The Red Cloud chief., 1889-07-26

e~N~ sACy SOuAA uC0T gAC kTCob OC0S&
crunching the bones in the corner. in
the farthest corner, for after the mans
sudden appearance and exit, it had,
with a coarse growl and dragging its
booty along, retreated as far as it could
60.
The two men knew the Waterman
was somewhere OF the premises. proba-
bly, in the counting house room near
the entrance, where. If he was no. al
ready asleep. he would in all likeli-
hood await their return before going
his rounds.
Tue prisoners lit two of tho candles
and prepared to devise mean of es-
cape; several methods were proposed
betw cen them, but none seemed FEAST
bic. Their first idea had been to create
q sudden noise with their hammers
on the reverberating boiler, and
brighten the brute away; this they
abandoned and determined upon ex-
cessive Quietness. In the midst of the
silence sounded a girls sweet voice
'.Dick."
During the terrible seconds of time
that followed two men with blanched
faces rOse with one brave impulse and
rushed TO the man-hole-tOO late. Too
late to arrest the rush Of hurrying
feet along the fatal plank, too late to
war the woman who had begun to
make the hard working life of Dick
Rogers a thing worth striving for.
worth living for, AYE, worth dying
for" he cried within himself. as he
clambered Ont-a life he would have
exchanged with no a on earth since
he had grown to hope for Jenny's love.
With the fatal knowledge Of what
must happen. what they almost
strangely waited for. the men had
hastily armed themselves. Rogers,
with a crOwbar was first up. and then
"a dull o one wild, h~eart-rending
cry. and after that the deep silence
again.
With calm de~liberation, but I'M
daunted courage, Rogers paused a min
ute, while Fitton fixed the lantern on
the safety valve.
The lion was standing owe the body
OF the PROSTATE girl. where she had
fallen. in the hollow formed where the
top of the boilers met.
And then both men confronted the
animal.
Nov! Tom" cried Rogers, 'te-
gither!"
With their crowbars uplifted they
sprang together, one at each side of
the brute's head. What would have
happened with forest-bred lion may
be readily conjectured-this was but
a cage reared beast prone to terror and
accustomed to quail before the resolute
action of man. The sudden onslaught,
the light that dazzled its vision, the
fury and cries of the men as they en-
cOuraged each other. and the rapidity
of the blows all served to beat the
brute of, and though it swerved and
struck al angry paw at Fitton that
tore the sleeve from his jacket, eve
theless it turned, and regained the
where the n lay. over
which it crouched. half angry. half
terrified, but apparently wholly pre-
pared to defend its spoil. Jenny's eyes
were open when Rogers lifted her up.
God love thee, lass- cried the
man. with a sob in his voice. keep
thy courage up yet awhile"
..Into the boiler. quick!" said Fitton.
standing before them.
But it was no easy matter to get .
nearly helpless woman through the
small aperture. The lion stood snarling
and crushing itself against the wall,
just as it was accustomed to do in the
cage during performances. Jenny was
climbing down the manhole.
go in next, Dick" said Fitton,
round.
Nay" exclaimed Dick. stepping up
to him; ''thee 60 first" There was no
need nor time to dispute the matter,
so Fitton descended and Rogers fol-
The lantern being still on the
valve it was dark IS pitch inside, till
one of the men struck a light
poor lass. she's wounded" ex-
FittOn.
Jenny had indeed tainted, and lay
there. her dark head DOE pillowed
Dicks shoulder; her sweet face
upturned I his. while he waited in sad
for the lOng-lashed eyes to lift
from her ~colOrless cheeks.
In spite of the peril just undergone
Tom Fitton, with an odd sense of being
in the way. was busy lighting can.
dies. and tinkering at a bit Of tub
ing between whites. AN thou'rt
not hurt. lass?" said Dick. present
~. Il dinna think l am" she an
slowly; ''but Use feeling stiff
me. Dick. what wer it," 1T
wer just q bad accident, lass-nought
Aye" she murmured, dream
ily. and closed her eyes again. ITO
whispered Rogers to her COM
.'tha' little lass should ha' COON
meet me-"