Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1883-01-26

.---~,.... and taeu. with an awful
shrek. it vanished
"Oh, heaven" eacuatedthe hunted
man. "That bloodhound is almost
upon me, and he bounded forward.
Again, al his feet. in his face arose
that misty FORM breathing chill warm
ing as though to wave him la lis. The
terror at his heels drove him on. The
column disappeared; and in lUll OF
the wind arose such Il medley OF
shrieks, laughter and eXultant wrath,
that Charles Corliss raused in horror
Too late The ground gave way be-
meath his feet. He was falling-tall-
ing Thank heaven, n friendly
tree met his frantcally clutching
hand.
A groan was cast up to him from
the depths below lima g oan that
changed int roar rs ot tortured
water being forced upward-and
Charles Corlss knew where he was,
lie was down in a tunncl-spout,
which had been bored upward through
the cliff by the sea, and water-spou'
was coming.
"oh Father Almighty Y gasped TIN
poor fellow, as, with both hands rorn'
tho tree. ne clutched his sleeves wit
either 50 /" help me ! help me y
Afly = e lhileous. mounting co
He felt his feet rudely seized, a
though by the hand Of a giant, an
plucked upward. Water gurgled il
his ears. His arms seemed about t,
be torn from their sockets. Had til,
strain lasted another instant. he mus
have loosed his hold; but, with a wild
hoarse snarl as though it were som,
SEA monster batfied Of its prey, the
column sunk, and left him gasping
half-drowned, but alive.
1t was impossible that he could sur
vive another pulsation of the sea he
low him, and he knew it.
He loosed his stiffcned fingers. and
prepared himself for his fate. As hC
uttered a prayer as fervent as may
leave the lips OF one who stands on I'll,
brink of eternity, he involuntarily cat
his eyes upward.
&" Is the mouth of the tunnel-spout
ahame% he questioned, in amaze, as
Iurid light above him caught bis strain
ing vision. "No; a lantern is being
lowered into this abyss. The Snug
glcrs are taking advantage Of til.
pause to examine the sides Of this &C
cursed blowhole. Death is on every
hand ="
Down came the swinging light
nearer and nearer.
There he is y shouted one Of tn,
smugglers. "He's alive; but tn,
water-spout will look after him. anC
its coming now"
For a below which preceded Tho
fierce belching forth of the torrent
came up from the depths below.
But Corliss scarcely heard it. he was
SO occupied with one last desperate
hope. About two feet away from him
red as blood in the glow of the lantern
a round, shining stream of Watel
slipped out Of the rock into the dark
ness like a serpent from its hole.
Above this stream a dark spot de-
fendthelight, and Corliss grasped intui
lively at the thought that close beside
him was one of those tortuous drive
which had been bored by the sea into
the heart Of the cliff.
The below changed into that hide
Gus roar, and with a gust of wind and
spray the seething sea leaped up out
Of the gulf.
With the red light streaming from
the lantern abopt him, and the white
,pume at his feet, Charles released his
hold Of the tree, and thrust himself
forward into the black hole at his side
Ihe immense volume Of water forced
into ms drive struck him and rolled
him forward, over and over, and by its
fury saved him from being washed out
again with the recoil of tile wave.
Collecting all his energies, CGrIiss
scrambled up little incline, and as he
fell forward in swoon, it was with
the blessed thought that he was out OF
danger at last.
4 X X
When Corliss opened his eyes a soft
tWlLSht was about him, and he knew
tbat calm, sweet day had succeeded
thai lTl9httul night Of tempest. lie
raised himself and stretched his stiff
ened llm6s, for it was imperative that
he should bestir himsaIf
CTaWllng as near to the edge of the
ornce' by which he had been enabled
to enter the heart Of the cliffs. As he
daIea' aeI ne eraned his neck forward. and
saw 10y leet below him the sulIenlv
foarselg tIo'l1g water ;t creaming and gurgling
.,nttevoa SU gnance IN to get down there" he
mqSuTred' T',rr3 disconsolately.
full glance at the scrnbIv little str. tr@es
fore. ''0 '"' HiSn' o'-