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

plished. what remained to be done
seemed mere child's play. | rose from
my recumbent position on the ledge
and began to ascend again. 1t was now
comparatively easy work. In places l
scrambled up without any trouble or
raised myself by the ivylike vines that
grew against the rocks. And then at
last / stood on the summit, where one
Of the most wonderful panoramas that
ever the eye of man looked upon was
stretched out before me.
| took the pocket handkerchief from
off my neck, and putting stone in it
sent it flying down in the direction of
the crevasse. 1t was to be a signal to
SNOWFALL that l had made the ascent
safely and the coast was clear.
The sun had come out strong and
the heat was oppressive. took a south
easterly course. 1t was comparatively
easy travelling, so that my progress was
considerable. Still, | noticed that the
sky looked threatening away to the
south and feared thunderstorm, as 1t
must necessarily mean delay. felt as
if n new lease of life had been granted
me My spirits rose, and | went al
most merrily along. | must have trav-
eled for at least a couple of hours when
suddenly there came II check. / had
come to a little ironstone ridge, and
ascending il to have look arolnd | saw
something that made me draw back in
terror and instinctively look for a hid
ing place.
1t was u little above where the river
entered into the amphitheaterlike val
ley, overlooking a narrow gorge, and
there all along the brink. were a great
number of savages There might have
been n hundred or more, and they ap-
peared as if waiting patiently for some
thing that was TO pass through 1t un-
derneath them. The situation flashed
upon me in second The squatter' :
party had been seen coming, and they
were lying in wait to effect n surprise.
But the savages had reckoned without
| their LIST
There was an ominous blacl1ness now
away TO the south and at intervals n
subdued rumbling in the air. The first
| of the great thunderstOrms had begun in
that part Of the country.
My pace was quictened till at last it
broke into run. | knew that the blacks
must have been told by some signal fire
that the squatter was coming. which
doubtless had caused them to take up
their present position.
1t was midday The heat was in
| tense, the air was sitting, but j hurried
on One of my boots had given way
| and | was vaguely conscious of the fact
that the foot was chafed and bleeding
| But still. after all, that was minor
| consideration. | was hungry and half
dead with anxiety and fatigue, but
human machine.
Away to the south the heavens had
become inky black. At last | stood on
the edge of a gully which led right
| down TO the valley through which flow
| ed the creek, and there / saw on the OPP
| posite bank sight that made my heart
throb wildly. 1t was that of several
| horsemen with mob of pack horses. !
shouted aloud in my joy, for it meant
deliverance TO those in the cave.
| There was an ominous murmur in
| tne ar, ana lnat grim, hlI oHNtloplhB'
inky cloud Travelled mp swiftly from
the south There was something sinister
and portentous, suggestion Of sup
pressed force and fury, in the way II
came rushing on that made one think
of some horrible nameless thing con
serving it's strength with evil intent.
Though all around was peaceful and
the sun shonc fercely down, yet from
that cloud there came n noise as of the
rushing of mighty wind. 1t was a
cyclone and thunderstorm in one, which
with appalling swiftness crashed and
plowed it's way through the forest,
catching up debris and dust, shooting
them high into tho heavens in tortured
spouts rending the limbs Of mighty
trees asunder and prostrating those
giants themselves with "A noise that
rivaled the pcals Of the thunderbolts.
That cloud was instinct with n wild,
unholy, lurid light It glowed with
blood red flashes of fire of every con
oeiyable shape and size from the long.