The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-23
The IIMEs-kIUHMOND VA SUNDAY JANUARY -.

ana they DOtn 1ell as near tOettnet ds
they had fired. The Captain dropped
back on the ground. while ran away to-
ward the pit where the rope was. Some
Of the men came behind with light
The rope was coiled on the brink. push
ed 1t over, but II was unfastened from the
point OF rock and the end snapped In
my face as IL all went down. The men
were too close for me to spring on the
ledge. There was nothing TO do but to
follow the rope. hoping for as good luck
as the two others had had at this pit;
so down l went.
II was. think. the rope that saved me.
II had been in a coil, and II struck In
heap. which is the way L struck 100
only was on top Of the rope; and the
first rope which had cut was there also.
as / learned later. Dauphin. II he toid
the truth had been bruised, stunned, ana
half killed By his fall down the same
place: and London certainly hurt ana
/ believe. broke his arm; but beyond De-
ing made dizzy and given strange ring
ing I'm the head. ! got OF free or narm.
though I was so shaken up and dazed az
first that knew not II / were unhurt or
had every bone in my body broken.
The men who were after me came 10 the
edge OF the pit and fired all the shots in
rather. which was what saved me. since
not one hit anything but the rocks. When
they stopped I got to my feet. drawing
myself up by the wall. and started along
the Gun Barrel. humping my head well
at the turn and staggering along l sus-
pect crooked enough. ! had no candle or
torch but plenty OF matches. so when L
got out into the first room ! struck one
and looked AT myself n little and tired 10
get together my wits by the help OF the
light The noise had brought down the
bats. and they were pitching ABOUT on
all sides. likes kites which had lost their
tails. I staggered on across the ROOM
lighting another match after a few steps
and so I went all the way to Fish camp
by matchlight. the bats taking 1t very III
from first TO last.
At Fish Camp 7 found some torch
sticks and lit one. and then built hre.
This was a little cheering and the warmth
did no harm. / knew 7 ought 10 be hun
CRY but the very thought OF food. and
especially Of fish. was unpleasant thirS
II had been sure that the outlaws could
not get down that I should have taken a
nap by the fire: but. though ! suspected
they had no more rope. | was not GER
tain of Il. and so knew II was not safe.
But I took a few minutes 10 think OF
how matters stood and I'm sure I never
had felt so frightened and utterly discour-
aged before.
The great thing which made It worse
for me than at any time before was that
7 was now alone. My bravery Is nothing
to brag Of but IL would take greater
coward than I 10 give up before any
thing when with the Captain. Then even
Dauphn had been some company; but to
be utterly alone with the bats was anoth-
or thing Besides what hope Is there2 |
thought Here 1 am down in that part OF
the cave that two. and for some time
three, Of US hunted over for days to find
an outlet. and found none: 50 what IS
there for me but 10 perish? This thought
more plainly than I can tell It. alone and
hundreds Of feet under ground Well, 1
| know oughtn't 10 have cried Ike very
girl: but anyhow l felt better after
wards.
Maybe. too. Il started an idea in my
/ head: at least something did about this
| time. IT seems odd that 7 don't know
when or how IL started. or what made
mo think OF II. but I don't Sometimes 1
| think / must have taken forty w"'ks.
| sitting there by the fire. and dreamed Il,
or perhaps my mind went wrong for a
/ minute and n came to me then. end that
| IS tho reason | can't remember how it
! was. Anyhow. 10 came gradually
/ knew this much; that the notion which
| had come creeping into my mind meant
! the last only hope of getting out OF that
/ cave, and though [ kept saying 10 myself
/ that ] was 20 be disappointed, / knew
! in another way that 1 was right, and
| knew IL as well then as 1 do now.
/ So 1 just covered up the fire with
| hands trembling and heart nuttering,
| took the torch-stcks ana started Of.
! / crept past the muzzle OF the Gun
/ Barrel with my torch out. but heard
nothing. Then lit 1t again and hurried
on At Rope Pit / found tho pole up:
, so / just stuck my torch in my collar and
climbed it. thus getting some good out
| OF the thing at last | 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 ! got through this and listened l
| was % little crest-falien AT not hearing
/ tho throbbing. for II was on this (as I'll
| warrant you have guessed that my
hopes rested. However, / went on, ant
soon 1 did hear IL. but IL was different
| from before. which pleased me. As
| went farther IL grew louder. but the
| walls did not so chrOb with II, though
| the echoes were lively enough. II sounded
| more open. and as If 1t was In the cave.
So when ! flashed my torch into the
| Bedroom. my ears stunned by the crash
there it was. just as the idea had come
| stealing into my mind at Fish Camp
the great iron-drill OF a well-borIng ma
chine beating up and down like a trip
hammer.
1t was not strange that I never thought
what It was till l went TO slep, or went
crazy or something, at the last moment
for / never had much brightness at
thinking Of things, as you have seen
but / have always thought IL rather odd
that the Captain did not study II out
though. TO be sure. the sound when he
heard Il. before it broke through tins
roof was more lire the throbbng %
the heart Of the world, as | may say
than like any noise made by machine
Of man.
When | saw Il and knew that my de-
lverance (as the word Isl was at hand
/ half tainted and lay down on the
ground weak as a cat and just watched
the big rod with the long shining link
OF the jars In the middle. which were e
Jerk IT loose IL it got stuck pounding
up and down with force enough TO knoci
a hole through an iron-clad
| When / had got "A little OF my sense.
| toeether 1 began to consider what wa
best 10 do. The hole where IL cam'
through the roof ten or twelve feet abOv'
was tho usual size. about six inche
across. though / noticed where the drill
was working in the floor 1t was smaller
by which | knew the men were goinl
to put down an iron pipe TO bridge IN