The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-06-04

the eyeless fish in the black caverns
over there. And he led the American
into the blackness behind them. Every
now and then, as they stumbled along,
Johnston would look longingly back to-
ward the faint pink light that shone
above the high black wall, but Branas.
ko hastened ON.
Presently they came to the edge Of a
black chasm, and the American was
filled with awe, for, from the seemingly
fathomless depths, came great roaring
sound like that of a mighty wind, and
the air that came from it was hot,
though pure and free from the odor Of
gas.
"What is this?" he asked.
"They are everywhere, answered
Branasko. IF it were not for their hot
breathing, the Land Of the Changing
Sun would be cold and damp"
"Then the sun does not give out
heat?"
"No.''
at is cold?''
81 believe so. / have never thought
much about it. "
The American was mystified, but he
did not question further, for Branasko
was carefully lowering himself into the
hot guilt
Follow me-" he said. "We must
cross it to reach the caves. will guide
you. / have been over this way before. :"
But can we stand the heat?"
''Oh, yes. When we get used to it, it
is invigorating. l perspire in streams,
but feel better afterward. Come on. +"
Branasko's head only was above the
ground. II am standing on a ledge, I"
he said. "Get down beside me. Fear
nothing. 1t is solid. Besides, what does
it matter? You can die but once, and it
would really be better to fall down
there into the internal fires than to
starve slowly"
Johnston shuddered convulsively as
he let himself down beside Branasko.
His foot dislodged stone. With crash
it fell upon lower ledge and bounded
off and went whizzing down into the
depths. Both men listened. They heard
the stone bounding from ledge to ledge
till the sound was lost in the internal
roaring.
1T is mighty deep" said Johnston.
"Yes; but follow me. We cannot stop
here. We must 20 along this ledge till
we get to the point where the chasm is
narrow enough to jump across. have
done it. F"
"The American held to his companion
with one hand and the rock with the
other, and they slowly made their way
along the narrow ledge, pausing every
now and then to rest. At every step the
path grew more perilous and narrower,
and the cliff on their left rose higher
and higher, till the reflected light of the
sun had entirely disappeared. AT GER
tain points the hot wind dashed upon
them as furiously as the whirling mist
in the Cave of the Winds at Niagara
falls. Once Johnston's foot slipped and
he fell, but was drawn back to safety
by the strong arm of the Alphian.
''Be careful. Hold to the cliffs face, :"
warned Branasko indifferently. and he
moved onward as if nothing unusual
had occurred. Presently they reached
point where narrow bowlder jutted
out over the chasm toward the opposite
side, and Branasko cautiously crawled
out upon it. When he had got to its
end, Johnston could not see him in the
gloom, but his voice came to him out
Of the roaring of the chasm.
can see the other side and am 60
ing to jump" An instant later the
American heard the clattef OF the al:
phian's shoes on the rock and his grunt
Of satisfaction. Then Branasko called
out: Come on. Crawl out till you feel
the end Of the rock, and then You can
see me.
In great trepidation the American
slowly crawled out ON the uaxrow rock.