Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-04-06

opening in the floor. "He was making
for the window there; he ran upon the
weak spot over the old shaft; it
crushed under his weight and down he
went"
81 wonder we did not hear the sound
of the boards as they crashed" re-
marked Capt. Osred, upon whose face
was some pallor of horror.
Because they are SO rotten with
damp as to be as spoongy as mush-
rooms" replied Bashfort. "Shall we
try to rescue him, my lord9"
"Try to rescue him." repeated Lord
Genlis, in fierce scorn, and not at first
perceiving the irony of his henchman's
inquiry. "Let me make sure of his
death Since he has strength enough
to scream, he may have strength
enough to climb out. How deep is the
well?"
"That I know not, my lord. The
dampness and rottenness of the cen
ter Of the floor here led me yesterday
to suspect that there was pit of some
kind beneath it, for, as you may see,
there is no sign of leak in the cell
ing just over it. / raised plank and
detected that there was well shaft
below, and here you see the remains
of what was stand for bucket
windlass. Sosia must have tripped
over this plank and dived, as it were,
headlong through the rotten floor"
"Help! In the name of God and
pity. help! thousand pounds for
,rope!a rope!-anything to cling to! l
am drowning!" cried the voice of So.
STA far below.
81 used to say he was born to be
hanged or burned" said Bashfort.
grimly
81 would like to look down upon
him. said Lord Genlis. 'How may it
be contrived?"
Every easily, if the foul air below
will permit my torch to burn replied
Bashfort, as he produced a ball of
Irvine from one of his pockets. "And
as Sosia can yell SO Justify down there,
there must be some good air near
him.
Bashfort then tied his torch to the
twine, and lying PROSTATE, crawled
cautiously to the edge of the broken
boards, and then slowly lowered the
blazing torch into the shaft.
Lord Genlis and his SON initiated
Bashforts posture, and the three were
soon gazing downward.
The descending torch sank lower
and lower, somewhat obscuring the
visions of those above it by it's vol
umes of resinous smoke, which rolled
upward.
Still they were able to see some.
thing of the interior Of the shaft,
which for some distance down had
been walled around with upright
planks, now Shiny and decaying with
damp and mold. Far down the walls
OF the shaft were of stone, jaggedly
built in circular shaft.
''There he is! I see his eyes!" sud.
denly exclaimed Bashfort, and ceas.
ing to lower his torch.
"Where!" cried the Osreds, with one
voice.
There! See how they glare in the
torchlight!"
The eyes of Sosia were glaring up.
ward at the faces far above him, for
he was nearly hundred feet below
them.
"Why, the fall should have killed
him. said Lord Genlis.
Doubtless he has as many lives as
cat" said Capt. Osred.
"Aid me speedily, my lord!" cried
Sosia, from below, in piercing shrill-
ness and in piteous accents. 81 am in
water up to my neck"
"Ha! is it not deeper than up to
your neck. Sosia?" cried Lord Genlis,
in a voice of savage malice.
"Much deeper, good gentlemen; but
am standing upon stone which for
tunately juts from the wall a few feet
from the surface of the water" called
back Sosia, in shuddering tones. 81
am chilled to the marrow! I cannot
much longer keep my hold. Help in
stantly or I must drown!"
Ito Be continued.)