The Dickinson press., 1892-07-09

VIA PAL, you new got n stranger
staying i'll this house, l reckon"
The man scratched his ear, looked
up and looked down, and then at a
jerk OF his button blinked upat Brace,
and said:
oval, l allow hev."
ga wooden-legged stranger, Ithink?'
The same shufling, and then:
"Wal, l allow he hev got a wooden
leg"
"a niger. / believe"
oval, a niger accordin' to appear.
ances."
81 kinder fancy he's in the little
chamber over there. Twarn't a swine
heard gruntin', were it?"
"You kin inspect him, If you like"
81 will, after which lief
take a fancy to nailin' OF him up
for four and twenty hours fol
the same number OF dollars, you will
allow me the use of hammer and
some three.inch pints?"
81 will do that" said the man; and,
the two having shaken hands on the
bargain, he went off to get the articles
required, while Brace looked into the
room.
otis the same" said Brace, and
turning up his sleeves, heproceeded to
nail up the door in q business.like
manne
III don't think he will trouble us
unless he kin afford to make it worth
the old pals while to let him OUT
said Brace, as we started from the
house, lend ever then he won't get
much OF q chance, SEEM us no mortal
man can get down that hole without
a light, and we've got eyes or to see
hef n light is follerin' on u.s."
1t vas dark, despite the SHOWS that
lay upon the ground. Brace led the
way with n pine torch, which burned
sluggishly iii the mist that developed
us. Lola holding my hand tightly,
we followed close behind Brace, who
kept the torch low to show the nature
OF the path; nevertheless, we slipped
and houndered considerably in step.
ping from boulder to boulder,-the
half melted snow rendering it impos.
sible to obtain n firm footing.
Under other circumstances, Lola
would have enjoyed the difficulties,
and laughed at our mishaps, but now
she neither smiled o spoke; some.
times she would press my hand
q 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 alone
succession of falls, and. the light in.
creasing, the rocks and boulders abou,
us became dimly visible through the
gray mist. At length our progress
was stopped by n huge rock that rose
perpendicular before us.
clark" said the Judge, as we stop
ped to regain the breath that had
been jumped out OF our lungs by the
last scramble.
/ listened,-we seemedto have turn.
ed our backs on the strcam,-its rush.
ing sounded more distant than | had
yet heard it. said this.
clark ~again!" said Brace. Then as
l leaned my ear attentively, ]
heard beside the swirling and
dashing noise in our rear, a muifled
roar, that seemed to come from the
very bowels OF the earth. I almost
fancied ! 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 bot,
tom OF the great hole. If it warn'tfo,
the burned mist" he added, holding
up the torch, which revealed but q
few feet above ourheads OF the granite
wall by ourside, you'd seethat we'r.
now standin' right between the two
sides OF the divide we looked at last
night. We are standin' right over tn,
canon. With per'ans four or fv,
thousand feet OF nothing under
us, on q lump OF rock that.
tumbled down from up above, anc
wedged itself here, cause somethin
stoppedits goin' furder; end it d.
tremble, | allow. 1t amt solid! IT.
moved q lump since l knew it in tn,
old days, and one O. these days
chunk from up above will come dow
add start it off for good an ALL"
81 think we may as we'll get off it, il
that case"
oval, yes. 1t amt more risk,
standin' on it than standin' under it
but, Us we've got to go under it, an,
down the hole, We may as we'll git"
He led the way along the TREMBLING
rock q dozen yards maybe,-the rush
ing water sounding upon the left Q
us, and then stretched out his left arm
to stop us. He advanced cautiously
and, holding out the torch at arm
length, the light fell upon the yellow
water as it poured down into tn
black gulf upon which our standin
place abutted. The flame OF the tore
was drawn down by the current Of al
as if it had been at the blast-hole of
furnace. Raising his voice to over
come the noise of the water, Brac
called out:
"We've got to 20 down there!"
"You arenot afraid, Lola?" Iasked
She shook her head, and. gave m,
hand another little squeeze.
Brace led us offthe rock, keepinpth
water still on our left, and there wa
some more downward clamberin
ior a few minutes. Then W
came to q stand, and he showed me
lateral opening about four feet il
height.
Eve goes through there" he said
en- he produced a flask, poured out
dram, and handed it to me. l oEere,
it to Lola. Another shake of til
head and another little squeeze.
emptied the cup, and Brace helpe,
himself.
"lhere amt no need to get ourse'
YES i'll a muck over this lob. Wei
put our rubbers on" he said; 9Th
wet drips through"
took out the o%vercoats from tn
bundle OF rugs, and we put them or
Then ! strapped the roll of rugs o
my shoulders again.
Brace touched my shoulder, an
pointed upward to a couple of faintl
pink nebulous patches in the mist.
"What is it?" l asked.
"The sun ketchin' the tops of til
,-,~l,- - L.