Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-11-12
TooNrNUED ]

lCONTNUED.I
The most reasonable conjecture
could form was that Taras had actually
left the Joy With his friends and had
turned 10 the water instead OF accom-
panying them into Sweet Apple lane.
He might have ordered the water
man to return, and so got away. II
this we're really the case, he might re-
turn as Drigo had intended-nOt that
his word was 70 be taken ia earnest,
his whole tone was i~ronical and indica-
tive Of double meaning. But the hope
that Taras still lived and might
return put new life into me, and
went about my work be
hind the bar with such alecrity that
thin the men inside conceived l was
trying 20 make amends for my mlsoe-
haviOr. AT any rate, after along slenc
In which they cast furtive glances Gt me
every now aud then, their suspicion re-
Taxed, and they entered heartily Into q
dispute q some trick which one nao
played with the cards while the Otner
was not watching, and this led to their
devOting more attention 70 their game
had a row OF washed glasses on the
bar and was standing in front or the
parlor door Wiping them when my sense
OF hearing gradually took recognition
of a sound which did not come from the
men At my back. The silence Of my &C
cupation allowed me 10 listen and yet
continue working. The sound was very
faint. Its regularity attracted my at
tention. One does not notice the single
chirD Of a sparrow, but II the chirping
Is continued persistently for any length
OF time it never fails 70 attract atten-
ton. IL was just the same with this
sound. which l noticed after awhile Oc-
CURED in this way, with regular inter
walls between:
TAP tap, tap-tap, tap-tap, tap
tar. tap-tap, tap--tap," and so on over
and over again.
looked round the bar for an explain
alton. / saw no vibrating bottle on the
shelves such as the sound seemed 20 In
dictate. There was no wind 20 snake
the yellow curtain against the front
window. IL seemed 20 come from the
old disuscd beer engine before me, aud
] touched one Of the handles TO see II 10
was loose. The rattle 10 made uDder my
hand was answered almost Immediately
bv a similar rattle. aud then the engine
itself seemed to be whispering with .
human voice.
The glass nearly slipped from my
hand, but ! recovered my presence Of
mind In an instant and went on polish
ing the glasses till q new dispute arose
within over a false cut. Then touched
the handle again, and again the rattle
was echoed by another, and as strained
my ears I heard the whispering sound
once more. The angine was articulating
words, but so family that l caught but
the last three, and they we're:
flor Gods sakel'
Nv hair seemed 10 crisp mp on my
head rs I listened. The voice was aw-
fol 10 my ignorant, supersJitiOus mind.
I thought the dead was speaking 70 me-.
Then on a sudden my reason sug-
gested a natural explanation OF the
mystery-the voice came through the
pipes from the cellar.
had not before thought OF the cellar,
for the simple reason that had forgot
ten it's existence. Five years before 70
had been closed, for a motive which l
shall pleasantly explain, and since that
time no one had entered It. The beer
was no longer drawn from the cellar,
but from the casks set up behind the
bar, and the trap between the entrance
and the bar, through which the casks
used te be let down into the cellar, had
been screwed down and formed part OF
toe floor over which we walked daily.
Now IreCollected that the carpenter
had been ln the Joy the day before
an6 had doubtless Withdrawn the screws
aad had made the flap practicable FOR
descent. Even now, as I glanced az
the door, / failed to see any difference
in its appearance or any sign Of the
r having been moved. The sand
with which the GO0r was streWn had
been carefully rubbed into the cracks
so as to completely conceal the open
ing. But Taras was down there-l
felt sure Of that-and as If 20 confirm
it the tapping recommended.
''T2p, tap, tap-taD, tap-tap-tap,
tap, tap-tab, tap-tap."
But now the sounds seem % my eX-
cited Imagination terribly loud, causing
every muscle ia my body 20 contract
with the dread Of being heard by Putty
or the quicker Wittsd DriEO. What
signal could I make TO let Taras know
that had heard him aud that he WAS
to cease tapping the pipe? IL occurred
70 me that If could hear bis voice
through the pipe be could hear mine,
but I dared not approach my lips 10 the
engine, and still less answer the whis-
per, for the machine was in full view OF
the men in the parlor. The tapping
cOntiuued-still more audibly 10 seemed
90 me. 1 must stop Il, even II 1 killed
every hope / had raised, bY replying TO
his signal with the handle. Going close
70 the engine and laying my hand on
the handle 20 pull 10 down and open the
valves, If it would, 1 said in a loud
voice.
'Im done now, bloke. and I'm a-goin.
VIII you give me something for q biz Of
grub? Iain't eat nothin to-day"
He bad some cOppers on the table
that we're won from DrigO, and be
threw a few on the floor with some
brutal words. I picked them up with-
out a reply, bun as / turned 20 60 I had
.she gumptiOn TO say in a moody tone:
al shall kun after dinner aud see II
he's back-that fellow with the beard.
He's took my fancy awful"
went on with the fierce determine
ton to keep the spirit OF that promise.
7 would see Tsras, but by means they
little dreamed Of for their villainous
craft.
CHAPTER ".
THE ESCAPE.
knew more about the Mariners Joy
than was known 20 Putty. Years be-
fore be took the house I earned my liv-