The Red Cloud chief., 1897-01-22
The Great Hesper.
CHAPTER XVII-CoNTrNuEp.
BY FRANK

standin' on IL than standin' under 1t;
but as we've got to go under IL, and
down the hole. we may as we'll git"
lie led the way along the trem-
bling rock a dozen yards maybe-the
rushing water sounding upon the left
OF us. and then stretched out his left
arm to stop us. He advanced cau-
tiously. and holding out the torch at
arm's-length. the light fell upon the
yellow water as it poured down into
the black gulf upon which u stand
ing-place abutted. Tho flame of the
torch vas drawn down by the current
OF air as IL IL had been at The blast
hole Of a furnace. Raising his voice
to overcome the noise Of the water,
Brace called out
''We've got to go down there"
''YOu are not afraid, Lolap"I asked.
She shook her head, and gave nv
hand another little squeeze.
Brace led us OFF the rock. keeping
the water still on our left, and there
was some more downward Chamber
ing tor a few minutes. Then We
calne O a stand. and ho showed me a
lateral opening about four feet in
height.
I'VE goes through there" he said.
then he produced a flask, poured out
a dram. and handed IL to me. | Of
Tered it to Lola. Another shake of
the head, and another little squeeze.
emptied the cup, and Brace helped
himself.
"There amt no need to get our
selves in a muck owe this job Well
put our rubters on" he said, 1.-THE
wet drips through"
took out the O%vercoats from the
bundle Of rugs, and we put them on.
Then ] strapped the roll OF rugs on
my shoulders again.
Brace touched my shoulder and
pointed upward to a couple of faint
ly pink nebulous patches in the mist.
what Is it," ! asked.
.'The sun ketchin' the top OF the
peaks" he replied.
He took q couple Of torches from
the bundle he carried, and began to
light them At the end of the one he
had last used.
Wont you wait a little it will
be light in half an hourP" l said.
Not down there" he replied; "it's
pitch dark at moo in that almighty
hole. Now he added, when the
torches were well lit, take one of
these. kick the snow we'll off your
feet, keep one eye on me and t'Othcr
On the rocks, and leave the rest to
providence"
With this last injunction ne
stopped down, and passed through
the opening. We followed, but sin
ely, for we needed both hands to
make the perilous descent.
The first thing ! noticed in passing
under tho great block that bridged
the awful chasm was the compare
tive silence. We could no longer
hear the rushing Of the stream on
the other side, only the dull roar of
the water as ii struck the bottom Of
the canyon some thousands OF feet
below.
Braces voice was startlingly dis
tinct when he spoke.
'.YOu tell me the thing is on the
other side OF the ropes, my gel" he
said.
She answered yes, and we went
slowly forward and downward along
the narrow and Jagged ledge. our
faces toward the glittering quartz,
seeking interstices and projections
for hold to our hands.
We were getting away from the
fall. but at a certain point the path
returned toward it in a zig-zag
along a lower projection. At an
angle which offered a little wider
standing space, we stopped.
This here hole was fust showed
Inc by the Kids mother" said Brace;
cit had served her father for Il
cachette in the early days OF this
country's glory.
"a cachette," he explained. is "a
place where you keep things snug.
Almost every miner, before the
vigilance committee nomenated Inc
Judge. had q cachette. This was
mine. and many a Inc I've brought
down here; fur you see, barrin' ac-
cidents. it's won'erful safe. You
will allow that no n could find his
way down here In the dark" i shud-
dered at the thought OF any one at.
tempting such a fearful venture).
land from here right up to the hole
is o fair straight line, so that no
light could come down without 1t
bein' seen; but that amt the only
safeguard, rs you shall see. Come
on sir,N
We made our way foot by foot
along tho narrow ledge for some
distance. When Brace again halted,
tho light OF his torch revealed
the yellow stream falling silently
through space. q few feet before him.
Ihu: silent fall impressed me with
tho sense OF the awful depth OF the
gulf u
The ,1ige ended abruptly where
Brace stood; u recess In the wall al