Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-06-15


@Woll, it's my impression we shall
have to como to that yet. See, they are
close at hand, and still aim this way"
Even my companion began to see that
this was the case.
"Joslyn, as sure as live / believe you
are right. We must hide"
There was no time to be lost. Already
the man with the lantern was so close
that the light fell on us.
Should our suspicious prove true we
would just have time to- carry out our
plan, if everything went we'll,
Without any loss of time we hurried
into the vault. Cropping our way across
it we came to the first box.
Tho lid OF this was hastily whipped of.
'Into it, Joslyn," said the Colonel.
huskily. ~
l obeyed orders TO the letter. This
was no time for squeamishness.
"If by any chance they knock the lid
off play dead" with which remark he
clapped the rough pine lid over me.
could hear him at the next box, for
my hearing seemed to be pretefnaturally
keen. Possibly 1t was the popularity OF
my position that rendered it so.
A scraplng sound announced that he
was clawing at the lid to get it over him,
and that he finally succeeded judged
from the fact of sudden silence falling on
the place.
We had finished none~too soon.
Already the man bearing the lantern
was descending the slippery stone steps
leading to the sepulcher.
He pushed open the door, which we
had neglected to fasten.
"This way, men. Now. be careful We
do not want any accident.
The four bearers slowly descended with
their burden, all entering the tomb.
could feel my nerves QuiverinR, such
was the singular nature Of the position In
which l found myself Perhaps l was
now experiencing something that had
come to many persons in moro aggra-
waited form upon finding themselves
buried alVe-a feeling Of horror akin to
Despair.
"Put it down, men,.
Some one moved the box in which |
was lying, but only little. 1t offered
more resistance than he had expected
"There, some of you lend hand.
Move this box yonder so that we can use
the,two of them for horses. Now lit the
coffin and rest it across, So"
| groaned, but the sound appeared TO
be taken as a snort from one OF the mel,
as they leaned over me.
We were trapped, shut into boxes, and
with heavy weight resting on the lds'
The air seemed to become suddenly
dense to me so that | could hardly
breathe.
True, we had escaped discovery, but
disaster that seemed to be great deal
worse had now come upon us.
The men prepared to leave the vault.
could hardly restrain from calling ont
after them-indced, my mouth was open
to do so when | thought better of it.
We were left alone With the dead.
l made an effort to raj the lid from
my box, but did rot succeed. The mar
row space would not allow man tC
bring anything like his full strength tc
bear on the subject.
One thing was fortunate, l thought
A small corner of the lid near my heaC
| had been broken of.
This left an opening large enough fol
full supply Of air to come through
Whom | remembered this my spirits
arose, for l realized that was not to bt
Suffocated just yet, at any rate.
"Joslyn!"
That was the Colonel hailing me-. Hi!
voice sounded from the depths of The
earth, and seemed sepulchral enough tC
fully suit the occasion.
"Halloa! Colonel, how goes it?" an
swered thinking that the occasion nigh
be Lelpcd by little levity, for my spirits
! were very near the zero point.
"Thisi is nice pickle"
"How the deuce are we to get Out?"
81 don't know. Can't YOU move YOU
lid?"
"Not an inch"
"That S. bad. If could only get {
grip on the thing I'd badge it"
| His words gave me an idea.
managed to twist my arm around 81
that my hand passed to the end OF th'
| box. ;,
Here was the hole spoken of before.
Ny fingers went through, and | go
something of clutch on the thing
! Could | succeed in moving it?
There was nothing like trying it, ant
defeat would not leave me any worse OF
than l had been before.
strained every muscle, and made ont
heroic effort.
The result was not wholly satisfactory
and yet felt the lid move.
Changing my tactics l attempted K
shove it to one side, meeting with bette
success. (
There was now room enough to ge
hOld with both hands, and fe.t that thu
matter was really settled.
Colonel, I'm working it out. Hav'
patience for little while, and be sur
prised at nothing"
"Hurrah!" he family cried. and / be
gan to believe he was feeling the lack o
air.
This made mo work faster, for al
though my own immunity was secured
did not wish my companion to suffer, 10
he was of value to NE.
| pushed the obstinate cover or th'
box slowly to one side, until at length
was able to sit up.
Then you may be sure | crawled on
of that place In hurry.
| had not been able to see any OF tn
men who brought the coffin in, and ye
it had struck me that the voice OF on
was familiar even whom heard so indls
tinctly.
cQHld not place him, and at this tim
could not bother thinking over the mat
ter.
When crawled out Of the box, m
first duty was to strike match. l ma
a piece of candle in my pocket that Tn