The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-10-19

to get the box out, and there was now not
more than an inch left.
blew out the light and put the end in
my pocket. could feel my way along the
tub run, and the light would be needful
when l got into the cellar of the Joy.
The were iron staples in the side of the
shaft placed at intervals to serve as steps.
The descent was easy enough, but at the
bottom fresh obstacle presented itself.
was standing in water If the tide was up,
it would be impossible to get through the
run, that part of the shore being complete
ly under water at the flood.
Dropping on my knees. l crawled for
ward, entering the first cask. The thick
ooze was high over my wrists, but still IL
they were all fairly on the game level the
passage was yet sufficiently open. The
ooze might simply be the earth that had
silted through in the course Of years left in
its present condition by a receding tide.
But what II 1t was wet with the rising tidei
This question made me pause despite my
impatient desire to go on. II the tide rose
before ] could get Taras out Of the cellar,
all escape would beimpossible, and hemmed
in we should both be at the mercy Of Drigo
and Putty. On the other hand, if waited
until the tide had risen and fallen again, it
might be too late to save Taras
backed out Of the run, clambered into
the cellar and raising myself into the ase-
ment of the ventilntor looked out. TIE
water was certainly high, but whether II
was rising or falling l could not tell. AsI
looked out clock chimed the half hour
past 10. At II the Joy would be closed.
Then anything might happen to Taras
One thing was tolerably evident-the two
men would go down into the cellar, il only
to see if Taras was still alive. But they
might have and probably had made ar
rangements with the other man to take
him away from the JOY in which case,
il waited till the tide had risen and fallen,
! should find the cellar empty when
reached it.
This reflection and belief that the tide
WAS yet some distance below high water
mark decided me to make the attempt at
once and run the risk of being imprisoned
by the tide. "At any rate" l said to myself,
II shall be prisoner with him."
Without another moments hesitation
dropped down into the run, put my matches
and candle end In part of my dress where
they were reasu likely to get wetted, and
then crawled along the run through the
slush, which, to my satisfaction, l found
came nowhere above my elbows. When
reached the farther end rose to my feet,
and finding the irons in the wall mounted
up by them until my head struck the flag
stone above, and here knowing that l
should need all my strength, paused for
a minute to get breath. Then, bending my
head, rose another step, and setting my
shoulders against the flag strained every
muscle to straighten my body and push up
the stone .0.....
For some time it resisted all my efforts,
but at length the matted earth above CIV
ing way it yielded slowly, and pushed it
up sufficiently far to get my head and shoul-
ders through the opening. But being now
stretched to my full length, and finding no
iron to set my foot on and get fresh pur-
chase, could go no farther and stopped
there, unable to get either up or down, the
heavy tlagstone pressing cruelty upon my
shoulders, scarcely able to breathe and feel
ing as IL my poor chest bones would be
crushed in. ......... "..
dared not cry for help, lest my voice
should be heard by the men above, and
could only hang there gasping for breath
and despuiring of release Indeed l think
must soon have tainted under the dread
full pressure, but that Taras, having lis
tened to these inexplicable sounds in the
ground in passive perplexity for some time,
hearing the faint moan that escaped me
when felt that it was all over with me,
groped forward, and finding the opening
set his foot under the stone and thrust it
right back with one strong effort.
My sense of relief was indescribable. In
moment ! hud scrambled onto the floor Of
the cellar. l struck n match, and raising
it my eager eyes fell upon the great figure
and noble face Of Taras. He did not rec
ognize me at first and The look of astonsh-
ment in his countenance was curious to
see. And no wonder. From head TO foot
/ was drabbled and daubed with black ooHe
and dirt. lcould have looked like nothing
human rising out of the earth and thus dis
figured. But he knew me by the time had
lit the candle. He murmured some unin-
telligible words of gratitude, and his eyes
were suifused with the tears that sprang
from his sensitive heart,
mo time for jawin about that" said I,
interrupting him. We've got to get out
of this afore Putty comes down and the
tide comes up"
He turned round and showed me that his
hands were tied behind him. The hemp
was black with the dried blood from his
wrists The sight of it filed me with rage
against the villains who had used him so
barbarously.
There's knife in my waistcoat pocket"
he said.
found it and cut the knotted rope, but
it was some time before he could use his
numbed hands. At length life returned to
them. And nll the time we stood there
knew that the water might be rising in the
run to prevent our escape, yet was uncon
scious of alarm or fear or even of impa
thence. | was with him.