The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-04-13


4 packs and toOls?'
"Are right where we left them-ir
the saltpeter mine"
There is point in peril beyond which
commonplace cowardice will not 60. Al
the words which seemed to sound the
knell Of all hope l laughed.
Il don't see the joke" said Har
greaves, and the darkness seemed tc
mufae his voice.
"Don't you? Consider It for a mo
ment. Six hours ago we were two un
interesting units In a world where
there is nothing unique, where every,
thing is trite and hackneyed, and
now
"And now we are buried alive. It's
delightfully."- unhackneyed, but not al.
together joyous. How many matches
have your
counted. "A dozen or more"
"Good. / have just three. You've
studied human nature good bit Why
is 1t that man always neglects to
carry plenty of matches on trip like
this? Light one of your dozen and let's
see If this rope will burn"
I tried and failed. The matches
they were the explosive kind, war
ranted to stand in any climate -splut-
tered and gave forth an evil smell,
Hargreaves groaned.
| They're wet. Let me try one of
mine."
| acquiesced, glad enough to shift
the momentous responsibility. He had
better luck, and presently the frayed
ropes end was ablaze We examined
it curiously by the light Of its own
burning. 1t was of some coarse fiber
like jute, plated and saturated with
q bltuminous substance which burned
like pitch.
Ever see anything like itY queried
Hargreaves.
| mo"
took an eye sweep Of our new en-
compassments. We were in a lofty
gallery which intersected the black
crevice of the slide at right angles.
The crevice was roofiess, SO far as
we could see. held the torch while
Hargreayes tried dash up the incline.
The vigor of it carried him up a few
feet, and then he mired and came
down in small avalanche of loose
shale.
If that's our only way out, we're
done for,' he declared, and a mocking
echo flung back the words "done for
in way TO make ones blood CONCEAL.
L 6TVhaf novt ov I o,,nc4;or,oA
''There's nothing for it but to go on
while we're measurably fresh and not
hungry. Wen take the rope along for
| Torches
We coiled what we could secure Of
the pitchy cord-the end Of it disap-
peared in pit near the foot of the
slide and was made fast out of reach
and set out along the great gallery.
For an hour or more we kept the pace
through echoing vaults comparable to
the naves of mighty cathedrals and
through others which answered to the
crypts thereof. Perils there were none,
but the corridor ended apparently in a
low browed arch through which tric-
kled small stream. Hargreaves knelt
and thrust the torch into the opening.
Its bigger beyond. We can creep
through" he announced, and then,
with sudden exclamation: Keep out
Of the water! It's hot"
At the farther end of the short tun-
mel we came out in a vast chamber,
with a reek of steam in it, and found
ourselves wading waist deep in vegeta-
tion the like of which no herbalist has
yet classified. There were gigantic
tree ferns, beds of enormous fungi and
a dense jungle of plants, some Of
which, but for their size, might have
figured as sweet potatoes-but for size
and color, should say, for every spray
and leaf and stem in this subterranean
herbarium was the color of blahched
celery stalk.
Hargreaves stood speechless, with
the torch held high.
by Joye," he calculated, s'the ante
diluvian condition brought down to the
nineteenth century! Don't you see?
The hot spring makes the nimbus of
vapor and steadies the temperature, the
stream irrigates the place, and this
rich nitrous earth forms the soil.
Shades of the argonauts, what dis
covery-if fellow could only get back
to earth with it!'
"Yes," said I, "'if' What are these?
They look like sweet potatoes"
'They are. See herer' He stopped
to examine tuber the size of an os-
trich's egg and in the act picked up
nuapr sh0nad imnlamnnf liiyo N chor%
handled spear, with fat head of abb
normal proportions.
isis 1t a spear?" I said 1t with an
Involuntary glance over my shoulder.
Hargreaves shook my head mo;
it's an implement, shovel or spade"
Then with sudden emphasis: Say,
your theory about the rope is wrong.
This place is inhabitedv'
Was you mean"
mo; Is This spade has been used
recently. This big hotbed is no freak
Of nature 1t is man made, an under
ground farm"
Good heavens, and we haven't SO
much as policeman's billy between
us! Let's get out of here!''
Hargreaves grinned. $50 say I.
I'm with you if we can find the way.
Come on and bring the spade. 1t won't
be such bad weapon at pinch"
Since our only hope lay in regaining
the higher levels Of the great cavern,
we chose corridor which led upward.
The new route proved most difficult.
Without the torch we should have been
d0ehQd fo dQafh IN tho first l,,,r1ro5