Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-08-21
r'WhlTE MARIE
l '1LMOST PERSUADED" Ere
eoe9Rlou1. 1897. " 1nl MIRIAM COMPANY.

+SOpfRi0pT. 1897. " THE MERRIAM COMPANY.
rock. He tried TO look down to see If
the barge had passed beneath him, but
the intense strain on his arm now drew
his head back, SO that he could not do
so. Once more he made an effort to re-
gain his position Oh the rock, but he
was not able to raise himself an inch.
He felt certain that the fall would
kill him, and he groaned in agony. His
fingers were benumbed and beginning
to slip. Then he fell. The air whizzed
i'll his ears He tried to keep his feet
downward, but it was no use. He was
whirled heels over head many times,
and his senses wero leaving him when
he was restored by "a plunge into tire
cold water
Down he sank. 1t seemed to him that
he never would lose his momentum and
that he would strangle before he could
rise to the surface. Finally, however,
he came up more dead than alive. He
had narrowly missed the f1atboat, for
he saw it receding from him only a
few yards away. On the shore stood
Branasko motioning to him, and slow
ly, for his strength was almost gone,
Johnston swan toward him.
The latter waded out into the shallow
water and drew him ashore
"You had a narrow escape" he said,
with a dry laugh. Il saw the boat come
from under the cliff just as you hung
down from the ledge. At first hoped
that you would get back on the rock,
but when I saw you try to do it and
fail thought that you were lost.
The American could not speak for ex-
haustion, but as he looked at the depart
ing craft with concern Branasko laugh
ed again: "Oh, you thought it had a
crew. So did at first. but it has no one
aboard. It is drawn by cable and
seems to be laden with coal"
Ibid they notice our fall up there?"
painted Johnston, nodding toward the
lights in the distance.
mo. they are farther away than I
thought"
well, what ought we to do?"
"Hide here among the rocks till our
clothing dries and then look about us.
We have nearly "a hours to wait for the
sun to return through the tunnel"
where is the tunnel?"
lover on the other side of that black
hill There; you can see the mouth Of
the tunnel through which the sun
comes."
I'VE need sleep," said the Alphian,
when their clothing was dry, land it
may be q long time before we get q
chance to get it.. Let us lie down In the
shadow Of that rock and rest.
Johnston consented, and, lying down
together. they soon dropped asleep.
They slept soundly.
Johnston was the first to awake. He
felt SO refreshed that he knew he must
have been unconscious several hours.
He touched Branasko, and the latter sat
up and rubbed his eyes and looked about
him bewildered.
II had a horrible dream" he said,
shuddering. II thought that we were
In the sun and over the capital city,
when it fell down. thought the fall
was awful, and that all Alpha was
af1ame. Then the fires went out. Every
thing was black, and the whole world
rang with cries of terrified people. Ughi
don't want to dream 50 again; I'd
rather not sleep at all But, hush. what
is that"
Far away, as if in the center Of the
earth, they heard q low monotonous
rumbling. They listened breathlessly.
Every moment the sound increased.
They could feel the ground trembling as
II shaken by an earthquake.
1T is the coming sum-" said Branas-
10. 1--WE must get nearer the tunnel
and see what can be done. It would be
useless to try to go back now"
Stealing along in the shadow Of ths
cliffs to keep from being seen by the
workmen ON the plateau above, they
climbed over a rocky incline and saw
In the side Of a towering cliff o great
black hole. It was the mouth Of the
tunnel Into it ran eight wide tracks of
railway and six mammoth cables, each
20 or 30 feet in diameter.
"The sun cannot be far away now, e"
remarked the Alphian.
Is it not lighted?''
II presume not I think it comes
through in darkness. The light is saved
for its passage over Alpha"
would it not be as safe for US to at
tempt to walk through the tunnel to the
palace of the king?"
Never. It would be over 80 miles in
utter darkness. There may be 1000
trestles and bridges over frightful
chasms. Foe the most part have heard
the tunnel is natural channel.or sue
cession Of caverns united by tunnels.
The other is the safer way, though il
certainly is risky enough"
Louder and nearer grew the rumbline
noise, and faint light began to shine
from the tunnel and flash ON the cliff
opposite.
1T is the suns headlight, explained
Branasko.
Johnston was thrilled to the center Of
his being as he saw the light playing
over the polished tracks and cables and
Illuminating the walls Of the great tun-
mel
Suddenly there was a deep, mellow
toned stroke Of bell in the sun, and az
the two men shrank Involuntary into
the deeper shade Of the cliff the great
globe, stupendous ball Of crystal 500
feet in height, slowly emerged from the
mouth Of the tunnel and came to q stop