Wichita eagle., 1886-08-25

Suddenly there was loud explosion, fol
lowed by falling Of loose earth and rock
and rush Of air. A faint ray Of light ap-
peared in the corner Of the cavern over the
still, growing broader and stronger as the
smoke cleared away. With life and
strength renewed, l made my way to the
opening, where drank in the fresh air with
q swelling heart and lighter conscience
than had ever hoped to possess The ex-
plosion had torn away some rough masonry
with which the moonshiners had stopped up
assure in the rock. 1t never occurred to
me in my investigation of the cave that
there ought to be some way CT exit for
the SMOKE OF the still. But everything was
plain enough now l had found the chimney
and it was my determination to use it to
advantage. In moment, forgetful Of the
pains anu bruises l was climbing for free
dom 1t was tight squeeze now and then,
but made rapid progress, and felt so good
over my prospects OF escape that l wanted
to shout But prudence restrained me-
Soon the rocky sides of the chimney gave
place to wood, and the opening changed
from fat to round Still l climbed on, my
spirits rising with my ascent My progress
was made comparatively easy by the imita-
ton of Brer Rabbits method of climbing a
stump holtow-that is, By bracing my back
against one side Of the chimney and my
feet and hands against the other. But the
opening grew lighter and tighter, like an
inverted funnel, and still the top seemed a
long way Of. | must have climbed some
thirty feet in all when stopped to rest,
propping my foot against knot-ike pro-
lection, which suddenly breaking OFT left q
hole through which the daylight streamed.
Then for the first time, it flashed upon me
that was in a hollow tree A glance
through the knothole proved this to be the
case, for there was the ground ten feet be-
low me-the bench OF earth l had noticed
when the outlaws were making ready for
my Incarceration.
Escape now seemed certain. The wall Of
my prison was only two inches thick, and
though the wood was dry and hard from
age and exposure to smoke and heat my
knife was soon at work charging the knot
hole As this faced tie cove, could keep
a lookout for the moonshiners and stop cut
ting at the least suspicious noise. Night
soon shut in, and with the darkness there
came peculiar sounds from cliff and wood
land But paused not to think of ghoul
or goblin. 1t would have taken something
far more terrible than ghostly warnings to
check the steady going of my knife in the
weary hours that followed the sunset, for |
hoped to turn my back on Sleepy cove ere
the dawn If another day. But when the
sun rose my task seemed not nearly done.
The knife was dulled, and my strength had
Slowly ebbad away.
The bayirg OF q hound reached me 1t
was repeated, and In a moment the thrilling
music of the pack walked again and again
the sleeping echoes of Sleepy cove. Nearer
and nearer it came, until dozen fine blood
hounds burst through the underbrush and
dashed up to the bowljer at the entrance to
Smoky hole. Then opening again they
sped away on the cold trail Of the moon
sinners
Dan, here Dan; down, sirl' shouted to
the leader with all my might the o-edi-
ent brute, recognizing my voice, dropped to
the ground called him to mo, AMI soon
the entire pack was barking playfully at
the roots Of my novel prison, rejoicing, no
doubt, at having freed their master. Hear
ing well known signal in the woods l
answered it, and one by one five Of my
friends crept cautiously up to the cave, car
bines in hand When spoke to them from
my port hoe there was q broad smile on
every face. An ak was procured, and,
while four OF the men guarded against sur
prise the fifth cut a window in my Jail,
through which l crawled, having been a
prisoner nearly twenty hours.
When we reached the big poplar that
guards the pass to Sleepy cove fastened in
the fourth notch piece Of paper bearing
these words:
Cap Hawkins, beware The colonel is on
your trail Go LOOK for his bones in Smoky
hole. EUHARLEa.'
Chicago Times