The sun., 1897-06-13

| rain that washed down the sides. He walked
shS s9Ss fGG or Ss
the root Of z dead tree projecting from 70 the @ left
| he gained the top.
A sparse covering Of prairie grass hung in un;
saw something. huge and black, like cloud,
poised on the hilltop. Here, in tho open, tho
but he bent his head and trudged upward As
he approached he saw, with great thnnktulnoss
boulder which he was seeking; 1t was followed
| on one side like basin. and on this side II
h0 Gp H srsr o
approach there grew against the rock on tho
under side rPSon OF bushes 5 and and n
would permit. The wind changed constantly.
| driving the rain in on him. He attempted to
| crawl into the shrubbery. but the thorns drove
him back. He was shiverng and had no way Of
we'll filled match bottle, there was no fuel about
| that had not been dampened.
around from the side Of the rock and dartcd into
an opening among loose stones piled up between
later VS%itt out Il came So at %nd tuSea Down
! the hill and out OF sight. The boy approached
exit exit Before the % creeVise, etfi Which was about as
| wide rs hand. grass grew luXurtantly and
"Go%s @ a seo hs %rsss As to ne at
opening the stones began to toppS and he l,,, hHd
'' The s boy psered S in fSe psssase sopod down
ward at slight angle until it Withdrew into
back with touch of fear. But shelter must be
had; and 50. having grosped stick; he mar
and his eyes saw nothing. Painfully he forced
hurt his knees and hands, and the narrow walls
| bruised his shoulders. Then the passage began
finally he could walk almost upright; but still
| fearful OF some we'll or hssure. he continued to
became more preeipitous; after a few moments
he stopped and listened to what seemed the
s %afr he ps es ag Hs
became aware of lesscning of the gloom and
change of atmospheTe; it grew warmer; in
grew in number rs ho advanced. At last the
passage descended short steep slope and
lighted in spots, but dark near The walls.
The atmosphere, though pleasant to his shiv.
which. Il it had been slightly more powerful,
might have nauscated him. About dozen
through others smoky light penetrated. He
made cups of his hands and drank little water.
1t was rain water and tasted bitter: He could
not drink much. and it surprised him to think
how thirsty he had been short time before He
back. Almost instantly he fell asleep ''' 80
The faint bars Of light grew dim and went out.
perfect silence somSmes bits OF ao Stones SnS
pebbles fell from the perforated walls as fiat
heads head Ids, dart in nan and out; and once on the floor
ing into coil moved 1t an inch across the stone.
The boy soon grew restless in his sleep, breathed
heavily, exclaimed at times and jerked from
side TO side. beating his arms upon the floor
Against his will and muttering it was dream
he again went down the dusty road, ran from
the cat. and hid in the brake: he heard again
the steslthy advance, caught one glimpse. and
The nightmare reused him. He was bathed in
perspiratiGn; for moment he lay still save M for 70,
could he summon strength to lift his head or
stretch out a hand. He began to question him,
How was it that he was lying on a bed OF rock !
His senses sens caught fine grating almost inpsIr, I
drew a sharp breath. He was in the cavern. and
he was not alone. His ears strained for the evil
dense OF the other presence: he raised himself to
his knees. He must have a weapon. and he re-
membered his stick. Three times he put out a
cropping hand and as often COURAGE failed him
! gers touched the warm. smooth stone This
brought back so much of his courage that he
} but he could not find the stick. 1t occurred 10
him that perhaps he had dropped i while
the supreme trial. He faltered forward. rising
TO his feet and cropping about with his hands.
, third time he slowly lowered n bare foot his toes
touched something cold and firm that sprnng
same instant stream OF thin fluid spattered his
leg and his foot knocked against his stick: He
and beat the toor. Minslins with the echoes Of
the blows, from every corner came rafting.
few minutes later when the rrst madncss
/, OF fear had pa ssed he remembered the matches
lighted one and % held It M above % his head 81 Shadow: @
raced along the walls More than dozen were
on sns be 70 bsa
missed, he had crushed with chance blow OF
d his stick. He lighted match after match, and
entered He saw % it. and before hS's It wers re t%e S
5 yet he lighted them. one after the other
I and could not stir from the spot; The
: gers. At the thought OF darkness courag,
t came to him; he sprang forward crushed one o.
n other as It leaped at him, and darted into tn,
: opening. Up the slope he scrambled. through
:. stumbling again. crawling on hands and knees
Z He had almost reached the end OF the passng'
"1a ThS %sns
|. Just before deliverance from great danger
o sped through every vein. His lips opened in on
d Shrek he lprGhed torwar,l, sguirmed an'
e He sprang to his feet. with his face turned t.
d the inky sky; he waited 1t was still storminng
heard the thunder crash and away in the dis
l. tance he thought he heard the chuckling crackl
l. OF the sunfower brake. Once he lad seen maj
X die OF rattlcsnake bite. and he knew tn
a He did not walk far but soon lay down in tn
4, grass; He was quite calm r.. and waited wi with
r. dull pains in the chest. lethargy, parta
10 paralysis Of the limbs-these he felt Il
quick succession. Something strrn
3 within him. too; little by little it grey
e more violent till he felt 1t pulling him upwar
d and away. But he opened his eyes and the we
grass was under his hands. lie became welkc
= and suffered lees. though his head still throbhcd
!, He was sinking into Inconsistencies when ia
W thought came 10 him that his body might u
there undiscovered for weeks and the buzZard
pick his bones. He staggered to his feet, but IN
q pains came back and he fell. The ground CAV
d way and his dead body rolled into the road.
In the clear morning that followed the storT
:. the doctor from s., on n visit to one Of hi
70 patients. found by tho side OF tho road the bod
y OF the boy almost wholly entomhCi in tho yelio'
% clay. Returning hastily to town. he had Ia
=. =. body cared for. An examination was made. .
u few slight bruises were found-nothing SUI
Is hcient to explain the boys death. But "A youn
70 man who was obseryant and loved mysterIe
"a "a found small clot Of blood on the left leg b.
10 tween the ankle and the calf. Scraping ava
u u the flesh he laid bare slight wound, fror
" which he drew small, sharp thorn.