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

die TO get the box out, and there was
now not more than an inch LETT.
/ 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 / got into the cellar OF
the Joy. There we're iron staples 10
tho side of the shaft placed at Intervals
to serve as steps. The descent was
easy enough, but at the bottom q fresh
obstacle presented itself. I was standing
in Waterl II the tide was up, II would
ba I'm possible to get through the run,
that part Of the shore being completely
under water at the Hood.
Dropping on my knees, IerRWled for
ward, entering the first cask. The thick
ooze was high over my wrists, but ssill
II they we're all fairly on the same level
} the passage was yet sufficiently open.
| The ooze might simply be the earth that
had sifted %throughsin the course OF
years left in its present condition OF a
receding tide. But what II it was wet
with the rising tide? This question
made me pause despite my impatient
desire to 90 on. II the tide rose before
1 could get Taras out of the cellar, all
escape would be impossible, and hem
med in we should both be at the mercy
of DrIgo and Putty. On the other hand,
II 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 easement OF the Ventilator looked
out. The water was certainly high,
but whether it was rising or falling l
could not tell. As l looked out a'ciock
! chimed the half hour past 10. AT IL
the Joy would be closed. Then any
thing might happen to Taras. One
thing was tolerably evident-the two
men would go down into the cellar, II
only 70 see If Tarss was still alive.
But they might have, and probably
had, made arrangements with the
other man to take him away from the
/ JOY, in which case, II l wSited till the
| tide had risen and fallen, l should lind
! the cellar empty when 1 reached it.
This reflection and a belief that the
tide was yet some distance below high
water mark decided me to make the at
tempt at once and run the risk Of be-
ing imprisoned by the tide. "At any
rate" 1 said to myself, 81 shall be u
prisoner with him."
Without another moments hesitation
I 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 crawled along the
! run through the slush, which, to my
satisfaction, / found came nowhere
above my elbows. When l reached the
farther end, I rose to my feet, and ind
| ing the irons in the walls mounted up
By them until my head struck the flag
stone above, and here, knowing that l
should need all my strength, l paused
for a minute TO get breath. Then,
bending my head, l rose another step,
and setting my shoulders against the
flag strained every muscle TO s~traighten
my body and push up the stone.
For some time it resisted all my ef-
forts, but at lengthsthe matted earth
above giving way it yielded slowly, aud
I pushed il up sufficiently to get my
head and shoulders through the open
ing. But being now stretched 20 my
full length, and finding no iron to set
nv foot on and get fresh purchase, l
| could 90 no farther and stopped there,
unable TO get either up or down, the
! heavy faastone pressing cruelty upon
my shoulders, scarcely able 70 breathe
and feeling as if my poor chest bones
would-be crushed in.
dared not cry for help, lest my voice
should be heard by the men above,
and l could only hang there gasping for
breath and despairing Of release. In
deed l think I must soon have tainted
under the dreudful pressure, but that
Taras, having listened to these mex
Dlicable sounds in the ground in passive
perpleXity for some time, hearing the
faint moan that escaped me when l felt
that it was all over with me, CROPPED
forward, and finding the opening set
his foot under the tor and thrust IT
right back with one strong effort.
NV sense of relief was indescribable.
In a moment I had scrambled onto the
floor Of the cellar. 1 struck a match,
and raising it my eyes fell upon the
great figure and noble face OF Taras,
He did not recognize me at first. and
the look OF establishment in his coun-
tenance was curious 70 see. And no
wonder. From head to foot l was
6rabbled and daubed with black ooze
and dirt. 1 could have looked like
nothing human rising out OF the earth
and thus disigured. But he knew me
by the time l had lit the candle. He
murmured some nnintelligible words Of
gratitude, and his ayes were sufused
with the tears that sprang from his
sensitive heart.
"No time for jawin about that" said
I. interrupting him. "IYe've got to get
out OF this afore Putty comes down and
the tide comes up"
He turned round and showed NE that
his hands were tied behind him. The
hemp was black with the dried blood
from his wrists. The sight Of IL filed
me with rage against the villains who
had used him so ba~rbarously.
There's a knife In my wa~istcoat
pocket" he said.
1 found it and cut the knotted rope,
hut it was some time before he could
use his numbed hands. At length life
returned 20 them. And all the time
we stood there l knew that the water
might be rising in the run to prevent our
escape, yet l was unconscious of alarm
or fear or ever of Impotence. l was
with him.
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