Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-05-29
WHOLE NO. 264SS.
delight, which Jared IN the steady

delight, which Jared in the steady v
Light. be exclaimed:
why, Foxi You have hurt your
self dadly. We viii hurry through our
examination, and get back to Oleoplis
as soon as possible"
So he laid down the compass, and
stuck his candle not very securely in a
little cleft above his head, and proceed
ed after good-natured laugh at my
suspicious appearance, to tie up my
broken head with his handkerchief,
which happened to be longer than nv
own. l have forgotten 70 mention,
that, before coming in, he handed me
very curious meershaum pipe Of his,
explaining that all his pockets were
already full of lawyers rubbish.
No craze or dream of his had CON
jured up the Petroleum Lake. There
it was at our feet, Veritsble and actual
with its rocky walls and arehins roof
glittering with prismatic sheen under
the varying light.
Never, since>the omnipotent ehemis-
try OF Nature evoked its fluids from
some great central alembic, had mortal
eye but his and mine beheld this won
der OF wonders-nor ever did wealth
more immeasurable sleep in more aw-
tnl embrace than this mysterious pooI
btween the rocky muscles of the hin
Away, and yet away, far as the dim
light could pierce the more than mid.
night darkness, stretched Its dead re-
pose-the diverging side walls. the m
ward slope of the domelike roof-an
unfailing exchequer. whose issuea
guided by his Christian benevolence.
might have served to soften the sor-
rows OF many q desolate life, and bring
God very near so many a repentant
sinner. But it was not to be.
As our eyes beeams accustomed 10
the light, noticed a narrow LEDGE
along the left side of the lake. and not
more than a foot above it. 1 stained
down upon it, carefully avoiding a large
howlder at-the edge Of the higber 9oor
on which Melchior was sitting, which
seemed from assure at his back 10 be
very Insecure, and had probably been
loosened by his weight when he made
the first discovery.
L had proceeded along the edge some
1--WE or six yards, when was Startled
by a slight noise far down the passage: /:
and noticed, on looking toward the en-.
trance, that its dim, nebulous CLEAN of
daylight was now completely obseured.
Then | saw black object under the
candle, and before my partner was fair
ly on his feet, he was pinioned In its
clutch. And then, in the awful strug-
gle, Atkins face. turned to the ligbt.
aud as his lean, sinewy arms wound
about Melchior's powerful frame. and
the ferocious SLAYER of the madmaD
busbled down his chin, saw that the
grspple was more equal than any one
could fancy who knew the immense
and educated strength which George
possessed.
As scrambled back, l fels in every
shuddering fiber that would be too
late.
Atkins hisSed through his knit teeth.
II owe you something for that-
you stole from me-" and the candle
above them tilted, dropped, and dwin-
He'd to q spark.
| stepped up from the ledge Mel,
,hlor partly freed his arms, but az too
Of Heaven too late.
For he stood upon the iuttinz stone.
md the stone slid down the slope; and
he snaky coil of the madman's sim
'ws preserved its murderous clasp "a
hey shot with sullen plunge into the
black lake, whose bosom broke up in
o thousand rings many oolored light
hat FLASHED and thro6bed against lis
ides.
They never rose, for an esrsh-sliD
ollowed the slipping stone, and buried
hem in their fearful tomb.