Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-10-16

my pocket. could feel my way along the tub run, and the light would be needful when I 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 waterl If the tide was up, 1t 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, crawled for ward, entering the first cask The thick ooze was high over my wrists, but still if they were all fairly on the same 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 if it was wet with the rising tide? This question made me pause despite my impatient desire to go on. If the tide rose before l could get Taras out of the cellar, all escape would be impossible, and hemmed in we should beth be at the mercy of Drigo and Putty. On the other hand, if I 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 case ment of the ventilator looked out. The water ws.s certainly high, but whether it was rising or falling could not tell. As looked out clock chimed the half hour past TO- At II the Joy would be closed. Then anything might happen to Taras- One thing was tolerably cvident-the two men would go down into the cellar, if only to see if TarhS was still alive. But they might have, and probably had, made ar engagements with the other man to take him away from the Joy, in which case, if waited till the tide had risen and fallen, l 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" said to myself, "I shall be prisoner with him."
 Without another moments hesitation dropped down into the run, put my matches and candle end in a part of my dress where they were least likely to get wetted, and then crawlcd along the run through the slush, which, to my satisfaction, found came nowhere above my elbows. When 1 reached the farther end, rose to my feet, and finding the irons in the wall mounted mp by them until my head struck the flag stone above, and here, knowing that 1 should need all my strength, paused for a minute to get breath. Then, bending my head, rose another step, and setting my
 
 muscle to straighten my body and push up The stone.
 For some time it resisted all my efforts, but at length the matted earth above giv- ing way it yielded slowly, and pushed it lp sufficiently far to get my head and shoul- lers 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, l could go no farther and stopped there, unable to get either up or down, the heavy flaGstoue pressing cruelty upon my shoulders, scarcely able to breathe and feel ing as if my poor chest bones would be crushed in.
 1 dared not cry for help. lest my voice should be heard by the men above, and | could only hang there gasping for breath | and dcspairing of release. Indeed l think I must soon have tainted under the dread tul pressure, but that Taras, having lis tened to these ineNplicable sounds in the ground in passive perplcNity for some time, hearing the faint moan that escaped me when felt that it was all over with me gropcd 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 indcSCribablc. In 8 moment l had scrambled onto the floor of the cellar. struck a match, and raising | it my eager eyes fell upon the great figure and noble face of TaraS. He did not rec ognizc ne at first, and the look of astonish- ment in his countenaucc was curious to sec And no wonder. From head to foot was drabbled and daubed with black ooze and dirt. lCould have looked like nothing human rising out of the earth and thus dis | figured. But Ee knew me by the time had | lit the candle. He murmurcd some unin- telligiblc words of gratitude, and his eyes were sutfuscd with the tears that sprang | from his sensitive heart.
 l No time for jawin about that" said l, interrupting him. We've got to get out of this aforo 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 filled me with rage against the villains who had used him so l 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 numbcd hands. At length life returned to them And all 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 tieucc. l was with him.