Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1894-06-08

| enough through the hole IN the floor
ing on which he stood. He was about
to go down the ladder again to dis
cover where the break had occurred
| when draft of air stirred the rope,
and, as it moved, he saw that it did
not go through the hole at all. 1t came
to an end Just where it reached the
| floor.
Ralph placed the lantern beside him
and bent down to examine the rope.
| 1t seemed to have been severed by
some jagged edge, for it was torn and
| frayed, and bits of hemp strewed the
floor near by. He concluded that it
must have been worn through by rub
bing against the sides of the hole
through which it had originally passed.
While he was looking at it he was
startled by a sharp squeak at his very
elbow. He glanced quickly about,
and bright spark in dark corner of
the belfry caught his eye. Hepicked
up the lantern and swung it in front
of him, and small gray animal
darted under beam. 1t was a rat.
All at once, Ralph recollected that
the old belfry was said to be infested
with these animals, and, raising him
self, he turned to go. AS he did so,
his foot struck the edge of floor
board anu he fell, knocking the Ian
tern over and instantly extinguishing
the light.
Somewhat startled now, for the first
time, he CROPPED about for the trap
door, but could not find it. The
moonlight, which came from above,
lost itself in the narrow tower, and
where he lay it was almost entirely
dark. AT last, however, his hand came
in contact with something which he
knew was the trap door; but, even as
he touched it, it tell with bang He
nervously tried to raise it again; but
in vain. The door was flush with the
floor about it, and there was no ring
bolt or projection by which to secure
hold on it.
While Ralph was struggling to get a
finger beneath the trap door, the
same sharp squeak which had startled
him before sounded again, and this
time it was almost Immediately echoed
from half dozen other places.
AS he turned about, in every direc-
tion there shone in the darkness tiny
sparks of light. Ralph knew that
these were the eyes of rats One, or
even couple of the animals he would
not have feared. But dozen of
them, boldly surrounding him in this
way in the darkness, sent a shiver
down his back. He noted, too, that
they did not seem afraid of him,
though he banged on the floor and
yelled at them. Instead, they grew
bolder rs their numbers increased,
and one of them presently darted
across his foot.
Ralph now sprang to his feet and
rushed at the enemy. Those in front
of him at once retreated, as he could
tell by the disappearance of their
eyes. But as he moved several jumped
at him from behind, aud one fastened
its teeth in his leg. He kicked wildly
at this, and the rat was thrown to one
side. Another instantly sprang at
him, and then half-doZen at once, a
couple of the vicious little animals
fastening themselves in his clothes.
Ralph whirlel about, dashing his
assailants off for moment. 1t was
only for II moment, however, for he
was attacked again Immediately, and
this time more tiercely than before.
Thoroughly terrified now, he yelled
loudly, and kicked and struck out
with fists and feet indiscriminately.
But no answer came to his cries. The
walls of the tower echoed his voice and
the squeaks and squeals of the rats;
but that was all.
Something struck Ralph in the face.
lnstinctively he made pass at it with
his hand, thinking it was a rat. But
his fingers came in contact with the
bell rope, which shook with the blow,
then swayed into his face again.
At the second blow an idea came to
him. He reached out quickly with
both hands aud grasped the rope and
pulled himself from the floor. Then,
with one tremendous kick, he shook
of the last of the rats which clung TO
him, and, hand over hand. raised him
self half-dozen feet into the air.
The rope slowly descended with his
weight rs tho WHEEL slowly revolyed.
The bell at last struck solitary,
muiiied note rs the tongue fell against
its edge. Then il was silent, remain
ing tilted in the air, and, and Ralph
rested.
But the strain on his arms soon
warned him that he could not long
stay ia his present position, even with
his feet twisted about the rope as they
were. To go down he did not dare.
10 60 up Was the alternative; SO
slowly he pulled himself higher until
his head struck something hard. lie
quickly pat up hand an,l felt for the
obstacle. 4 short examination told
him that il was beam, Then he re,
memhered that a couple of stout tim.
bera ran across the heliry and gave
support g. the frame ia which huag
ths bell
Ralph twisted himself about ani
lriei t. force hlmaeli betWean the tga
heams bui tAe Intervening space
aanli oaly slmlt his heal sal sLeal
Asfs, snd, having serked himself that
iar apeaFi, he ioani hi, legs Wers ~
esnaueA that D. eeall scarcely move
them ~ iAen slutahei the rope
aiih ans han'l aai Us Hassg esaFsn