The Cook County herald., 1905-07-15

What is left will lower me to where
shall need no more rope to go down."
shouted Bashfort, whose gaze had
studied out the very course by which
Clarence had made the ascent to the
cave amid the mist and gloom of the
preceding morning. :-<
AYE, aye!" came the reply from Lord
Genlis Every well! Go down!-for
if it is her body that you see we must
try to recover it." commanded Lord
Genlis.
"Can we not recover it, asked Capt.
Osred, "by sailing or pulling boat
around to the front of the cliff" y
The boat we came in from Barna
nearly went to pieces before we were
able to make landing yesterday
morning. as you know" replied Lord
Genlis; $50 we cannot venture in that
at present. mean that Bashfort shall
repair that boat to-day, or go and hire
one at Kilronain. Let us see, first, if
her body is below, and if it is, Bash
fort will contrive a means to get it up
here-or bury it where It is, for that
matter" he added, gloomily.
81 wish We had never consulted Zeno
Sosia in the affair." said Capt. Osred,
even more gloomily. II wish, instead,
We had boldly abducted the girl and
forced marriage upon her in London,
as we first thought of doing
what use to wish now? The thing
is done. We consulted the sOrcerer,
and so put ourselves in his power, and
after that we had to accede to his
plans. Are you ready there below,
Bashfort?''
/ 'Ready and waiting, my lord! Pay
out slowly and cautiously for time"
shouted back Bashfort. see there is
another ledge few feet below, and
when I reach that I Judge I can de-
scend without the rope. Slack off!
Hold hard, my lord, for you shall have
my weight for time.'
Bashfort now faced the cliff, lying
across the ledge upon his breast, and
permitting his feet to dangle below,
after vain attempt to find footing.
Clarence beheld with shudder OF
alarm the feet, then the knees, then
the body and then the shoulders and
head of the daring ruffian appear be-
fore the mouth of the cave.
The moose was taut under >Bashfort's
armpits, though he grasped the rope
above his head with both hands to
lessen the grip Of the bite; and for
minute he swung in the air thus; but
he soon obtained hold with his heels
upon the lower lip of the cave, which
jutted a little farther outward than the
upper, which formed the ledge he had
just quitted-and in another minute
he stood erect in the mouth of the
cave, which was scarcely more lofty
than 20 permit him to stand erect
there.
"Slack off," he shouted, and as those
above paid out the rope he loosened
the moose and released himself from it.
He then drew in the rope as the others
lowered it, and placed a stone in the
moose, so that it should not swing out
beyond easy reach when he should
again need it.
my lord!" he shouted, and though
much of the sound of his voice was
lost within the cave, and went boom
ing into the narrow passage which he
had not yet suspected to exist, he was
heard from above.
"Aye, aye!" came the response from
Lord Genlis.
"No more need for the rope at pres
ent,' roared back Bashfort. MAKE
fast the slack to the rock as I did. I
can go on down without rope, and re-
turn the same way
AYE! Aye!" came the reply from
above, and Bashfort was just about to
renew his descent, without pausing or
thinking Of examining the cave, when
he heard these words, and recognized
the voice of the speaker:
"Clarence! dear Clarence! Oh,
where are you, dear Clarence? I can
not see my way. Help, dear Clar'
ence!"
ITO Be Continued.)