The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-12

flame began to play above the water
Pale, but hot-horribly hot. We could
feel it's whitening blast even where we
stood 1t mounted higher; it lowered
above us.
Run. Rum" screamed the pro-
fessor. And we ran as if hell had
opened at our feet
Even SO. our delay had well-nigh
cost our lives. Breathless. scorched,
shuddcring. we reached the brow of
the mountain. Here we lay Hat, and
shielding our faces peered back over
the edge.
All the water was now red as sun
shot wine: the whole lake was seething
like a caldron. The rocky walls shone
ruddy with the rehection-or. was it
possible that they We're growing red
with the heat? The blue flames united
from all parts of the ~urface. and rose
to the sky in Il tall, faint waverina col
umn, much like the tame of an alcohol
lamp-but half mile high.
And the heat-oh. the heat was
binding. Our flesh was blistered: the
very hair upon our heads was crinklng
burning. Crazy with pain and terror
we rolled down !he slope. leaped. ran
plunged. fell, and at last brought up in
deep ravine near the foot of the
guShed from a cavern. How cool and
comforting its ulashing seemed
We now lay in the shadow of the
HILL but just over our heads streamed
the blue light and consuming ardOr of
that fiery column from which we had
fled, glintinS upon the rocks and with
ering the scanty vegetation for miles
around. We saw acres of stunted
evergreen below us, shrinking, crisp
ing to tindcr in that inordinate glow
then the dry needles sparkled and here
and there tree spouted up fountain
OF red flame. Soon the whole forest
was ablaZe beyond us. and our ravine
was in shadow no longer.
Then we crect back into the cavern
of the roaring stream. far under the
mountain. finding precarious foothold
by the margin of the water till at last
only Il faint glow showed the openiny
by which we had entered. Here the
rugged roof vaulted higher. and was
lost in darkness We sunk prone on a
shelf of rock beside the gurgling tor
rent: the spray dashed over our aching
limbs. and we found relief
But the place was full of noises. Not
merely the voice of the pouring waters
that moaned and echoed everywhere.
More and more FREQUENT came rumb-
linSs. followed by sound like heavy
thunder and tremor as if the noun
tain shuddered to its roots. Doubt
less the raging furnace above was
cracking the cliffs that walled the lake;
the Overheated lodges were bursting.
| perspired under the raining spray:
1t seenied to me that the floor on
which / lay was growing warmer.
laved my hand in the running water,
but jerked it back with a cry; the
stream was scalding hot A ruddy
sparkle seethed in it's current: the vault
above me was becoming family Wis
ible; as l gazed. the fantastic cavern
dome grew rosy as the morning sky.
With a scream of terror / sprang to-
ward the entrance: a great light famed
behind me: a strong gust of fire and
wind swept me onward. till I found
myself fallen on the bank of the ra-
vine outside. A pale blue blow-pipe
flame went Kissing past me. With it
came shrieks of agony more terrible
than all the groanings of the tormented
hill-shrieks of human anguish-and a
strange ape-like figure was flung be-
side me and lay writhing. 1t was the
professor, my friend. but scared and
branded almost beyond recognition
His clothing was burned away; of his
struggling locks and black silky beard
not a hair remained. His long arms
twitched. and his slender fingers
clutched the parched. crumbling moss
as he lay in pain inexpressible. Thus
science had rewarded her most gifted
vOtary. 10
Yet even In that supreme moment
he was not forgetful. Twas the out
Lett" he grasped. "The ferment has
worked through. oh. my God! Run!
Cut off the stream or the world Is lost"
(To be continued.)