Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-04-28

tucy AHoW lueir OrcCner 10 De lying at
the ruined ranch, perhaps seriously
wounded; though their own fate may
be capture, with Undesirable suffering,
shame and death. Fanny Harvey has
behaved like a 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 again2 Even as he takes her hand
in his Drummond reads the dread in
it and whispers words of hope and COM
fort there is heavy, continuous, crash
ing sound at the mouth of 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 tho men beg to
be allowed to push out and die fighting,
but Drummond sternly refuses. ''At
the worst" he says, I've can retire in
to the back cave; we have abundant
water there. The air Will last several
hours yet, and l tell you help will
come-Inust 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 lieutenant S side:
Have you heard any more logs
| thrown down lately. sir?"
mo, corporal. l have heard moth
Ing"
! They were yellin and shootin out
there in the gulch nalf an hour ago.
Have We heard no more of 1t, sir:"
| No: no sound bit the flames"
GLORY be to God, thin! Dye know
wat hit names. sir:'
Il know what l hope" is Drum
mond's faint answer. ''Our fellows are
close 1T hand, for the Indians are clear
ing out"
''Close at hand, is it?" cries COST
gan, in wild excitement, leaping to his
| feet. Listen, sir! Listen, all of yes!
Dye hear that and that? And there
| now! Oh, Holy Mother of God! isn't
that music? Trims the trumpets of
K throop!"
Aye. Ont 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 CHATTER 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 we'll heave
over the rocks
Stalwart forms, brawny arms, are
| already at the work. The wagon
tongues are prying under the heavy,
Kissing, suffering logs. Daring hands
scatter the ombers. Buckets of water
are dashed over the live Goals. up
wild We now, boys shouts Costigan.
"Heave over thin rocks"' Down with
a crash goes the barricade. A cloud of
steam rushes into the cave. A dozen
sturdy troopers come leaping in, lifting