The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-05-18


down stream and across it, bringing
up with crash against the opposite
bank, a short distance below the Sc
cret passage
"Hurray!" shouted Tempest. 'If we
can wind up forty feet of rope we can
bring it to the entrance
They entered the deck-house and
found that with only one mooring the
boat moved against the stream as
easily as across the current Ten min
utes OF hard work brought them to the
mouth Of the caverns.
Without hesitating, Medworth leaped
on and made his way to the hole.
"Dona Maria!" he shouted. "Jacin-
ia! Come! We have the boat and are
waiting for you"
The voice of Dona Maria answered
him, and soon the wife and daughter
OF Salvarez were at the entrance.
Can you get out?" asked Medworth,
extending his hand to assist them
with your assistance" replied
Dona Maria. as, half by her own exer-
tions and half by Medworth's help, she
scrambled out Of the hole. Jacinta fol-
lowed her.
To reach the boat. which could not
be brought nearer than twelve feet to
the mouth Of the passage they were
forced to founder through from one to
four feet of water, the depth increas-
ing as they drew nearer the boat, and
Medworth found himself unable to
keep both women on their feet.
Come and help me, Jack" he
called.
Tempest leaped from the boat and
splashed through the water to Ar
thurs side.
"Dona Maria, your hand" he yelled
The wife of Salverez put her hand in
his, and he led her to the boat, Arthur
following with Jacinta
Now up" said Tempest "a hand
here. Medworth."
Between them they assisted Dona
Maria aboard the flatboat and then
lifted Jacinta out of the water and
placed her by her mothers side
Just then terrific gust of wind
lashed the water into increased fury
the strain on the rope was doubled.
and 1t snapped. The boat was hurled
away down the Coroni, leaving Tenn
pest standing in the darkness, up to
his waist in the rushing waters.
CHAPTER Xxx.
Tempest's Flight.
Here's a pretty mess I'm In" said
Tempest, when he had realized the full
extent of the disaster that had come
upon him. "The water rising rapidly.
ground almost covered and the rain
coming down harder than ever, and
the f1atboat. our last and only hope,
gone and left me. What am to do, I'd
like to know"
He raised his voice to its full vol
ume and shouted Medworth's name,
but had he possessed twice the lung
power he could not have made himself
heard on the boat that was being rap
idly borne away in the darkness
He scrambled back to the highest
point of land along the river, the top
of the sloping side that led down to
the waters edge when the river was at
its proper level, and here, just above
the flood that was rising to meet him.
he stood a moment to collect his scat
tered senses. II he wished to live, it
was plain that he must think quickly
and to some purpose, and to act as
quickly. His first thought was to re-
turn to the secret passage 1t sudden
ly occurred to him that he had no
weapon. But in great emergencies,
when Tempest was obliged to think
quickly, he acquitted himself credit
ably. 1t was so in this instance. as it
had been in many others all over the
world.
First" he muttered to himself, 81
will make His Royal Nibs visit and
see IL I can borrow a gun. Then I'll
borrow a horse and get away to a
higher country. for, II l am not much
mistaken, this part will be entirely
under water in twenty hours more"
Upon reaching this conclusion he
did not hesitate, but plunged through
the increasing depth of water that was
pouring in through the entrance to
the caverns, and fOundered through
the swash toward the lantern that still
hung high up where the water would
not reach it for few hours at least.
He hurried up the stone steps to the
sliding panel.
Putting his ear to this, he heard
voices. At first they were low and in
distinct, and Tempest could not hear
the words But a heavy footstep
sounded, and then he heard the we'll
known voice of Gomez.
"By all the saints!" he exclaim I'd.
"This is wet kingdom of yours,
Philip
"Is the water still rising?" asked the
Spaniard.
YES" replied Gomez. Reports
have come in from the surrounding
country that are truly disturbing. The
Caribs at the head Of the Coroni are
moving up into the mountains. The
Ilanos between here and the Orinoco
are becoming completely submerged.