The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-10-19

flight of stone steps, They led us on
through dark passages. over stone paw
ing, and halted us, after long walk,
letting our eyes free. We were il black
darkness. There we're two guards be-
fore and two behind us bearing can
dies. They unshackled us, and opened
a lattice door of heavy iron, bidding us
enter | knew then that we were go
ing into a dungeon, deep under the
walls Of a British fort somewhere on
the frontier. A thought stung me as
D'ri and | entered this black hole and
sat upon a heap OF straw. Was this
TO be the end of our fighting and of
us?
you can have a candle a day" said q
guard as he blew out the one he car
ried. laying IL. with a tinder-box, on a
shelf in the wall OF rock beside me.
Then they filed out, and the narrow
door shut with loud bang. We peered
through at the fading flicker of the
candles. They threw wavering. ghost
ly shadows on every wall of the dark
passage, and suddenly went out OF
sight We both stood listening a mo-
ment.
Curse the luck!" l whispered pres
emily.
Jest es helpless es II we was hung
up by the heels" said D'ri. cropping mis-
way TO the straw pile Ain no use
gittin' wrathy."
What II we do?" whispered.
Dunno" said he: IAN when ye dun
no whit { dew, don dew nuthin Jest
stan still; thets whut blieve in"
He lighted the candle and went
about, pouring its glow upon every wall
and into every crack and corner Of our
celia small chamber set firm In ma
sonry. with a ceiling so far above our
heads we could see it but dimly, the
candle lifted arm's-length.
Judas Priestl" said D'ri, as he
stopped the light with thumb and fin
ger. I'm goin' { set here n IN straw
LUX an oil hen n lie up m thinker n
set 'er goin'. One o them kind hes
t keep is mouth shet er he can't never
dew no thinkin'. Bymby, likes es not,
II have suthin' { say ct II mount Z
suthin'."
We lay back on the straw In silence.
did a lot of thinking that brought me
little hope. Thoughts of Louison and
Louise soon led me out OF prison. After
a little time went philandering in the
groves of the baroness with the two in
comparable young ladies. / would will
lingly have stood for another bullet II
could have had another month OF
their company. The next thought of
my troubles came with the opening OF
the iron door. had been sound asleep.
A guard came in with water and a pot
of stewed beef and potatoes.
tibet air 3 all right" said D'ri, dip
ping into II with a spoon.
We ate with a fine relish. the guard,
a sullen. silent man with a rough voice
that came out of a bristling mustache,
standing by the door.
LUX a-here," said D'ri to the guard
as we finished eating, Il want { asst you
question. Ef you he'd a purity COM
ftable hum on Z other side, n tew
thcusan' dollars n the bank, n bosses
n ev'rything fixed fer a good time, m
all NV a sudden ye found yerself n
sech a gol-dum dungeon es this here,
what 'u'd you dew?"
The guard was fixing the wick OF
his candle and made no answer.
Want ye t think It all over" said
D'ri. See ef ye can't think o. suthin'
soothin' t say. God knows We need
it."
The guard went away without an
swering.
Got him thinkin'," said D'ri, as he
lighted the candle. He can help us
some, mebbe. Would MT wonder ef
he was good ct ciphtrin'"
IF he offered to take two thousand,
don't see how We d give II 20 him."
said l. He would Mt take our promise
for it."
Tibet ain s-goin' { bother US any,"
said D'ri. He'd tibet all figgered out
long ago."
He gave me the candle and lay down.
holding his ear close TO the stone floor
and listening. Three times he shifted
his ear from one point to another.
Then he beckoned to me.
Jest hof yer ear there n listen,"
he whispered.
gave him the candle. and with my
ear to the floor I could hear the flow
OF water below us. The sound went
away in the distance and then out of
hearing. After a while It came again.
What does II mean?" / asked.
"Cipherin a leetle over tibet air"
said he. as he made a long scratch on
the floor with his flint. Then he rubbed |
his chin. looking down at It. Hahn
jest eggzac'ly med up my mind yit."
he added.
We blew out the light and lay back.
whispering. Then presently we heard
the coming Of footsteps. Two men
came to the door with a candle. one
being the guard we knew.
Come. young fellow" said the lat
ter, as he unlocked the door and beck
oned to me; they want you upstairs"
We both got to our feet
mot you" he growled, waving D'ri