Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-08-06

able him to attack it. TO make the
most of his strength he dragged the log
to the place selected for the expert
mcnt, with the intention of using it for
u ladder from which to begin the as
cent; and. having braced it against one
nf the walls, he took off his coat and
shoes and made an attempt to work his
way up the desired underground.
The first trial was failure. He lost
his hold before he had nscended to
twice his height,;in slid back to the
sandy floor of the crevicc; but there
was enough of a promise of success in
the undertaking to make him wear
away the remainder of the day in re-
pcntcd endeavors, and to encourage him
to try again and again. even after the
long abstinence from food had begun
to have its effect on his tired muscles
and ovcrstraincd nerves. The final at
tempt. made just ut dusk, carried him
to within Il few feet OF the roof; but the
darkness baff1cd him; he again lost his
hold, and it was only by the utmost ex-
cr,ion of his failing strength that he
saved himself from falling heavily to
the bottom of the cavern. AS it was, he
knocked the log down in his descent,
and. realizing that nothing could be
done without the help OF daylight, he
lay down in the sand and tried to 60 to
sleep.
Lying there in the darkness and lis
tcning to the microscopic noises sift-
ing through the entrance to the cave,
he fancicd he heard Il sound rs of some
light object falling upon the sand. He
first thought of wild beasts, but, re-
lecting that no animal large enough to
attack him would be likely to enter the
trap-likc crevicc, the incident was soon
forgotten in IL train of suggestions hav-
ing the indistinct noises Of the day for
Il starting point. Now that he recalled
them. he remembered hearing sounds
like the echoes of dull blows at irrcgu-
lar intervals all through the day, and
lie spcculatcd over their probable origin
until weariness overcamc him and he
fell into doze from which the growl-
ing OF the rising storm awakened him.
Since there seemed to be sort of com
panionShip in the roll of the thunder
and the sweep of the wind. he sat up to
listen, and in one of the lulls he thought
he heard voice at the mouth of the cav
crn. Wondering if his captors were.
coming to liberate him, he got upon
his feet and felt his way to the farther
end OF the cell, standing under the aper-
turc and staring up into the gloom.
While he stood there listening and
looking, n small star of yellow light
made its appearance at the extreme end
of the rocky corridor, and he saw the
shadows of two faces framed between
the walls of the narrow slit in which the
chamber terminated. His first impulse
was to make his presence known; but
before he had taken step he recoiled
in horror at the sight of IL gun barrel
thrust through the crevice above the
wavcring star of light.
Under some conditions mental proc
csses are instantaneous: Ringbrand
saw and understood the purpose of his
enemies az clearly rs il his sentence had
been pronounced with formal verbiage.
With the understanding came fren-
zied fit Of terror, and he shrunk with
chattering teeth and trembling limbs
into the deepest recesses of the cave;
the wavering light danced in fantastic
gyrations before his fascinated gaze;
noise like the beating of n hundred
drums filed his ears; and he could feel
the cold perspiration pricking from
every pore. The suspense was horri.
ble, and for q few moments he thought
he should die from the very abjectness
uf his fear; then suddenly he felt
sharp pang as if something had given
way in his brain, and the overpowering
nausea OF terror vanished as il by magic.
In its place came strange feeling of
cxaltation that sent the blood tingling
to his finger tips; the roaring in his
cars ceased, and his sight became once
more keen and steady. Springing to
his feet, he drew the coloners revolver
from his pocket and took careful and
deliberate aim at the face behind the
yellow star of light; his finger pressed
the trigger, and the crash of a double
detonation filled the cavern. With the
flash and the report the light disap-
peared. and he felt sting of pain in
his arm; he knew he was wounded, but
the hurt seemed only to augment the
violence Of the fit of ferocity that had
taken complete possession of him.
Flushing toward the point where the
light had disappeared, he wedged him
self into the crevice, grinding his teeth
in impotent rage when he found that
he could not reach far enough to get
the range for second shot.
After it was all over, he sat down
upon the log and examined his arm as
we'll as he could by the sense of touch;
the wound was nothing but a severe
bruise, and he put his coat on again
with sigh of relief. II can't afford to
be disabled now," he muttered, mot till
I've given these villains their deserts;
the hardened brutes-to come here and
try to Kill man like rat in a trap"
Then it suddenly occurred to him
that this Hugh Ringbrand, breathing
out threatenings against his persecu-
tors, was quite different person from
the miserable wretch who but few
moments before had covered in terror