North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1869-03-31


Every soldier was brave in an Indian fight
but not one dared to face mysterious and
unknown danger. No one wished to risk
the complete and total disappearance from
earth and human knowledge that had be-
fallen his comrades.
whoever shall venture in search of the
missing men shall receive from me hun.
dred dollars in goldn exclaimed Hubert
in his clear, ringing tones. who speaks
first for the money!?
The offer was tempting; but it was not
accepted. Not a word Of reply was made
to it.
Hubert hesitatcd, giving brief thought
to Miriam, his loved and waiting Miriam.
His face then glowed with heroic light,
and he said, in tones that did not falter
i will 90 in search of the men, Lieut..
Brydges. Only. your party is now small,
and if do not return in 20 minutes, you
may resume your journey
But, Earle expostulated the lieuten-
ant, this is positive madness. You must
not risk your life. We will waite while,
and if the men do not return, we will
move ont
'They may need help replied Hubert,
steadily. They may have encountered,-
well, God knows what, / can't imagine.
If l fire my rifle, come to me. If l
fail to return within the time appointed,
move on!
lie went to the nearest fire, picked up a
blazing stick. arranged his rifle for instant
use, approached the mouth Of the cave,
pcered into it cautiously, and listened in
tently for some sound o: 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 ard his men gathered
around to listen for the report of the rife.
The minutes passed, but it came not. Five
minutes dragged by-ten-fiteen, and
still no sound reached their ears. They
could see brief space into the cavern, by
the light of their own torches, but moth
ing but rocky walls and floor met their
gaze.
Twenty minutes were thus passed. The
time was up, and Hubert had not returned.
The men looked at one another with
pallid faces. AS if turned to stone, they
stood an awe.stricken 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
They had tried again and again to pc, r
into the dark depths of the opening, but
could not. The lieutenant had called re-
peatedly to Hubert, but received no an
swer. At length he proposed to tie IA rope
around his waist and descend into the
sinister abyss, but his men objected
unanimously.
What's the use? asked one. There
is something here that no mortal man can
conquer
We can't ,isk your life, lieutenant,
, said another. 'JuS5 thi..k how few there
are of u.s.
The time continued to drag on.
At last, when two full hours had passed,
Lieut.. Bridges staggered to his feet and
said:
'rhis is horribie-terrible beyond ex-
preston! We have lost fur OF ,ur COM
rades and this noble young stranger,
whom l loyeG as brother. This fearful
cave must hold the secret Of their fate, be
it what it my. Let us go.'
| Without IA word, but with white faces
| in a sort of mute terror, the men mounted
their horses and resumed their journey.
| The above is all of this story that will
be published in our columns. The con-
tinua,ion of it from where it leaves off
here can be found only in the New York
Ledger, which is Tor sale at all the books
stores and news depots. Ask for the
number dated April 10, 1869, and in it
Won will find tho continuation Of this
beautiful tale. The Ledger is mailed to
subscribers at IS year. The publication
of Rev. DR.. Tyng's great story, which has
been written expressly for the Ledger, is
Just commenced in the Ledger, SO that our
readers will 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 in every num>
Der.