Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-12-30

earth. He grew deadly pale, and his frame quiv-

| eartn. he grew deadly pale, and his frame qulV-
cred convulsivey
What's the matter ?" said wolfgang. ''You
don't seem to have much strength left Bring
him along, boys, where can doctor him"
\ The sinister glance which accompanied this last
remark, and the peculiar emphasis laid upon the
word doctor" struck chill to heros heart.
But he could not give his own safety much
| th ought, while he was partly forced and partly
carried along after W olfgang who strobe rapidly
on for nearly half an hour He could think only
ofthe White Faton that had been wrecked on that
coast, and of his beloved Carrie who had, perhaps
| in company with those same men, trod the same
path he was now treading. What had been her
fate =? Had she been murdered by these wretches,
or reserved for some moro dcplorable doom These
thoughts filled him with unutterable agony.
Wofgang had drawn near the waters
edge; and soon coming to the mouth of cave he
entered it, followed by the three ruffians who had
charg, Of our hero.
The bottom of the cave sloped upward from its
entrance for some distance. and then became al
most level The captive flor such Maurie Lester
now felt himself to be) frequently hit his feet
n 'inst what nc thought with chill Of horror
vera human bones strewn around the cavern, but
he coC I'll not clearly make them out in the dim
light. lie also noticed that the bottom of the
cave was cry wet, thou Oh it had recently
been covered with water. The wrecker chieftain
stopped at last, what SCI med the end of the
cave, and making sign to hi' followers, they
capped nanacles the wrists and ankles of
Maurice before he had time to no. their inten
ton.
Now Captain Lester" said Wolf -ang, 'you
must remain in this place for short sea- on. You
are perfectly safe here.-Sience Say not word
IF yod attempt to leave this spot You will slain
the moment you set foot outside the cave"
Thus speaking. the chi ftain and his followe IS
silently but rapidly withdrew, leaving Maurice
nearly stupefed with astonishment. As they
passed from the mouth of the cave their feet
were wet by the rising waves The tide lOqs fast
coming IN.
After a short time, the captive looked about
him with eyes somewhat accustomed TO the dim !
light, and became satisfied that what he had sup
posed to he human bones were really such.
There were many Of them. And moving among |
them were huge rats, seeking for prey. The top /
OF the cavern, in some places, was but few feet
above his head, and in place he discovered a |
SIN all aperture, through which faint light |
struggled, and going underneath it, he thought |
be sn cit the odor of vegetation and flowers.
On to ming, from the contemplation of this |
aperture. towards the mouth of the cave, Cap |
tain Lester bserved. with alarm. that the water |
was creeping up the sloping bottom. What if it |
should fill the cSyern -? All : now he could ac- |
count for the presence there Of those human |
bones, They were t5e sad memorials Of other /
hapIess prisoners who had been left in that cave
to parish bv drocHing
Slowly but surely the waters crept along. The |
yermin fed before them to the elevated spot on |
coming water at length reached his feet !
At the end of the cave, within a few feet of the |
wall, and underneath the aperture before spoken
Of was a large piece Of rock some four feet high,
that might have fallen from above. To this
Maurice FASTENED as quickly as his manacles
would permit. After some exertion he succeed
ed in climbing TO the top Of it, and stood erect,
his head within a few inches Of the roof Of the
cavern But he was not allowed to occupy this
retreat alone. As the water began to circle round
numbers and in vain did Maurice try to dlslodge I
them with his manacled feet.
Soon Gas it seemed to the captivej the water
came ripping over the top Of the rock. lie felt
its moisture upon his feet. And still it rose
slowly but relentlessly it rose higher-higher;
and as it rose the rats climbed up his limbs for
safety. It in vain that he brushed them off
with his fettered hanis. by instantly returned.
They cllmbered up his back-to his shoulders
over the back of his neck-to he crown Of his head
their clammy bodies striking a chill TO his very
heart.
And still higher the waters rose, and more
thickly the foul vermin clustered upon the devOt-
ed captive's shoulders and head, their only
places of safety Driven frantic at last by the
horrors of his situation he about 10 plunge
into the surging tide and seek watery grave,
when his attention was arrested by the tread of
rapid footsteps near the aperture above his head,
and the sound Of harsh masculine voice. almost
instantly followed by noise as Of n struggle,
and piercing shrek which thrilled Maurice
Lester to the very soul. He could not be mistak-
en- it was CARRIES voice again he heard it,
but now in tones Of entreaty. Oh, it r15 her
voice She was nat dead She lived and was
near him Gathering all his strength he shouted,
Carrie Carrie CARRIE 80
dead silence followed, broken only by the
fearful muuners Of the still rising waters and the
splash of the rats they fell from the wretched
captIves head and shoulde. s, only to return a
gaia their fierce struggles fora perch of safety
from the Advancing tide. which had now nearly
reached our heros shoulders
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