The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-04-26

be capture, with indescribable suffering,
shame and death. Fanny Harvey has
behaved like heroine, as the two troop
ers remarked, and Ruth has done her
best to follow her sisters lead. Yet
they, too, now realize how close and
sitting the heavy atmosphere is grow
ing. Is it to be the black hole of Calcutta
over againp Even as he takes her hand
in his Drummond reads the dread in
Ruth's fearless face. Even as he holds
it and whispers words of hope and COM
fort there is heavy, continuous, crash
ing sound at the mouth - the cave.
just in front of the rock barricade, and
he springs back to learn the cause.
They're heaving down logs and
brushwood, sir,' whispers Costigan
"They mean to roast us out if they
can't do anything else."
More thunder and crash more heap
ing up of resinous logs from the cliffs
above them. Some of the men beg to
be allowed to push out and die fighting,
but Drummond sternly refuses. ''At
the worst, V he says, 'we can retire in
to the back cave; we have abundant
hours yet, and tell you help will
come--must come, before the day is
much older"
Two o'clock. Kissing flames and
scorching heat block the cavern en-
trance. The rocky barrier grows hotter
and hotter; the air within denser and
more sitting. The water in the can
teens and pals is no longer cool. 1t is
hardly even cooling. The few men
who remain with Drummond in, the
front of the cave are lying full length
upon the floor. The pain in Drum
mond's battered head has become in
tense. 1t is almost maddening. Wing is
moaning and unconscious. Walsh is
incoherent and raving. All are painting
and well nigh exhausted The front of
the cave is like an oven. Overcome by
the heat, one or two of the men are
edging toward the inner cave, but
Drummond orders them, back. To the
very last the lives of those fair girls
must be protected and cherished. In
silence, almost in desperation, the men
obey and lie down again, face down
ward, their heads at the rear wall of
the cave.
And then Costigan comes crawling
to the lieutcnant's side:
Have yen heard any more logs
thrown down lately. cir?''
No, corporal. | have heard moth
ing
They wore yellin and shootin out
there in tn gulch half an hour ago.
va l, wi
mo; no sound but the fiames.''
GLORY be to God, thin! Dye know
wat hit names, sir?''
II know what l hope" is Drum
mond's faint answer. "Our fellows are
close at hand, for the Indians are clear
ing out.
"Close ct hand, is it?" cries Costi-
gan, in wild excitement, leaping to his
feet. "Listcn, sir! Listen, all of yes!
Dye hear that ?-and that? And there
nowl Oh, Holy Mother of God! isn't
that music? Thims the trumpets of
X throopy'
Aye. Out along the crests of the
winding canyon the rifles are ringing
again. The cheers of troopers, bound
ing like goats up the rocky sides, are
answered by clatter of hoof and snort
of excited steeds in the rocky depths
below. Here we are, lads! Dis
mount! Lively now!'' well known
voice is ordering, and Costigan fairly
screams in ecstasy of joy, ''Tear away
the fire, captain, an then Well heave
over the rocks
Stalwart forms, brawny arms, are
already at the work. The wagon
tongues are prying under the heavy,
kissing, sputtering logs. Daring hands
scatter the embers. Buckets of water
are dashed over the live Goals. Sup
wild ye now, boys!' shouts Costigan.
"Heave over thin rocksr' Down with
a crash goes the barricade. A cloud of
steam rushes into the cave. A dozen
sturdy troopers come leaping in, lifting
-.