The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-12-23
CHAPTER XIX.
Continued.


the dull roar OF the water as il struck
tho bottom OF the canon some thou
sands Of feet below.
Braces voice was startlingly dis
finct when he spoke.
"You tell me the thing is on the other
side OF the ropes, my gel" he said.
She answered yes and we went slow
~ forward and downward along the
narrow and jagged ledge, our faces
toward the glittering quartz. seeking
intersuces and projections for hold to
our hands.
We were passing away from the fall
but at q certain point the natural phth
returned toward il in zigzag along q
lower projection. At the angle which
offered a little wider standing space
we stopped.
"Tbis here hole was fust showed me
by the Kids mother said Brace;
"lt had served her father for n cachette
in quite the early days Of this country's
glory"
"A cachette," he explained, 'is q
place where you keep things snug.
Almost every miner before the Vigil
ance Committee nomenated me judge,
had n cachette This was mine, and
many ounce I've brought down here;
fur you see, barrin' accidents, it's
won'erful safe. You Will allow that
10 one could find his way down here
I'm the dark" Il shuddercd at the
thought Of any one attempting such n
fearful venture). And from here right
mp 80 the hole is a fair straight line,
so that no light could come down with
out its bein' seen; but that amt the
only safeguard. as you shall see.
Come sir
We made our way foot by foot along
the narrow ledge for some distance,
still descending. when Brace again
halted the light OF his torch revealed
the yellow stream Ealing silently
through space, a few feet before him.
That silent fan impressed me with a
sense of the awful depth Of the gulf
beside us.
The ledge ended abruptly where
Brace stood; a recess In lne wall al
lowed ample standing room for us
three.
The greaser never got no furder
down than this but it weren't fur
enough for me" said Brace. Il had my
idea of gettin' right down 60 the bot
tom of this hole, where these waters
must have carried tons OF gold"
a But the ledge ends here"
at do; but" ne added, lifting his
torch, 1T goes on again over there"
The light fell on the jutting projec
ton Of quartz upon the opposite side
OF the chasm, distant at least twenty
feet
But you cannot leap that
Correct, and amt going to try
He laid upon his face, and stretched
mis- arm down the chasm; when he rose
he had n cord in his hand Pulling
this in, he drew up two coils of stout
rope.
AS he drew them in saw that their
other ends were attached 10 rocks upon
the opposite ledge, one above the 9th
er. with about -four feet between.
1--WE must hitch 'em tight-give rs
hand, sir he said.
l helped him 20 make the ropes taut
and fasten their loose ends upon the
projecting crags that he had long en-
ployed for that purpose.
There sir" he said, taking his
torch from Lola and holding il over the
black gulf, there's as pretty a bridge
and handrail rs the heart of man could
reasonably desire
For all that, ] held my breath as !
saw him step out on the lower rope and
make his way, holding by the upper
ope, across the black abyss. My turn
came, and with the blood hummng in
my ears, ] stepped out upon the rope.
IT swung 10 aud fro in the middle. and
i was seized with that irresistible suc-
gestion of self-destruction which af-
fects the imagination Of most people
in looking down from an extraordinary
height
Lola began TO cross before was well
off, and when we stood all three in
safety on the ledge a fervent Thank
SOD! rose from my heart.
"Wal, we've got to git back agin,
observed Brace. as if my thankful
ness were little premature; "hows.
ever, 'taint bad TO think OF Providence
when you're in danger; now, my gel
its for you 10 lead on"
you can stay mere; you're too heavy
for where I'm going" said she. taking
the torch from his hand.
With a swiftneSs that terrified me
she went down the side of the prcci
pice, finding foothold where we. look
ing down from the projection. could
ser none.
They don't know danger-kid,
don't" said Brace in low tone
End" he added, looking into ia,
depths about him uneasily, II wouldu'
mind feeling the same myself. FRS
time ever crlt skeery down this hole
and I'm blamed If il sha'n't he the last
I'm gettin' too old to enj'y risky work
/ could not take my eyes from tn,
light below. as il passed I'm jerks from
point TO point. At last il stopped. and
after n minutes pause. TO my grea
relief. II began to return.
Quicker and quicker the light dance,
along until ] felt sick and giddy wit
fear for the girls safety; and ther
with one last bound. she stood upo
our shelf Of rock holding the Grea
Hesper in her hand.
Am | goodT" she asked, earnestly
nesting mp 10 my side