Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-10-08

some spectacular drama which he was
witnessing, in which he himself played
no part. He felt like one in a dream,
and his thoughts reverted to England.
He fancied he saw the form of the
maltster's daughter, fitting hither and
thither amidst the ebony Africans;
then the scene changed to Hartrey
Park. and he saw his father standing
in the menacing attitude as he had
seen him last.
Then it appeared to him that May
came on h scene, and the baronet
raised his clencheG fist to strike her,
and he rushed forward TO interfere.
He fell. Down, down he went, deep
er and deeper, until the waters closed
owe his head
He was suffocating, drowning. dying;
but he could not utter a syllable.
Again he fell into a fit Of %unconsci-
oEsress. only 10 wake from it in 4
more helpless state.
He had been attacked by brain fever,
resulting from the excitement, the IA
tigue and the heat of the Last four-and-
twenty hours.
1t was a long. long time before he
awakened from this dreadful state;
but when at last he recovered his
senses he found himself in a spacious
cave. into which but little daylight en-
tered. but from the vaulted roof of
which was suspended a rude brass
lamp. the feeble rays from which only
served TO make the further portions OF
the cavern look still more gloomy.
He was lying On n rude bed formed
of various grasses and rushes; and, rs
well as he could make out. he WIS the
sole occupant of this underground
chamber.
He tried TO rise. but so weak was he
that he sank back again as soon as he
attempted 10 exert himself, exhausted
and fainting.
In feeble voice be called aloud, but
his words only echoed through the
cavern now loud. now fainter, till
they died away in the extreme dis
lance.
Had he been abandoned by the ne
groes-left there TO die in solitude?
He strove TO recall the vents which
had occurred since the burning of the
planters house, but failed in the at
tempt: nor was ii for many days that
he realized all the strange scenes he
had gone through.
As he lay helpless on the ground the
remembrance OF the day which Capt.
SALT had hidden him return. If he
wished TO avail himself of a passage -
England in the Osprey, came upon
him.
Three days only he believed had
elapsed since he left Carlisle bay. but
still it would take him some time 10
return thither in his enfeebled eondi-
ton.
A CLEAN Of sunshine coming into the
cavern through a break in the thick.
tropical foliage. revealed to him the
position of its entrance.
1t was no great distance. and. by
great eXertion. he managed to crawl
along the rough, uneven ground till he
reached il.
Eagerly he pushed aside the shrubs
which hid from him the view of the
surrounding country.
He had just a faint hope that he
might see some landmark which would
reveal to him his present position, and
enable him, when he was Il little
stronger, perhaps, on the morrow, TO
find his way TO Carlisle bay.
II not this, he trusted his eyes might
Z" st on some habitation where he could
lain assistance, or, il necessary, a
I guide.
He was quite unprepared for the
sight which did meet his gaze when
he parted the bushes with his hands.
Immediately below him descended
an all but perpendicular p%recipice, the
base of which was washed by the sea.
while above him the same wall Of rock
extended TO a great height.
The entrance TO the cave was no
more than q hole in a perpendicular
wall of rock. and though by straining
his eyes he could detect a faint track
~zigzagging down the ace of the cliff,
he shuddered at the thought of having
to pass il. Indeed, in his weak and
giddy state, it would have been an i'm
possibility.
How he could have been carried
there in the litter was a puzzle which
at the time he could not unravel.
The entrance to the cavern was sit
rated at a considerable height above
the sea; and, consequently, he had a
wide spread of ocean before him.
AS he watched the waves, lazily lap
ping over zach other in the broiling
sun, his fancy took him far away
across the sea to his native land-to
the land which contained all those
nearest and dearest to him
One ship only appeared upon the
ocean. and she was standing we'll in
toward the land. Was she bound for
England? Ernest wondered.
Then something familiar in her rig
and the build of her hull struck him
and led him to scrutinize her nor
closely.
With beating heart he watched her
as she drew nearer and carer. Then
he saw her line Of guns; then he rec
ognized the Union-jack waving in the
heated air; and then he knew 1t was
his majesty's ship Osprey that he saw,
and that his chance of speedily reach
ing England was at an end.
Yes. it was. indeed, the Osprey, now
homeward bound.
Ernest Hartrey's fever had lasted
four days, though it seemed TO him
but as the sleep of a night. The week
had expired. and Captain Salt, true to
his word, had left Carlisle bay for
Spithead.
The knowledge came upon him like
a thunderbolt, for he knew that his
best chance Of speedily seeing May
was gone; that many, many months,
even after he had succeeded in es-
Gaping from the hands Of the negroes.