Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-11-16
CHAPTER XVII

THIS Is A TERRIBLE TEN MINUTES.
Midnight in the cave and two weary
men peering over the barricade into the
gloom, so as to guard against surprise.
Twenty-four hours ago DAILY kept watch
with me, sitting where SNOWFALL to-
night strove with slesb; now his body
was lying within few yards Of me I'M
der the yellow sand. Still he was richer
in knowledge than all the centuries had
made any living philosopher, for he
knew what lay beyond life's bourn-
What was to become Of me before "a
hours? ! would either, like DAILY, have
solved the great mystery, or l might be
and it was my cherished hope-on my
way to bring help and deliverance to
the little camp.
1t is indeed a merciful Providence
that denies a man prescience In regard
to his future.
Jack and Gordon slept in the cave.
had begged them to let me watch alone
with one of the boys, and they had
granted my request. My idea was to
have a good square think. 1t might
be my last night on earth, and wanted
to make the most Of my time.
Half past II, and the base of the
Southern Cross had described a half
circle.
''It must be oclock, Dick. Why on
earth didn't you call rs at the right
timer 1t was Jack who spoke.
"Well, | didn't feel like sleeping and
Thought that / might just as well
watch Il little longer. Snowball's sound
asleep there ! saw him nodding and
toll. him he might drop off. Isay, Jack,
do you see that sheet lightning away TO
the s3ltny It's been pretty bad these
last fov- nirhts We may expect live
" thuudcvst torn at any time. Good
night, old mani And | left the terrace.
Sleep, ike the angel of death. was
asserting It's sway over the suffering
mor5als in the cave and bringing Il
brief respite Of relief TO the suffering
and weary ut heart. The l5tle fire flick
cred spasmodically, casting GRIM. mis-
shapen. furtive shadows upon the roof
and sides Of the cavern. The wounded
man stirred and muttered uneasily in
his sleep | entered noiselessly, lay
down near the fire and slept
| sprang to my feet to see a woman
putting a fresh log on the fire ana the
yellow dawn light struggling into the
cave. | could hear an organ magpie
outside among the leaves piping his
beautiful song And now | saw it was
Norah Mackenzie who was attending TO
the fire.
"Good morning | hope you've slept
well?' she inquired of me cheerily.
| looked at her face. 1t seemed to
have grown thinner and paler within
the last "A hours, and it was no won
der | could see she had not slept. and
remarked as much.
| had looked at her eyes secretly for
the last time. but could net trust myself
TO speak, being afraid that they might
guess my purpose and prevent me car
rying it out. / wanted all my nerve |
penciled note and gave it to Snow
ball, having taken that child of the
forest into my confidence, and told him
that half an hour or so after my depar-
ture he must give that note to Jack. 1t
was "A very brief one, merely saying
that | had gone for help. In case OF my
not returning within "a hours they
| would understand something had hap
| pened.
| Jack and Savile were still watching
| at the breastwork, and the others were
| in the cave, seemingly asleep. stepped
| into the crevasse, and SNOWFALL fol
] lowed It was neck or nothing now.
7 grrrh fhin.r ag Hr1 wi NJ,
! back. | took off my boots, tied them
round my neck and tightened my belt
| round my waist | looked up at the
! little strip of blue sky which showed
| between the great rugged walls of rock.
! They must have been at least 200 feet
! in height. and / confess for minute
| experiencing something akin to terror,
| thinking of what the slightest mistake
! would mean in my ascent. 1t would
mean n quick, but horrible death. l ex-
| perienced an almost ovcrmastering de
sire to look once more upon the woman
who had been the cause of my staying
in this gulf country and who was now
| lost to me forever. but the knowledge
that il would only serve to unman me
overcame the wish Then, selecting
What seemed suitable place to begin
the ascent inwardly breathed Il short
prayer
''Baal you 60 Mista Parker, plead
Cd poor Snowfall. "You tumble dowI
sure. Black fellow no can climb um
that oneP
But had braced my hands behind
me on the rocks, and with my feet
planted against the opposite wall was
already ascending the crevasse. For 30
or 40 feet | raised myself in this fashion,
and then came TO little ledge. Snow
ball was lost sight of now, and the real
dangers of the ascent had begun.
crawled up and along the narrow ledge,
on which there was no room for turning,
until it stopped abruptly, and the walls
of tho crevasse came together agaN
stood up on the ledge, leaned over until
my hands rested against the opposite
wall, rested foot on either wall, and
drew my body up. In another Instant
was stretched in midair above a .horri-
bic y4wning abyss. just for second OF
two She strip Of yellow sand far be
meath cleaned and quivered, and the
noise of the falling water inspired ms
with "A sudden terror. Luckily, my boy
ish proclivitics-how they stood mo IL
stead now-had given me n fairly
good sailor head, so that the momen
tary experience of dizziness soon passed
looked upward, and raised myself incl
by inch and foot by foot. Were these
rocks going to rise up on either side OF
me for ever and ever2 My arms were
beginning to ache by reason Of the con
tinuous strain upon them. If some sor'
Of resting place did not soon present it
self, it could not be possible for human
endurance TO hold out much longer
Then, horror of horrors, the walls d
rock began to bear away from one an
other, and tho strain upon me was mor'
than mortal man could endure. 1t wa
just toss mp with me then mus
screw my courage up to making some
supreme effort or else drop to swift de
etruction, for realized the impossible
ity Of descending again-it would TAX
more muscular effort to stay myself de
scending than it had done to raise m
| 4 al I utterly