Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-01-15
CHAPTER XI.
ALONG THE FoIBA.


y II was about eleven o'clock. Tho
clouds had begun to Dissolve in drench-
ing showers mingled with rain. Then
fell huge hailstoues which shot into the
waters OF the Foiba and ratified over the
rocks down its sides like the stream of
lead from mitrailieuse. The firing
from the embrasures had ceased Why
waste ammunition on the fugtives? The
Foiba would only give tnem up ms
corpses-if even it did that.
As soon as Count 5mdorf fell into the
torrent he found himself swept help
lessly into the Buco. Ina few moments
he passed from the intense light with
which the electricity filled the rayine
into the profoundest darkness The war
Of the waters had taken the place OF the
roll of thunder For into that impen-
etrable cavern there entered none Of the
outside light or sounds.
"Help !"
There was CRY. 1t was Stephen
Bathory. The cold OF the water had
called him back to life, but he could not
keep himself aiioat, and he would have
been drowned had not a vigorous arm
seized him as he was sinking.
II am here Stephen Don't be
afraid !"
Count Sandorf was by his side holding
him with one hand while he swan with
he other.
The position was critical Bathory
could hardly move his limbs They had
been half paralyzed by the stroke.
Although the pain OF his burned hagd,
had been sensibly lessened 10y their
plunge into the cold, the state Of inertia
into which they were thrown did not
allow of his using them. Had Sandorf
abandoned him for n moment he would
have heen drowned (; and yet Saudort
had enough to DO to save himself.
There was II complete uncertainty as
to the direction which this torrent took,
the place it ended. the river or sea INFO
which it flowed. Had even Sandorf known
that the river was the Foiba the position
could not have been moro desperate than
if he knew what become Of its impetuous
waters Bottles thrown into the en-
trance of the cavern had never come to
sight again in any stream OF the Tstran
peninsula; perhaps from their having
been broken against the rocks in their
course perhaps from having been
swept below in some mysterious rift III
the earth's crust.
The fugitivos were carried along with
extreme rapidity, and thus found it easy
to keep on the surface Bathory had be-
come unconscious. He was quite help
less and motionlcss in the hands of
Sandorf. who fought we'll for both, bat
felt that all would soon end in ms sinking
from sheer exhaustion. To the danger
of being dashed against some projecting
rock or tie side Of the cavern or the
hanging prOminences Of the roof there
was added that OF being sucked down in
one of the whirlpools which foImed in
many a corner where the sharp angle Of
the bank gave the current 4 sudden
curve. Twenty times were Sandorf and
his friend seized in Que o? these liquid
suckers and irresistibiy drawn to its
centre in the manner of the Maclstorm
Then they would be spun round by the
gyratory movement, and then thrown oil
y from the edge like "a stone from sling
the eddy broke.
Half an hour went by under such
circumstances with death imminent
each minute and each second. Sandorf
endowed with supcrhuman energy, had
not yet yielded in despair He rejoiced
: that his companion was almost sense
less. Had ho retained the instinct Of
self preservation he would struggle. and
then Sandorf would be obliged To leave
him to his fate, or both would be over
whelmcd
Nevertheless the state OF affairs could
not continue very long. Sandorfs
strength began to fail him. Every now
and then as he supported Batllorys
head his own would sink back into the
liquid pillow. Suddenly respiration
became difficult. he gasped for bteath
he was choking, he was wrestling with
aspbyxia. Often he had to leave go o.
his companion whose head sank instant
= ". bu. invariably he managed to grip
him again, and that amid he Wild racing
of the waters which shoudored back and
Z piled on each other bv she occasional
narrowing of the channel numbered
along in foam.
At last Count Sandorf thoughl thatall