The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1888-06-08
considerably il stepping RON bowider tic
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bcwider-the half III snow rendering
1t impossible to obtain a firm footing.
Under other circumstances, Lola would
have enjoyed the difficulties, and laughed
at mishaps, but nov she neither
smiled nor spoke; sometimes she weulh
press my hand a little Hglitef-that was
all the sign she gaze. We followed the
cuutse of the river. guided by the sound
of the rushing waters. As We roceseetssa,,
the descent grew mare sI.t .tt1ore rapid,
the stream .s5ffmliing a long succession Of
Tails, and, the light increasing. the rocks
and powders, about lis became. visible
through the gray mist. AT. leagti our
progress was stsrrrd " a huge rock that
rosa perpendicular before us.
"Hark!" said the Judge, rs we stopped
to regain the breath that had been pump
ed out of u lungs by the last scramble.
l !istened-we seemed to have turned
our backs on the stream-its rushing
.3hnded more distant than l had vet
heard it. 1 said this.
"Hdrk AGAIN. said Brace. Then as 1
leaned my ear attentively, I heard beside
the swirling and dashing noise in our
rear q iautHed roar that SEEMED is Como
ffeht the very bowels Of the eaith. al
most fahcied I felt the rock vibrating
Wider my feet.
"You're right" said Brace, when 1
you hear is that stream shootin' down
thousands of feet to the bottom of the
great hole. If it warn't for the burned
mist he added, holding up the torch,
which revealed but a few feet above our
heads of the granite wall by our side,
you'd sec that we're now standin' right
between the two sides of the divide we
looked at last night. We air standin'
right over the canyon, with perhaps four
or hv thousand feet of nothing under
It's, on a lump of rock that's tumbled
down from up above, and wedged itself
here, cause somethin' stopped its goin'
furder, end it do tremble, | allow. It
amt solidi It's moved a lump since l
knew it in the old days; and one of these
days a chunk from UP above will come
down and start it off for good an ALL"
81 think we may as well get off it, in
that case"
wal, yes. 1t amt more risky stand
in on it than standin' under it; but as
We've got to go under it, and down the
hole, we may rs well git"
lie led the way along the trembling
rock a dozen yards may be-the rushing
water sounding upon the left of us-and
then stretched out his left arm to stop us.
He advanced cautiously, and holding out
the torch at arms length. the light fell
upon the yellow water as it poured down
into the black gulf upon which III stand
ing-place abutted. The flame of the torch
was drawn down by the current of air as
if 1t had been at the blast-hole of q fur
mace. Raising his voice to overcome the
noise of theewater, Brace called out:
t\Sp'vp pDt tn p0 down tharnto
"You are not afraid, Lola?" l asked.
She shook her head, and gave my hand
another little squeeze.
Brace led us off the rock, keeping the
water still on u left, and there was
some more downward clambering for a
few minutes. Then we came to a stand,
and he showed me a lateral opening about
four feet i'll height.
I'VE goes through there, she said, then
he produced a flask, poured out a dram,
and handed it to me. l offered it to
Lola. Another shake of the head, and
another little squeeze.
| emptied the cup, and Brace helped
himself.
"There amt no need to get ourselves
in a muck over this job. Well put our
rubbers on" he said, "the wet drips
through"
L took out the overcoats from the bun
die of rugs, and we put them on. Then
strapped the roll of rugs on my shoul-
ders again.
Brace touched my shoulder and point
ed upward to a couple of family pink
nebulons patches in the mist.
"What is it!' l asked.
"The sun ketchin' the tops of the
peaks" he replied.
Gle took Il couple of torches from the
bundle he carried, and began to light
them at the end of the one he had last
used.
won't you wait n little-it will be
light in half an hour l said.