Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-31

mouer II did not arrive on that day: on
instead / found = cipher dispatch stating
that :. would be sent = week later. Accept
if,S the situation with rs GOOD grace 4:
possible, l purchased some provisions
plnced thcn in the canvass bag that has
provided for the money and returned to my
! temporary forest home
Late that night was awakened from
/ sound sleep by 4 knock at the door o. my
room. In answer TO my inquiry OF Who
there came request in the voice OF NY
| negro man that l woUld give him some med
| icine TO relieve de cole misery dat was like
. 10 Kill him As he hai made similar re
| quests, with which had complied severa
times before, l unsuspicioUSly opened the
/ door.
| The candle that l had Just lighted gave
| me glimpse of Cesar with aShen face and
| the r1uzzle Of a revolver pressed against MS
| head AT the same moment pistol was
| le:e!ea 1t my OWE face ana WAS seized aoo
| bound by two masked men. In vain did
| demand the meaning OF this outrage. Nc
| answer was gwen, and | was led outside
| while haSty but thorough search was
| made Of every portion OF the cabin. Il was
of course = fruitIess one, and after awhile
the t'ro men who made it rejoiued the one
who was guarding me.
Now one of them spoke. and in 4 voice
which III spite OF its disguised tone ! ii
once recognized as that Of Case Hatfner,
said: You mOugft a well give up that
money, major fer we're bound to have il,
and The quicker You surrender II the eaSleI
Wei let son Of
= answered mat had no money; that D
had not arrived. They replied that thGs
knew ali about my business and that being
closely watched l had been seen TO bring
that money, which they knew | expected 70
receive, home from the railway station the
evening before
FINALLY their leader said: Well, maj or.
Ell you are bound not to own up til. we
force YOU 10. We'll have TO try a dose of the
black mole, and reciliu that Il fetch you to
terms GUicller'n most anything
Il heard of the Black Hole ana the sug-
gestion thrilled me with horror. l. s,ssSa.ss
pit in the lime rock reputed 10 besSF fabu-
ious depth and was located asSsome dis
tancc from my cabin III one of t5e most i'm
penetrable OF the forest recesses From il.
so the negroes had told me. issneG uncauuy
meanings and groans which Uhas attribUte;s
to the ghosts who had declared had bssf
flung into it by the Observation-Disclosures
they wished 10 effectually remove al traces
OF their numerous deeds of blood.
y protested and made promises. hut TO 10
purpose. My money or the Black Hole was
the only answer | received as l was hurried
away through the forest. No other word
was spoken. ami, left to my own bitter re-
Elections ! took no note of the direction in
which we We're going nor OF the distance
traversed. When we at length halted | be-
come conscious of a hollow moaning sound
that seemed to come from the earth ut my
feet
Once more the question was asked.
viii you give in, major, and tell US where
the money is, or shall we drop you into the
back door of heil2'
Il answered, For Gods sake. gentlemen,s
believe me when | say that l have received
no money. If l had | would gladly give Is
rs the price of my life.
"A mocking laugh was their only replM
In another moment slender rope was knorx
ted under my pinioned arms, and a suddens
push left me swinging hclplessly in the
mouth of the awful pit beside which we
had halted.
Wen wait here Just one hour. major
came 10 me in Case Haffner's voice. and
give you chance To considered the Situa-
ton. ! you decide to let us have the money
inside OF that time, Just hOller and we'll
pull you up. If you decide To go to hell and
take the greenbacks with you, why, Wen
Jest have ter bid YOU goodbye. that's all 4
Then was slowly lowered down, down.
down, through the blackneSS. So slow was
my descent that 1 seemed TO be suspended
for hours and to sink miles into the heart of
the earth. The pain of the slender cord
cutting into my flesh was well-nigh in
tolerabie. and bear living evidence of it
TO this day, each moment the moaning, 4
gurgling and grooming from the mknownA
depths into which l was sinking becameSl
more distinct and horrible.
suddenly, those above let 20 the rope and
with 4 yell OF despair | dropped. | do not |
know how far into the water that closed |
above NV head. AS | rose to the surface |
choking and gasping for breath felt that |
was being swept forward by powerful |
current, and as l again sank my feet |
touched bottom. \ moment later / stood in |