San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-02-14
The GREAT HESPER.
BY FRANK BARRETT.


Not living creature was to be seen;
there was not a foot-mark in the slushy
snow which still lay ankle deep upon
the ground it seemed completely aban-
doned. But the Judge led the way
through the deserted rows of tumble:
down huts, and presently pointed to one
from which a column of blue smoke was
ascending through the clear air.
As we came to halt, waiting for a
response to Braces call, the silence was
broken by prolonged roar like that of
distant thunder, as some rock loosened by
the frost broke away and hurtled down
the unfathomed canyon.
A man came from the building, which
still bore faint trace of the word Hotel
on its facade, and, greeting Brace with
the air of an old acquaintance, said he
had got everything aired, and a supper
all ready to put down to the fire. Brace
had seen the necessity of preparing him
for our reception. A couple of rooms had
been made as decently comfortable as
might be expected. We left Lola there,
and strolled out while the dinner was
preparing.
Next morning, at four o'clock, we
started on our quest.
1t was dark, despite the snow that lay
upon the ground. Brace led the way
with pine torch, which burned slug
gishly in the mist that enveloped us.
Lola holding my hand tightly, we fol
lowed close behind Brace, who kept the
torch low to show the nature of the path,
nevertheless we slipped and fioundered
considerably in stepping from bowlder tc
bowlder-the half-melted snow rendering
it impossible to obtain firm footing.
Under other circumstances, Lola would
have enjoyed the difficulties, and laughed
at our mishaps, but now she neither
smiled nor spoke; sometimes she would
press my hand little tighter-that was
all the sign she gave. We followed the
course of the river, guided by the sound
of the rushing waters. AS we proceeded,
the descent grew more and more rapid,
the stream forming long succession of
falls, and, the light increasing, the rocks
and powders about us became visible
through the gray mist. At length our
progress was stopped by huge rock that
rose perpendicular before us.
"Harkf' said the Judge, as we stopped
to regain the breath that had been pump
ed out of our lungs by the last scramble.
listened-we seemed to have turned
our backs on the stream-its rushing
sounded more distant than l had yet
heard it. / said this
"Hdrk again. said Brace. Then as
leaned my ear attentively, heard beside
the swirling and dashing noise in our
rear mufied roar, that seemed to come
from the very bowels of the earth. al
most fancied l felt the rock vibrating
under my feet.
you're right" said Brace, when /
gave him my impression; lend the roar
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 few feet above our
heads of the granite wall by our side,
you'd see 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 per'aps four
or five thousand feet of nothing under
us, 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. 1t
amt solid! It's moved lump since l
knew it in the old days, and one of these
days 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 as well git"
He led the way along the trembling
rock 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 our stand
ing-place abutted. The flame of the torch
was drawn down by the current of air as
if it had been at the blast-hole of fur
mace. Raising his voice to overcome the
noise of the water, Brace called out:
"We've got to go down there"
"You are not afraid, Lola?' asked.
She shook her head, and gave my hand
another little squeeze.
Brace led us off the rock, keeping the
water still on our left, and there was
some more downward clambering for a
few minutes. Then we came to a stand,
and he showed me lateral opening about
four feet in height.
1--WE goes through there, he said, then
he produced flask, poured out dram,
and handed it to me. l offered it to
Lola. Another shake of the head, and
another little squeeze.
l emptied the cup, and Brace helped
himself.
"Tbere amt no need to get ourselves
In muck over this job. Well put our