Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-08-04

ously with his feet upon the floor
which instantly moved as if it were on
rollers, and as it withdrew from the cor
ner in which Kent stood, a smooth |
rock showed itself about a foot be-
meath. He jumped down upon the |.
rock and with his foot gave the flooring |
push and it receded about three feet, !
exposing descent to which had been
fitted a rude wooden rail and steps.
Laport stepped to the edge of the
floor and locked over. He saw part of
a rough shaft which was apparently
ten or twelve feet in diameter, that
sank away obliquely in a westerly di
rection and was very dark and repel-
liant.
Come, f" said Kent, 81 win show you
my possessions. You had better let
me take your hand. | am familiar
with the steps"
Thus assisting and guiding Laport,
,hey descended carefully the rude but
solid stairway which for some distance
was very steep. At the end OF twenty
feet they came to rock landing and
a new opening leading downward more
gradually at right angles to the main
shaft Laport saw that the entire pas
sage was a natural rift or chasm. He
turned at the landing and looked back
at the stairway dimly seen in the dark
ness stretching up above them.
81 know what you are thinking of,
said Kent, 1T is that by the destrue-
tion of the steps one is caught like
rat in a trap. But you forget that
there are other exits and, besides, l
have bored into the stratum above
with an artesian drill and know where
it is thinnest. Let us go down"
light shone in the distance, and its
reflection enabled Laport to descend
without further difficulty. In places the
natural slant of the rock needed no
steps. At others Kent warned him of
a sudden rise or fall in the path. AS
near as Laport could judge the second
passage was fifty feet long and only at
a few points wide enough to pass two
men abreast. On reaching the bottom
of the dcclivity, he found himself in
an enormous stone room or arena, that
was lit in part by'two or three power
full lamps and reAectors. AS accurately
as he could determine with his eye,
the roof rock was eighty or hundred
feet high where it was lit by the
reflected lights, beyond which was a
pitchy gloom. The walls of this
rotunda were uneven and slanted
away at different angles, that portion
through whose fssure they had come
being the nearest to perpendic-
ular. "The dimension of this
room" said Kent, in an explana-
tory way, lis about half an acre. 1t
leads by sort of corridor, fifty feet
wide and two hundred feet long, to q
much larger opening. This at present
is my workshop"
As his eyes became familiar with the
light, Laport saw figures moving
about, and he thought he heard the
sound of hammers ''There are six
workmen," said Kent. They have
been fitting up the place for offices and
headquarters. Let me show you your
rooms"
They crossed the area, their figures
making shifting and fantastic shad-
ows, and came to rude wooden struc-
ture built against the side of the rock.
Externally it presented the appear
ance of a mere shanty, but when Kent
opened the door, he found it comfort
ably carpeted and furnished and lit by
a large lamp A table stood in the
center upon which were heaped papers
and writing material. A bookcase
filled with books, a handsome filter
and water-cooler and a little buffet
with decanters and glasses gave the
place an air of luxury. The wooden
walls had been tastefully papered and
several pictures hung upon them.
Kent waited to see the effect upon
his visitor and then said: "A fairly
comfortable retreat, professor, and
think you will now agree with me that
it is a safe one. Here is a speaking
tube and signal bell communicating
with the house above. Here is a sleep
ing room, he added, as he threw OpeT
side door and disclosed a narrow
apartment with comfortable bed anC
all the necessary chamber appurten
ances you can work out your de
signs here without fear of interrup
tion and be entirely safe from the vari
ations of the season, as this thermom
eter win show you. But of course I de
not expect you to spend all your tim'
out of the sunlight. should advise yOI
not 70 o-ive moro than half vour dav "a
this part of the establishment unles.
there is danger of discovery You arr
free to 60 and come at your inclina
ton"
Laport sat down in a comfortabl,
chair. ''I should like to ask you a few
practical questions" he said, but tn,
fact is uhe whole disclosure is so mucl
/ like one of the stories Of the Arabian
Nights that anything practical seem
out Of place"
well. pray dismiss all notions o
magic and illusion, replied Kent will
q smile. "The cave is the only thin!
that approaches the miraculous-al
the rest is plain sailing hard work wit
, the assistance Of science. It remain
for YOU to say, after you have made
! thorough examination of the place,
= Gun be made tcnantable for year.
, 81 should say at once, said Laport
"that II You have the means at CON
nand-that il can. know nothint
/ about the ventilation or salubrity Of Il
+ and the work Is 81 Q gigantic that a
p first sight should say IL would reQuir