The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-08-13
siae Of the .bs.m and grow fainter and

side Of the eham and grow fainter and
fainter, till IT was submerged in the
roaring below. Then there was rattle
Of stones, and Branasko's voise sounded.
"A narrow ssoapeP' he said family.
II am On another ledge" Then, after
slight pause: ut 10 much wider-I
don't know how wide. Are you hstan-
ing?"
"Yes; but are you hurt?"
mot at all. Simply knocked tho
breath ont Of me for moment There
is cave behind me. and flor a mo-
ment there was silenoe) ! can see
light ahead in the cave. think it must
be the reflection Of the internal fire.
Come down to me, and we will explore
the cavern and see where the light
comes FROM"
II can't get down there" shouted
Johnston to make himself heard above
a sudden increase in the roaring in the
chasm. ''There is no way"
"Wait a moment" came from the
Alphian. "This ledge seems to incline
upward.
Johnston stood perfectly motionless,
afraid to move from the ledge either to
right OF to left, and heard Branasko's
footsteps along the rock beneath. "All
right so far" he called up, and his
voice showed that he had gone to con-
siderable distance to the left. 1.-THE
ledge seems to be still leading gradu-
ally upward. I think I can reach you. F"
Fifteen minutes passed. The lone
American could no longer hear Branas-
kos footsteps. Johnston was becoming
uneasy, and the hot air was causing his
head to swim. He was thinking Of try
ing to retrace his footsteps to place Of
more security, when be heard footsteps
and then the CHEEKY voice Of Branasko
nearly opposite him across the chasm:
"Are you there?"
eyes"
1T is we'll. have discovered good
pathway down to the cave and pool Of
fishes besides I have saved some for
you. I was 30 hungry ! had to eat.
Now, you must jump over to me-"
II cannot" declared the American.
II cannot jump 80 far; besides, you
failed"
Branasko laughed. IT did not leap
in the right direction. 1t is this point
on which I am now standing that
should have tried to reach. Come,
will catch you"
Johnston could not bear to be con-
sidered cowardly, so he stepped to the
verge of the ohasm and prepared to
jump. His head felt more dizzy as he
thought Of the fathomless depths be.
meath, and the rush Of hot air up the
side Of the cliff took his breath away,
but he braced himself and said calmly:
"All right. I am coming" The next
instant he sprang forward. Branasko
caught him in his arms, and they both
rolled back on the level stone.
"Good," cried the Alphian, trying to
catch his breath, which Johnston had
knocked out Of him by the fall. "You
did better than I. You are lighter"
where shall we 60 now?" asked
Johnston, regaining his feet and feeling
of his legs and arms to see if he had
broken any bones.
Down this winding path to the
place where I saw that light. want to
understand it. But you must first eat
this fish. 1t is delicious. They are
swarming in the pools below"
"And water?' said Johnston.
Gan abundance Of it, as cold as ice"
As Branasko preceded him down the
tortuous path Johnston ate the raw fish
eagerly. Presently they came to deep
pool Of water, and both men threw
shemselves down on their stomachs and
drank freely. After this they proceeded
slowly for several hundred yards, and
finally reached the entrance to the cave
in which Branasko had seen the light.
At that distance it looked like the light
Of some great confagration reflected
from the face Of cliff.
They entered the cave and made good
progress toward the light, for it showed
them the dangerous assures, sharp
powders and stalaotites. They had
walked along in silence for several min
utes when the Alphian stopped abrupt
ly and turned to his companion.
'What is the natter" asked john
Bton.
ut cannot come from the internal
fires," replied Branasko, "for the at
grows cooler as we get nearer
the light and away from the ohasm."
Johnston was too much puzzled to
formulate reply, and he simply wait
ed for the Alphian to continue.
Lets go OIL" said Branasko, and in
his tone and hesitating manner john
,ton detected the first appearance Of su-
perstitious fear that he had seen in the
brawny Alphian.