Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-10-25

plot. and now assumed friendly gulse.
Clambering down the pole to where
Bob was at work, Jim apologized for
his behavior a few days before, and
insisted that he had been only "bluf-
fing." and really meant no harm.
After this explanation he borrowed
Bob's knife, and squatting down In one
corner of the shaft, began whiting a
switch, talking meanwhile most enter
tainingly. Bob wondered at his Wis
itor's unusual affability.
The great rock was at last pierced
to a sufficient depth, and Jim rose, at
the same time putting Bob's knife
into his own pocket, as though for
getting that it was not his property.
Then he said:
"While you lamp the shot, Bob,
I'll 60 up on top. and then when yer
touch 'er off, I'll hold the pole steady
and you kin climb out fast. 1t might
turn or fall eff there want nobody to
steady it,
Bob agreed to this, and continued
his preparations for firing the "shot. J"
His companion scrambled up the
notched pole and waited above. Soon
every thing was ready. A fuse,
purposely cut long to allow plenty of
tire to escape after the match had
been applied, issued from the rock S
rude face and directed its snake-like
form toward Bob, who held its free
end in his left hand. In his right
was match which he now scratched
and held to the fuse. A puff of
smoke and a fixing sound announced
igaition. and Bob turned quickly to
climb the pole and get out of danger.
The DO lie sOas not there!
Bob's heart stopped beating as, like
a flash, he realized the trap in which
he was caught. That fiend Jim Ban
not had drawn up the pole and ran
away, leaving the prospector to be
blown to pieces by the blast! There
could be no other result. The shaft
was seven feet long and more than
four wide. Even had it not been so
wide, no one could have climbed out
by resting his feet against the sides, as
they were dry and sandy, and crumb!ed
easily. Bob saw this at glance.
There was but one chance for life-cut
off the fuse! Thrusting his hand into
his pocket, Bob found it empty. Ban
not had his knife! The cunning wretch
had planned so carefully as to remove
every chance of escape. He had made
absolutely sure of destroying his VIC
tim. With groan the wretched pris-
oner buried his face in his hands and
made up his mind to die. There was
no way to entinguish the fuse; it would
burn even under water, nor could it be
broken. Bob stood over the crater of
a volcano. The explosion to come
from limb and bury his mangled body
under a mass of earth and rock; his
death-bed and his grave would be one
and the same. 1t was hard to die thus,
but die he must. He turned his eyes
upw ard for last view of the bright
blue sky, and breathed prayer of
resignation. Already the fuse was
one-third burned. In less than min
ute more he would be-NIerciful God!
what's that? A ropes end hanging
full two feet into the opening above
his own l:,riat! Is that salvation?
Contention is at the other end of
that lariat, and grazing round about
the shafts mouth, has somehow or
other managed to drop the loose end
over the edge. Oh. bless your shaggy
hide. you dear little creature, if only
for tho ray of hope you sent thrilling
through your masters broken heart!
With unwOnted strength, born of
desperation, Bob sprang toward the
knot dangling above him. He caught
it, too, and the jerk, as his weight
suddenly frightened the lariat, almost
pulled Contention over. Moreover,
this unexpected and inexcusably rude
interruption of his repast aroused
every bit of pugnacity in his body.
and with all four feet planted firmly
uuUcT Hill, uc TcSlStcU WILL ulSuI
and main, vowing mentally all the
while never to give in this time. He
didn't, either. On the contrary, he
actually succeeded in working himself
backward by degrees, thus helping
his master, struggling wildly on the
other end of the lariat, to effect his
escape. Meanwhile the fuse grew
shorter. Steadily its smoking, sput-
tering extremity neared the spot
where heavy charge of giant pow
der lay waiting to burst its rocky
bonds. The fire had almost acco m
plished its object, when wrathful Con-
tention, pulling like tug-boat. jerked
his master out of the shaft. and gal
Hoped off with triumphant flourish
of his heels, while Bob. letting go of
the lariat, fell senseless on the ground.
At the same moment there came a
stunning report, accompanied by a
tremor In the earth, dense cloud of
SmOtyo and a shower Of earth and