The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-01-30

was right, and Knew 1t as well then
, as do now. So I just covered UP the
, fire with hands trembling and heart
fiuttering. took the torch-stcks and
started off:
1 crept past the muzzle of the Gun
Barrel with my torch out but heard
nothing. Then I lit 1t again and hur-
red on. At Rope Pit found the pole
up; so just stuck my torch in my COL
lar and climbed 1T, thus getting some
good out of the thing at last. 1 made
no call at either the Star Chamber or
the Robins Nest, having had quite
enough of both. but went on pell-
nell for the Trap Door. When I
got through this and listened I
was a little crest-fallen at not
hearing the throbbing. for 1t was
on this Gas I'll warrant you have
guessed) that my hopes rested. How
ever. went on. and soon did hear It,
but 1t was different from before, which
pleased me- AS 1 went farther 1t grew
louder. but the walls did not 50 throb
with 1T, though the echoes were lively
enough. 1t sounded more open, and
as If it was in the cave.
So when I flashed my torch into the
Bedroom, my ears stunned by the
crash, there 1t was, just as the idea had
come stealing into my mind at Fish
Camp, the great iron drill Of a we'll
boring machine, beating up and down
like a trip-hammer.
1t was not strange that I never
thought what it was till went to
sleep, or went crazy or something, at
the last moment. for I never had much
brightness at thinking of things, as you
have seem but I have always thought
it rather odd that the Captain did not
study it out. though, to be sure, the
sound when he heard 1t, before it broke
through the roof. was more like the
throbbing of tie heart of the world, as
l may say, than like any noise made
by machine of man.
When 1 saw it and knew that my de-
liverance Gas the word is) was at hand
I half tainted. and lay down on the
ground weak as a cat, and Just watched
the big rod with the long shining links
of the Jars in the middle. which We're to
jerk 1t loose If it got. stuck, pounding
up and down with force enough to
knock hole through an iron-clad.
When had got a little of my senses
together I began to consider what was
best to do. The enole where it came
through the roof ten or twelve feet
above was the usual size. about six
inches across, though I noticed where
the drill was working in the floor it
was smaller. by which knew the men
were going to put down an iron pipe to
bridge the cave. just big enough to slip
down the upper hole but Just too big to
go down the lower one: but this, luck
'ly, was not yet in place. The drill
and rod were fifteen feet or more long,
but it had got couple of yards into
the floor. so could see the big rope al
most two inches thick. just below the
ceiling. The thing beat up and down
over foot. and fell with a terrible
crash, turning little each time.
which I knew was done by a man hold
of the rope at the top.
| I soon saw that I must wait till the
men drew up the drill to clean out the
hole before I could let them know I
was below. but had not thought Of
any plan yet when the drill went up.
When it was clear of the hole above I
looked up and could see a round spot
of light like a small moon but had
no idea of how far up it was. though I
knew it might easily be hundred feet.
or maybe two hundred. First I was
| SUNS 10 can ~ ne men, then thought
4 t Vltt}Sfa1sl not be heard. or il I was that
of the solid earth might so brighten
them that they would run away and
leave me after all.
| The bucket. a long. slender sheet-iron
affair with a valve i'm the bottom. came
humping and rumbling down on slen-
| der rope and blundered in the lower
hole at last and began churning up and
down pumping up the water and pull
verified stone through the valve. / saw
I must send up a written message, but
before could get it ready the bucket
went spinning up; however. 1t came
down again, and by that time I had
this ready. written with lead pencil
on the back of letter from my father
captain Archway and I are down
here in a cave. Have found Isaac
London. Come right away to sink-hole,
quarter mile southwest of Birch
Mound. HARRY FARGO"
I snatched off my cap, rolled the let
ter in 1t and stuffed it all in the top
end of the bucket, which the next mo-
ment went humping away up the hole.
For ten minutes, I think, after it got
In 7 heard not sound, and I Guessed
thew were reading my message out of
the earth and getting over their aston
ishment. Then there was a sudden
fash of dazzling light around the hole
in the cave floor, and I knew instantly
that they were flashing the sunlight
down with a looking glass to get a
sight of me, so I ran over and tried to
look I'D but l could no more open my
ewes than could fly. But I knew they
saw nv face, because I heard a voice
shout "All right" with hollow ring.
and then it was still, and l ran away to
Sink Hole Dome as fast as I could,
shaking my fist at the bats as I went
through what we called the Church and
crying: "I'll get away from you now!
I thought they would never come at
, the dome, but at last 1 began to hear
sounds, and then a piece of tree
branch almost struck me as I paced
back and forth like a wild beast in a
{ cage Next I saw light. and soon the
r hole was open and a voice called:
"Are you down there?"
eyes" I joyfuly shouted back.
q "Shall we let down a rope for you?"
"No," I returned. London has got
G the Captain Come down with enough
q men to rescue him and catch the whole
= gang"
|. ! After a few minutes I heard voice
e call, '"Look out for me-Tm coming!
h and a man who proved to be one of th'
!. | well-drllers came dangling down a
| ot-r