The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1900-10-23


gin TO fail. At last he turned and
swan into the darkness, toward the
running water.
After going few yards, lie again
let his feet down. but still failed TO
reach bottom, and had TO swim on.
The roaring grew louder rs he adj
vanccd in the cave, until IL sounded
like the noise of a great torrent. But
Lem was familiar enough with these
underground streams to know that this
was not large one. the sound being
confined and intensified 10y the cave.
When at last he came To where he
could wade. the light he had left be
hind was barely visible. like the faint
est truce of dawn. hut the water
was ncck-dccp here. and he kept on
moving. Ii was cold. too, as he was
now beginning to realize
The farther he waded the Shallowcr
grew the water, until. at last. il was
only about half knce-decp. 1t was
this shoal water. running over stones.
that was making the noise. There was
no light at all here. and hc stumbled
along feeling his way with his feet,
until he got out of the water Here
he stopped. on the gravel of the creek
bed, and stood thinking over his sit
uation.
II was now about one o'clock. His
wife would not miss him until after
dark, and would not become alarmed
for an hour or two later Probably
she would not start out To see what
hn l.,
When She got to the back field. she
would find the team and pillow. hut in
the darkness would hardly discover
the hole lie had fallen through I'M
less she stumbled into it herself If
She went To the nCighhors for assist
ancc. as She would probably do. they
would not Ice likely To 20 down into
the sink. and would not learn what
had become of him till after daylight
Then, 10y the time they got ropes and
drew him out. about twenty hours. if
not more, would have elapsed.
But twenty hours of waiting. or even
half that time. i'm this dismal dungeon
would he little less than horrible. Lem
shuddcred To think of it, And Mamie
would worry herself nearly To death
But there seemed nothing else To do.
and he felt for II stone and sat down
soon he found himself shivCring i'm
his wet clothes. and his teeth began
To chatter. The worst of it was his
clothes would never dry i'm this soggy
place, the air being already laden with
moisture After sitting on the StClc
few minutes he Sprang up.
Cant stand twenty hours of this
lie said aloud, his words cchong in
the cave. I've got To do somcthng"
lie knew of several good.sizcd
streams flowing oul of caves in the
nci@hbOrhood. There was one about
half mile away ana rs far as he
could remember the water seemed to
come from this direction. The more
hc thought of the matter the surcr he
felt that. If he followed this stream
down, lie would find an outlet. And
he ought to traverse the distance i'm
two or three hours or at the latest.
by night
But to gropc ones way through
black cavern. following an under
ground stream, would he both dsa-
grecablc and dangerous. and Lem hest
tatcd to attempt it. He sat down on
the stone again, undecided what TO
do.
by this time he was thoroughly
chilled. and a few minutes of idle wait
ing was all he could bear. He sprang
up again. resolved to make the at
tempt If he aid not find an outlet
Inc could at least keep himself warm
10y trying, ana could get back TO This
starting point long before assistance
came
lie CROPPED about for stick of some
kind. but there was none. So he start.
cd. feeling his way with his feet as
best he could The water had one
advantage; IL would guide him. ana if
he had TO return 10 it. IL would also
guide him back. lie wudod the shall
low. rocky stream slowly. ana with
the utmost caution.
After cropping along for consider.
nblC distance hc camc tu deeper water.
Higher and higher it rose until it. was
round his waist then mp 10 his arms
lie now stopped hcsit1uug. and hair.
inclined to turn back. Eut the thought
Of spcudingm hours n This wretch.
ed place was unbcarablc aud hc kept
ON.
The water did not got too deep for
wading and soon began to grow more
shallow Further on was -hoaI water
again. for Doc could hear 10 roaring.
lie passed through good deal of
hallow water. aud had come to deer.
"r part Of tine stream ~ was already
mp TO his knees and Dos was moving
more rapidly when Doc suddenly
stepped into deep water Under hc
plunged. head and all hul quickly
came mp. Hc tried to turn back. but
SWAIN again The wall of The cave.
lie kept swimming about until Doc bad
found thc ledge hc had stepped from
and climbed upon it,
Again mo- wac tempted to turn back
aud again the thought of those hour.
of waiting drove him forward As
hc might have to swim 70 good distance
hc pulled Off DIS boots. tied thc STRAPS
together with piece of leather string
thnt hc found boo his pocket. and hung
ihom around Dis neck Then hc let
himself down into thc deep water and
swan away.
Sow aud then Doc stopped lo feel for
bottom, but without finding H. The