San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-02-14

With this last Injunction he stopped
down, and passed through the opening.
We followed, but singly, for we needed
both hands to make the perilous descent.
The first thing l noticed in passing UNI
Ter the great block that bridged the aw-
FIJI chasm was the comparative silence.
We could no longer hear the rushing of
the stream on the other side, only the
dull roar of the water as il struck the
bottom of the canyon some thousands Of
feet below.
Braces voice was startlingly distinct
when he spoke.
"You tell me the thing is on the other
side Of the ropes, my gel, he said.
She answered yes, and we went slowly
forward and downward along the narrow
and jagged ledge, our faces toward the
glittering quartz, seeking interstices and
projections for hold to our hands.
We were getting away from the fall,
but at certain point the natural path
returned toward it in a zig-zag along
a lower projection. At the angle which
offered little wider standing space, we
stopped.
"This here hole was fust showed me
by the Kids mother, said Brace; "it had
served her father for cachette in quite
the early days of this country's glory.
"a cachette," he explained, sis place
where You keep things snug. Almost
every miner, befrre the Vigilance Com
mittee nomenated me jedge, had a ca
Ghetto. This was mine, and many a
ounce I've brought down here; fur you
see, barrin' accidents, it's won'erful safe.
You will allow that no one could find his
way down here in the dark" q shuddered
at the thought of anyone attempting such
q fearful venture), land from here right
up to the hole is a fair straight line, so that
no light could come down without its bein'
seen; but that amt the only safeguard, as
you shall see. Come on, sir.n
We made our way foot by foot along the
narrow ledge for some distance, still de-
scending. When Brace again halted. the
light Of his torch revealed the yellow
stream falling silently through space, a
few feet before him. That silent fall i'm
pressed me with sense of the awful depth
Of the gulf beside us.
The ledge ended abruptly where Brace
stood; a recess in the wall allowed ample
standing room for us three.
"The greaser never got no further down
than this; but it warn't fur enough for
me-" said Brace. chad my idea of gettin'
right down to the bottom Of this hole,
where these waters must have carried tons
Of gold"
But the ledge ends here"
at do; but, he added, lifting his torch,
ut goes on again over there"
The light fell on jutting projection of
quartz upon the opposite side of the chasm,
distant at least twenty feet.
But you cannot leap that"
Correct, end amt goin' to try"
He laid himself upon his face, and
stretched his arm down the chasm; when
he arose. he had cord In his hand. Pull
ing this in, he drew up two coils of stout
rope. As he drew them in, saw that their
other ends were attached to rocks upon the
opposite ledge, one above the other, with
about four feet between.
Eve must hitch 'em tight-give us a
hand, SIR" he said.
helped him to make the ropes taut, and
fasten their loose ends upon the projecting
crags that he had long employed for that
purpose.
from Lola, and holding it over the black
gulf, there's as pretty bridge and hand
rail as the heart of man could reasonably
desire"
For all that. held my breath as | saw
him step out on the lower rope, and make
his way, holding by the upper one, across
that black abyss. My turn came, and with
the blood humming in my ears, | stepped
out upon the rope. Ii swung to and fro in
the middle, and was seized with that ir-
resistible suggestion OF self-destruction
which affects the Imagination OF most peo-
pie in looking down from an extraordinary
height
Lola began to cross before Twas well off,
and when we stood all three in safety on
the ledge, a fervent Thank Godp' rose
from my heart.
oval we've got to git back again." OBJ
served Brace, as if my thankfulness were
a little premature; "HOwsever, faint bad
to think of Providence when you're in
danger; now, my gel, it's for you to lead on"
you can stay here; you're too heavy for
where I'm going" said she, taking the
torch from his hand.
With a swiftness that terrified me, she
went down the side of the precipice, find
ing foothold where We, looking down from
the projection, could see none.
They don't know danger-kids don't"
said Brace, in a low tone. END" he add
ed, looking into the depths about him I'M
easily, 81 wouldn't mind feeling the same
myself. First time | ever felt skeery down
this hole, and Pm burned IL it shan't be
the last. Pm gettin' too old to enjoy risky
work"
could not take my eyes from the light
below, as it passed in jerks from point TO
point. At last it stopped, and after min
ute's pause, to my great relief, it began to
return.
Quicker and quicker the light danced
along until felt sick and giddy with fear
for the girls safety; and then, with one
last bound, she stood upon our shelf of
rock, holding the Great Hesper in her hand.
Am goodt' she asked, earnestly, nest
ling up to my side.