Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1893-12-09

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the run ana upneavng the box and stone
aad come up into the wharf cellar. Nor was
left for moment in doubt, for as drop
ped OH my knees Putty cried out:
Look out. mate! We've go5 him. The
begenrs $ Just tumb bled over that bloomin
box"
Then the cultural voice Of Drigo from
the farther end replied in broken English:
Knife himi Dead or alive. III give .
hundred pounds for him"
strained my eyes in vain to penetrate
The darkness. could see nothing. Not
ray of light entered the cellar by the hole
under the stairs To cross the cellar and
escape by the easement was out OF the
question. dared not attempt it. ! could
not Chamber into the opening without some
noise which would betray my whereabouts
20 the villains, and before could squeeze
through the knife would be driven into me.
was not in condition to reason that
might escape death by declaring ut once
that ! was not Taras. | expected to be
murdered for helping him to escape.
| dared not move for | could not tell
whether my enemies were before or behind
me-to the left or to the right, but | held
myself in readiness to spring away at the
frst touch, at II breath, which might warn
me of their approach. Those moments OF
silence as the men waited for some fresh
sound to guide them were terrible. Could
that foreigner see In the dark better than
n Was he stealthily drawing upon me to
wreak his vengeancef Anything was pos
sible to foreigner, fancied at that time.
Not the death that followed, but the ac-
tual horror Of having "A knife thrust into
my body froze my blood
Suddenly fickering luminous streak
appeared in the black distance ~ Putty
tried to strike a match. 1t was wet He
tried another, producing another blue
streak
I'VE must get a light somehow, or we
shall get a-stickin one another" I" he NUT
tered. Amt you got ere n dry match.
mater Mines all wet"
To my increasing terror, Drigo made no
reply, supporting my belief that he saw me
and was preparing to cut me down. But
after a few moments of terrible suspense
another streak appeared in the darkness at
some distance from the others. Drigo had
found match and was trying 1t. He was
more successful. A green spark fell, and
the sulphur began TO bubble up into violent
aame 1t already threw a livid light on
his hideous face and gleam on the knife
in his hand In another moment | should
be seen
How could escape! The easement wa.
beyond them.
The steps were behind me, but l dared
aOt turn my back on that knife. The box
in front of me suggested better means,
and as Drigo raised the burning match,
ing the way clear, shot across the in
tervening space and dropped down the
shaft into the run. The light was so dim
and my movement so rapid that was not
recognized by the men. They saw only a
figure dash past and drop down the hole,
and under the impression that II was Taras
AZ knew by their cries, they gave chase in
an instant, one-Drigo, believe-dropping
down before had passed through the sec
ond tub, but was out Of arms reach and
made good use Of my start.
The water had risen considerably. It was
up to my throat in one part. My sodden
petticoat clung to my legs and weighed me
down ~ | rose to my feet. Nevertheless ]
scrambled up into the cellar of the Joy while
the men below were cropping for the foot
irons, swearing suriously. A lamp stood
OH the ground where they had left it beside
the fagstone which Taras had thrust aside
with his foot. One edge of the stone lay
square with the side of the hole. Seized by
a savage impulse. caught hold of the stone
by the farther edge aud raised 1t into per
pendicular position Then, rs Drigo's head
appeared, with vindictive deviltry In his
appraised face, pushed and let it fall. 1t
struck his head, and he fell with howl ON
his conir,lde below
II was easy enough to escape now. A
glimmering light in the bar showed me
that the flap was open; against the wall
rested the steps by which they had de-
scended. But the blow had dealt Drigo
filled me with tiendish Joy and whetted
my thirst for vengeance All the evil pas
sions of my nature were animated with a
craving for retaliation as | thought of the
evil those men would have done to Taras
and me. The only wish Of my heart was
to infiict some terrible punishment upon
them. dragged up the stone and poised
It in the hope that Putty might come up
and that might serve him rs had served
Drigo. But he was wise enough to profit
by the experience of the other and pre-
I,rred to stay below and vent his fury in
curses.
While | WAS waiting the stone slipped.
and in moving to keep it In position my
foot struck the lamp and overturned 1t. 1t
was large benzine lamp, and as the oil
ran out it took fire, sending up licking
tongues Of fame. The pool spread, and the
blazing liquid running over the edge of the
shaft ran down in fiery stream End
dropped in gouts of flame. The men below
shrieked aloud In terror
"Get out of my way" shouted Putty.
NXya uhnu ha burnt alive if WE stav hera
We must get back through the hole"
heard them cursing each other as they
struggled together, each trying to get first
into the run. Then when the struggle
ceased Drigo, gasping for breath, cried: