The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-03-26

sumo the march after dinner, and cannot sf-
ford to waste time here
King 4 fine young soldier, took a torch,
and entered the cave.
II The dinner was dealt Out-hot savory
steaks and roa' ts-ihe coffee measured, and
J the meal commenced, but none of the mea
who had entered the cave made their ap-
Pearance
How singular 7 calculated BFydges, testi-
ly and impatiently. What can keep those
meul King has been gone ten minutes.
Here, Sergeant Hllsey, hurry those men upl'
! The sergeant, brown, strong man of
middle age, hesitstej, and venluIed to stam-
mer:
L beg your pardon, Lieutenant, but I
| think there's something wrong inside the
cave. There's three men in there-all hun
CRY aud knowing that dinners ready. Sure
| " they'd come back If they could. Perhaps
there's wild beasts, or some strange kind of
gas that smOtheTs 'em, or
Nonsense, Sergeant I interrupted the
| lieutenant froWning. give you five min
utes to bring those men back. Coz
The sergeant s face paled, but, without an
other word, he took up torch and entered
/ the cave, disappearing from the gaze Of his
friends,
The minutes passed, the lieutenant and
the men ate their dinner mechanically, await
ing anxiously the expected return yet noue
of the four came back.
The words of the sergeant had made a
deep impression on the minds Of his hearers.
A general gloom fell npon the camp, and the
men east frequent and fearful glances in the
direction of the cavern. Even the lieutenant
and Hubert felt strange depression creep
ing over them, which neither could resist.
What can be the matter2' at length de-
manded the officer. The sergeant's in
trouble, l should judge by this long alb
sence. There can't be gas in the cave, or II
so, he would probably have time to cry out.
There cant be Wild beasts, for those four
men were all well armed, and would at least
have fred. Which of all you men will 90
into the cave and learn what the matter is +
There was general shrinking back. Every
saldier was brave in an Indian fight, but not
enc dared to face mysterious and unknown
Danger Not one wished to risk the com
plete and total disappearance from earth and
human knowledge that had befallen his CON-
Fades
Whoever viii venture in search Of the
missing men shall receive from me a hun
dred dollars in gold 7 exclaimed Hubert, in
his clear, ringing tones. Who speaks first
for the money!
The offer was tempting but it was not
accepted. Not word Ofrsply was made to it,
Hubert hesitsted, giving brief thought
to Miriam, his loved and waiting Miriam
His face then gloEed with heroic light, and
he said, in tones that did not falter:
i will go IN search OF the men, Lieuten.
ant Brydges. Only, your party is now small,
and if | do not return In twenty minutes,
you may resume your journey
/ But, Earle, exPostulated the lieutenant,
this is positive madness You must not
risk your life. We will wait awhile, and if
the mendO not return, We will move on +
They may need help, replied Hubert,
steadily. They may have encountered
well, God knows what, I can't imagine. III
| fire my rife, come to me. If fail to re-
turn within the time appointed, move on z
He went up 10 the nearest FIRE, picked up
a blazing stick, arranged his rife for instant
use, approached the mouth of the cave, peer
ed into it cautiously, and listened inteuily
for some sound Of life within.
No sound came. All was as still as death
within the cavern.
The next instant Hubert had vanished
therein.
All was now breathless suspense.
The lieutenant and his men gathered
around to listen for the report of The rifle.
The minutes passed, but it came not. Five
minutes dragged by-ten-ifteen, and still
no sound reached their ears. They could
see brief space into the cavern, by the light
Of their own torches, but nothing but rocky
walls and hOor met their gaze.
Twenty minutes were thus passed. The
time was up, and Hubert had not returned.
The men looked at one another with pal
lid faces. As if turned to stone, tbsy stood
an ave-stFicken group about the cavern's
mouth, until the minutes had more than
made up an hour-and still they fingered.
During this time they had cleared away
the bushes from the mouth Of the cave. They
had tried again and again to peer into the
dark depths Of the opening, but could not.
The lieutenant had called repeatedly to Hu-
bert, but received 90 answer, At length he
proposed 10 tie a rope around his waist aud
descend into the sinister abyss, but mis- men
objected unanimously.
What's the useP asked One. There's
something here that no mortal mad can con-
quer.'
We cant risk your life, lieutenant, said
another. Just think how few there are of u.s.
Ane bm5 ponunueQ- 10 Qrag on.
At last, when two full hours had passed, (
Lieut.. Brydgt staggered to his festand said
This is h2rribls--terrible beyond express
sion We have lost four of our comrades |
and this noble young stranger, whom low
ed as brother. This fearful cave must hold |
the secret of their fate, be It what it may.
Let US CO.
Without word, but with white faces-in |
a sort Of mute terror, the men mounted their |
horses and resumed their journey. The
above i all of this story that viii Be pub.
lished in our columns. The continuation of |
it from whore it leaves off here can be found |
only in the New York Ledger, which is for
sale at all the bookstores and news depots. |
Ask for The number dated April 10, 1869, |
aud in it you will find the continuation OF /
this beautiful tale. The Ledger is mailed |
to subscribers at three dollars year. The
Publicltion of Rev. DR.. Tyng's great story,
which has been written expressly for the /
Ledger, is just commenced 10 the Ledger, 50
that our readers win get the whole Of these
two stories in it. The Ledger has the best
stories Of any paper in the world; and Henry /
Ward Beecher, James Parton and Fanny \
Fern, have articles ia every number.