Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-09-01

HEN l came 10 UySeh ~
n was dark. 1t must have
" been several minutes be-
fore I attempted to move.
and / gradually came back to fuller
consciousness of what had happened.
My eyes peered round curiously Into
the darkness in the vague hope Of dis
covering something that might help
me. but the shadows were impenetra-
BILE. What was 1t that had happened!
IT last put out my hand cautiously.
1t came in contact with something. 1t
was something rough and hard and
cool, aud instinctively l drew It back.
Again I put 1t out. and this time felt
for the place on which was lying. 1t
was soft and warm. like very fine dry
sand. I thought had been perfectly
silent. but 1 suppose must have made
some noise loud enough to be heard IN
the utter stiffness Of the place.
A low. cautious whisper reached me.
"IYheest. mon." 1t said in tone which
somehow brought everything back up
on NY mind with vividness Of light
n.ny blaze. "Ah wadna jist say 1t
was over canny tao max ony noise the
100"
is that you. Menzies" whispered
anXiously.
100. aye. sir; Am thlnkin' it's a.
that's left o. me onyway. An hos
yersel' after a said an dune"
felt myself over with my hands
before attempting to reply. hardly ex-
pec,.ng to find myself entire. though
felt no pain. The result OF my inVes'
tigation WAS encouraging.
81 seem to be all right. Menzies." |
whispered after q pause. "but where
are we? Surely we must be on shore"
"On shore. div ye say? There's nae
doobt O. that. for there ne'er was craft
WI sac uncanny smell O. damp earth
an rocks us this. But hoo we cain
here All dinna ken. for Am thinkin'
Ah n.lst hs' got bit ding on the heed
whan the deevils blew up. The Loro
be thankit fort"
1T might have been better for US
after all if we had gone W. with them
ourselves" | said dcsrondcntly. 1T
WAS II quick end. ut any rLte."
"Wheest. SIR" lie whispered impress
lively. while there's life hopes no
deed. Am thinkin'. ALI wudna Won
der but ye micht say yet wi aud King
nauvid. by the Lords help We hae
!ounlt over Il wall. an mair by token
lis feels unco like wall O some
sort"
Il wish we had some light. If 1t were
only to see what the place is like" l
whispered impaticnt!y.
"Weel. Am no sure but there's
Echt comm. Yell no forget tae max
a the use We can OF when it's here"
It was true. There MAS q faint red
,,ow that seemed to mix with the
darkness. though as yet 1t didn't en-
able us to see anythin-. | raised my
self a. my elbow and looked eagerly
around. Little by little it grew stronger
until ut last it came suddenly into
sight as II from an entrance Mt right
angles to the place In which we lay.
The light came from daring torch
made Of something that looked like
twisted cocoanut ibers. no doubt
soaked in grease. which blazcd up with
a wavrring flame that threw only an
uncertain light Oh everything but the
little party of some half dozen men
who accomranicd the man who carried
If. Seen by that red. smoky blaze
they were strange. brutal looking
party. Olive tinted. brown. black and
yellow. with shaggy hair and fierce
eyes. they seemed to be ut least half
intoxicated. and in their fantastic
clothing. made up Of bright colored
tunics. coals and vests. they looked
like n troupe OF crazy actors escaped
from Il pan.onime.
. had but just time to notice that
Mcnzies and seemed to have been
thrown down on Il bed Of soft sand
that formed the floor Of some sort OF
cave. one side Of which was formed OF
WHAT looked like vast blocks Of roughly
hewn rock laid one on the other with
out any mortar between. Menzies,
who wasn't dozen yards away. sat
I'D blinking with daZZled eyes at the
smoky rcd light near the middle OF the
cavern. while | was close to the WALL
which m,tst have been what touched
when first put out my hand. In an
other instant we were surrounded by
the party. amid perfect babel or ex-
clamntions in what sounded like half
a dozen 1anguas scs. and l found myself
roughly seized and dragged to my feet.
Resistance would Of course have been
.n.,dness, as they were not only three
or four to one. but were also armed
with large knives or daggers. which
they fourished before our eyes. 1t
was like some wild nightmare-the
cavern. with the huge cyclopean wall,
on which the smoky light glanced ana
sparkled. the wild. masQuerading fig
urcs. with their discordant speech ana
hoarse laughter; the strange stunned
sensation, in which were mingled a
confused recollection Of the past ana
a puzzled perception Of present danger.
Our guard or executloners-for my
first impression was that we were be.
ing dragged out to be killed-marclied
[ us Off in kind of rude procession. In
which the torcllbearer went first and
-NIenzies, held on each side by guard
and followed by a third. like myself
came last. After the first few yards
we turned sharply to the right. and In
another minute we were In the open
air. There was soft breeze that
blew refreshingly on my face. and
overhead thousand points Of light
sparkled in the dark sky, l could even
fancy TINT saw the dim outlines OF
long. dropping leaves. like the ghosts
of palm trees In the darkness. In
another minute we had reached the
entrance OF new passage. out OF
li'which there came Il confused noise OF
| Calf Jc0urs Cured