Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-05-25
The Great Hesper.
CHAPTER XVII-Coxr1YUED.
DY FRANK RARRErr.


standin' on it than standin' under it,;
but as we've got to 90 under it, and
down the hole, we may as we'll git. "
He led the way along the trem-
bling rock a dozen yards may be-the
rushing water sounding upon the left
of us, and then stretched out his left
arm to stop us He advanced eau
tiously, and holding out the torch at
arm s-length, the light fell upon the
yellow water as it poured down into
the black gulf upon which our stand
ing-placc abutted. The flame of tho
torch was drawn down by the current
of air rs if it had been at che blast
hole of furnace. Raising his voice
TO overcome the noise of the water,
Brace called out
We've got to go down therem
"You are not afraid, LolapnI asked
She shook her head, and gave my
hand another little squeeze.
Brace led us off the rock, keeping
the water still on our left, and there
was some moro downward Chamber
ing for a few minutes. Then we
came TO a stand, and he showed me a
lateral opening about four feet in
height.
I'VE goes through there" he said,
then he produced flask, poured out
dram. and handed it to me. | of
fcred it to Lola. Another shake OF
the head, and another little squeeze.
emptied the cup, and Brace helped
himself.
There amt no need to get our
selves in a muck over this job. Well
put our rubters on" he. said, "the
wet drips through"
/ took out the overcoats from the
bundle of rugs, and we pat them on.
Then ! strapped the roll of rugs on
my shoulders again.
Brace touched my shoulder and
pointed upward TO couple of faint
ly pink nebulous patches in the mist
What is it," | asked.
1.-The sun ketchin' the top of the
peaks, " he replied.
He took couple of torches from
the bundle he carried. and began to
light them at the end OF the one he
had last used
Wont you wait a little it will
be light in half an hour?" said.
Not down there" he replied; 'it's
pitch dark at noon in that almighty
hole. Now" he added, when the
torches were we'll lit, take one of
these, kick the snow well of your
feet, keep one eye on me and t'other
on the rocks, and leave the rest TO
providence.
With this last injunction ne
stopped down, and passed through
the opening. We followed, but sim
ely, for we needed both hands to
make the perilous descent.
The first thing noticed in passing
under the great block that bridged
the awful chasm was the compare
tive silence. We could no longer
hear the rushing of the stream on
the other side, only the dull roar of
the water as it struck the bottom OF
the canyon some thousands of feet
below.
Braces voice was startlingly dis
tinct when he spoke.
You tell me the thing is on the
other side OF the ropes, my gel?" he
said.
She answered yes, and we went
slowly forward and downward along
the narrow and Jagged ledge. our
faces toward the glittering quartz,
seeking interstices and projections
for hold TO our hands.
We were getting away from the
fall, but at certain point the path
returned toward it in zig-zag
along lower projection At an
angle which offered little wider
standing space, we stopped.
This here hole was fust show ed
me by the Kids mother" said Brace;
lit had served her father for a
cachette in the early days OF this
country's glory.
place where. you keep things snug.
Almost every miner, before the
vigilance committee nomenated Inc
Judge, had cachette. This was
mine, and many u ounce I've brought
down here; fur you see, barrin' ac-
cidents, it's wonderful safe. You
will allow that no one could find his
way down here In the dark" I shud-
dered at the thought OF any one at.
tempting such a. fearful venture),
land from here right up to the hole
is a fair straight line, so that nc
light could come down without il
bein' seen; but that amt the only
safeguard, as you shall see. Come
on. sir"
We made our way foot by foot
along the narrow ledge for some
distance. When Brace again halted
the light OF his torch revealed
the yellow stream falling silently
through space. a few feet before him
That silent fall impressed me with
the sense of the awful depth of the
gulf beside us.
The ledge ended abruptly where
Brace stood; recess in the wall al