. From the seemingly immeasurable depths below came sharp, quick note

e hole at intervals, the larger first and then the smaller. The effect was most deceptive.

s of the cave had

t which they had yet entered, the guide again paused, and

" He pulled the vine slowly. At the same time a huge oak beam was gradually ro

anced. Three men could not lift this beam, and still I can swing it around with one hand. But I have show

let us out he

ing into the cave; as it is, you will

the same ground, passing through one of the apartments three times. This Owen and Martin

them the frugal breakfast which had been prepared for them. After they had satisfied their appetites, they followed Stayford ou

and around here belongs to old Louis Bowen; and if ever he finds out about the cave, he'll not sell. After I have bought the property, then you can tell everybody in the State, but until that time you must keep it secret. Keep it secret! a dead, dead secret! not a word! not a word about it to any one! If you do-if you do-I'll, I'll hurt you, kill you, burn your father's houses. I am not a bad man, I am not a mean man, but this is the only way I have of making a living, and you must

thout a parting word, he waved hi

recovered from their surprise, should