Telegram-herald., 1891-06-01

watched nv every movement Win
cat-Lke intensenesS. be never spoke %
me il be could help 1t. nor did he ex-
press the slightest gratitude for the
service | had rendered him Thus.
when the boy hed SO far recovered that
had no longer al excuse for visiting
the Haffners' cabin l was apparently
As far from gaining their friendship or
confidence as / had been before the
night OF the storm
This state OF affairs continued IN
changed. when Il the end of three
months from my arrival in that place
found my business there nearly con-
cluded- | had established the validity
of the claims had been sent TO in
vestigate. had reported upon them. aud
had been ordered To settle them with
the money that would be forwarded TO
me for that purpose. At the same time
l imagined that all this business had
been conducted with such secresy Is
10 be unsupported by human being
beside myself and my principals in the
matter Thus thinking, went alone.
and without feeling Of insecurity, To
the nearest railway station where ex
pected to receive the money. IL did not
arrive ON that day. but instead | found
a cipher dispatch stating that it would
be sent a week later. Accepting the
situation with as good grace as pos
sible, l purchased some provisions,
placed them in tho canvas bag that
had provided for the money and re-
turned to my temporary forest home.
Late that night / was awakened
from a sound sleep by knock at the
door OF my room. In answer 10 my in
quiry Of Who's there?' came a request
in the voice of my negro man that l
would give him some medicine 70 re-
lieve de collie misery dat was like To
kill him. AS he had made similar re-
quests, with which i had complied
several times before. unsuspiciously
opened the door.
THE candle that had just lighted
gave me a glimpse OF Cesar with ashen
face and the muzxle of q revolver
pressed against his head At the same
moment pistol was leveled at my own
face and was seized and bound by two
masked men, In vain did / demand the
meaning of this outrage. No answer
was given. and was led outside while
a hasty but thorough search was made
of every portion of tie cabin. II was
of Course fruitless one. and after
awhile the two men who made il re-
joined the one who was guarding me.
Nov one of them spoke, and in q
voice which in spite of its disguised
tone I at once recognized as that of
Case Haffner said: You mought as
well give US that money, major, fer
we're bound to have it and the quicker
you surrender it the easier well let you
off,
II answered that / had no money;
that it had not arrived. They replied
that they knew all about my business
and that being closely watched / had
been seen to bring that money, which
they knew l expected to receive, home
from the railway station the evening
before.
Finally their leader said: Well,
major, eff you are bound not 70 own up
till we force you TO wc'u have to try a
dose Of the black hole, and reckin
that'll fetch you to terms quiclzer'n
most anything
Il had heard Of the black hole, and
the suggestion thrilled me with horror.
1t was pit in the lime rock, reputed to
be of fabulous depth, and was located
at some distance from my cabin in one
of the most impenetrable of the forest
rccesses. From it, so the negroes had
told me, issued uncanny meanings and
groans which they attributed 10 the
ghosts of those who they declared had
been flung into it by the bushwhackers
when they wished TO effectually remove
all traces Of some of their numerous
deeds of blood.
81 prote sted and made promises; but
TO no purpose. My money or the black
hole was the only answer l received. as
was hurried away through the for
est. No other word was spoken, and,
left to my own bitter reflections, took
no note of the direction in which we
were going nor of the distance traversed.
When at length we halted, became
conscious of hollow, moaning sound
that seemed TO come from the earth at
my feet
"Once more the question was asked:
"Will you give in, major. and tell us
where the money is, or shall we drop
you into the back door of help"
Il answered: For Gods sake, gentle
men, believe ire when say that have
received no money. II / had. would
gladly give it as the price of my life
"a mocking laugh was their only re-
ply. In another moment a slender rope
was knottcd under my pinioned arms,
and a sudden push left me swinging
helplcssly In the mouth Of the awful
pit beside which we had halted Wen
wait here just one hour. Major came
to me in Case Haffner's voice, and give
you chance To consider the situation.
II you decide 20 let US have the money
inside Of that time jest boiler and We'll
pull you up. II you decide TO go to
he'll and rake the grcenoacls with you.
why. we'll jest have ter bid you good-by,
that's all
Then was slowly lowered down,
down. down. through the blackness-
SO slow was my descent that seemed
60 be suspended for hours and to sink
miles into the heart of the earth. TIE
pain of the slender cord cutting into my
fesh was wellnigh intolerable, and
hear evidences of IL 10 this dav: with
each moment the moaning. gurgling and
groaning from the unknown depths into
which was sinking. became more dis
ti1ct and horrible
suddenly. those above let go 81 the
rope. and with a yell Of despair |