Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-03-02

ing and halted us after a long walk,
letting our eyes free. We were in black
darkness. There were two guards be-
fore and two behind us bearing can
dies. They unshacked us, and opened
lattice door OF heavy iron, bidding us
enter. | knew then that we were go
ins 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 Cf straw Was this
to be the end Of our fighting and of
US?
You can have a candle a day." said
guard as he blew out the one he car
red, laying it, with a tindcr-box, on a
shelf in the wall of rock beside me.
Then they fled out, and the narrow
door shut with loud bang. We peered
through at the fading flicker of the
candles. They threw wavering, ghost
iy shadows on every wall of the dark
passage, and suddenly went ont of
sight. We both stood listening a mo-
ment
Curse the uck!" l whispered pres
emily
Jest es helpless es if we was huns
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: AN when ye dun
no whut t dew, don dew nuthin. Jest
stan still; thet's whut | b'!ieve 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 Friest!" said Dri. as lie
stopped the light with thumb and fin
ger. I'm goin' t set here II tn 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 cant never
dew no thinkin'. Bymby, likes es not,
| II have suthin t say ct II mount t.
suthin'."
We lay back on the straw in silence.
| did lot of thinking that brought me
little hope. Thoughts of Louison ana
Louise soon led me ont 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 if
| 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 S all right" said D'ri, dip
ping into it with a spoon
We ate with fine relish, the guard,
a sullen, silent man with a rough voice
that came out of a bristling mustach",
standing by the door.
LUX a-here," said D'ri to the guard
as we finished eating. Il want t asst you
a question. Ef you he'd purity COM
ftable hum on t other side. n tew
tfCusan' dollars n the bank, N hosses
n ev'rything fixed fer a good time. n
all Nv 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 eff 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 Dri, as he
lIDhtDI n II,
some, mebbe. Would MT wonder ef
he was good ct cipherin'.'
IF he offered to take two thousand
| don't see how We d give it to him."
said |. He would MT take our promise
for it,"
"Thet ain a-goin' t. bother us any"
said D'ri. He'd thet all fggered 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 backoned TO me.
Jest hol' yer ear there n listen"
he whispered
| gave him the candle, and with my
Of water below us. The sound went
away in the distance and then ont of
hearing. After a while it came again
What does it mean" | asl.ed.
"Cipherin leetie over thet air"
said he, as he made long scratch on
the floor with his flint Then he rubbed
his chin. looking down at it. Hahn
Jest osghacIy 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.
Not YOU" he growled, waving Dri
lWUa.