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Then Tiny’s laughter faded. Cold sweat covered his body when he heard the first squeak and squawl of timber overhead. Dirt fell on his face. Terrified, he watched the timber creak and sway as more dirt slid from the roof overhead.
“No!” he cried, trying to scramble to his feet.
He was light-headed from the bite. His wrist throbbed. His knees wobbled. His eyesight was becoming quickly blurred.
As spurts of strength would allow, he dragged himself an inch at a time toward the cave entrance as dirt kept spilling all around him from the roof of the cave.
Then he remembered the jewels.
Damn it, he thought to himself. He . . . had . . . to get at least some of the jewels before the cave came tumbling down onto his head.
He turned around on the dirt floor. He crawled past the dead snake’s head. He ignored the rocks that began to fall from overhead.
Finally at the chest, he heaved himself up to rest against it, his eyes blurred, yet still able to see the shine of the jewels.
Then suddenly a large boulder fell from the ceiling and crushed the lantern beneath it, taking away Tiny’s light.
He gasped and stiffened. He looked wildly above him. His scream became muffled when the rest of the roof caved in and buried him beneath it.
Strong Wolf scrambled down the path that led to the mystery cave, the soldiers as well as several of Strong Wolf’s warriors following close behind him.
Strong Wolf leaned his ear toward a sound that he thought was a man’s scream, yet it had been so muffled he was not sure.
They hurried on to the cave where they found Clem lying across the ground, dead from a knife wound.
They found Clem’s and Tiny’s horses tethered side by side.
But they didn’t find Tiny.
“Come and look at this!” White Beaver said as he lifted the empty box of dynamite.
“That’s what was stolen from the fort,” Colonel Mooney said, going to inspect the box. “The damn idiots used every stick.”
Strong Wolf knelt beside Clem. “This is the work of Tiny Sharp,” he snarled. He rose slowly to his feet and stared at the cave’s entrance. He could tell that the boulders that were once there had been replaced by others. “Tiny is inside the cave. The cave has caved in and buried him alive.”
“You’re sure?” Colonel Mooney said, kneading his chin as he studied the cave. “You are sure he is inside?”
“Is not his horse still here?” Strong Wolf said, nodding toward Tiny’s horse.
“You know for certain that is his horse?” Colonel Mooney said, staring at the horse.
“I know his horse as well as I knew the man,” Strong Wolf said, going to kick away a few of the rocks. “And the dynamite? It was used on the cave. That is how Tiny is inside.”
“But why?” Colonel Mooney said, scratching his brow. “Why did he go there?”
“Perhaps he discovered the mysteries of the cave and thought it worth the risk of his life to go after it,” Strong Wolf said blandly.
“Do you know what is inside the cave?” Colonel Mooney said, bending to a knee, studying the debris that had fallen when the cave had caved in.
“The man has taken the answers to his grave.” Strong Wolf said, turning to walk away from the cave. He turned to the young colonel. “And I would not consider trying yourself to find what the mystery is. I would say that spirits guard the cave, or why is it that no one is ever allowed to leave once they have entered it?”
The young colonel stared at Strong Wolf, then nodded toward one of his men. “Take this dead man with you on your horse,” he ordered. “We must see to his proper burial.”
“Yes, sir,” the man said, nodding.
Then the young colonel stopped and stared at the smoke rising from the land and water. A chill ran through him. He turned to his men. “Forget what you heard here today,” he said in a solid command. “I do not want to hear that any of you have returned here. There is no need in anyone else losing their lives.”
He turned and gazed over his shoulder one last time at the cave, then walked up the narrow path behind Strong Wolf.
