The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-09-22

SO"0AO4y anu QIUUSu away
here horrorsl She looks about her
for som means of escape, but can see
none. Again the moan, this time
louder, comes to her ears, Gccom
panied by the rafting and blinking of
chains. She stands as though rooted
to the spot-paraly zed-powerless to
movea muscle. The skulls and bones
roll around and bump against each
other as though once again possessed
Of the spirits Of the departed ones.
RISE was, ordinarily, an unusually
brave girl, possessing a nerve and
courage that was wonderful for her
sex, ard far above the average. But
this proves too much for even her. She
gasps for breath and is just on the
eve OF tainting when a voice that she
recognizes as being that Of her fathers
calls her to herself.
"WhO's that?" a voice asked from
out the shadows among the bones.
90! father-dear father!' can it be
you-really you7" cried the bewildered
girl, running forward and dropping
upon her knees beside the PROSTATE
form.
Rose! Rosel How come you here2"
he asked, IL a hoarse whisper.
In as few words as possible, she tells
him how she had been dacoyed from
her home that morning by Redmond,
his threats, her engagement with the
m~oonshiner, it's result, and, in fact, all
that has already been made known to
the reader.
Haswell groaned. my poor girl"
he said, I'VE are both lost. I, too, am
his prisoner. Unknown to anyone, I
have been engaged in mining for the
past ten years. Last night he tracked
me to the place where I had my gold
concealed, and with the assistance Of
his gang, overpowered me and brought
me here. Not satisfied with taking
me prisoner, he has. rs you zee,
taken possession Of my treasure
also. All that is mine," pointing to
the several piles of gold nuggets; "all
! of it-every ounce of it-belongs to
me; those sparkling gems-diamond,
rubies, hid9nnite-are mine-all mine"
He groaned again. Yes, my daugh
ter, we ere Iost-5oth of us-treasure
and all"
"On! no father; don't lose heart, she
said, encouragingly what is to hin
der me from untying your hands and
feet and setting you free?"
THAT you cannot do. my daughter;
/ am bound not with cords that might
be cut or broken, but with iron-seet
He holds up his hands fettered with
hand cuffs, and points to his feet,
similarly secured. Escape for me, you
see, is impossible"
For a moment Rose regarded her
father in silence; then she asked:
Father, is there an outlet to this
cave, other than the TUNE that leads
to the cabin7"
"None by which you can possibly
escape" be answered. There is an
opening, or narrow passage, on the
opposite side Of the cavern, caused. no
| doubt, by the action Of the water that
has fallen here for centuries past, but
it is too narrow for anyone to escape
by. Redmond pointed it out to me
when he brought me here, and said
that it led out on the mountain side a
half mile from here
Without a word Rose rises to her feet
and crosses the cave to the opposite side.
She finds the passage with little diff
Guilty, and after removing a lot of loose
stones, bones and skulls that partially
block the entrance, she discovers
that it is not quite as naIrOW as her
father had led her to think. She gets
! down on her hands and knees and
crawls in. 1t is a close fE-too
close, in fact. An idea strikes her.
She draws back.
First denudiDg herself Of her cutter
garments in fact, all that she can
with decency dispense with, she again
drops upon her hands and knees and
| era Wis into the opening. There is still
little or no rotm to spare, bat if the
| channel grows no smaller she can, she
thinks, succeed in reaching the open
ing.
Father y she called, Il think I can
get out"
"Bravo!' he cried-"God grant it,
my daughter"
To her surprise and joy, instead of
growing narrower, t. channel widens
as she advances, and soon she has little
-. 10 &. &hnalsz in moving fnrward