Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1906-07-09

left the barn door open. thsBe you'd
have been bare possibility that Atirer
would see it and take time % md out
what was up. But l hadn't nhDn that
precaution. Moreover. no pOad - foot
path ran anywhere near the baua, and
ordinarily nobody but Jim Zee aRd my
self ever approached the place.
AS lay there miserably tgaDned ia
the darkness, 4 ran over my chances
Of release from outside. seun see
none.
Mother would assume that had
gone to Jim Lees. The road she and
father took to the Ridgsfekl nAn no
where near the Lees, and sAo would
have no chance to learn any thing 10
the contrary. On the other hand il
had not been at all certain that could
accept Jim's invitation. and WfRn |
did not appear he would talse n that
had gone to Rdgefield with father and
mother.
Ephram, our hired man. was IN bed
with u broken leg. Martha Bodies. the
old woman who had been engaged to
look after him during my nlOtbeS's alb
sence, felt no interest in me, and would
give my chum no satisfaction II he
came to make enquiries.
This was Thursday. Hath4s and
mother would not get home until late
on Friday night. Even then. thinking
| was at Jim's they might wait 1oF me
to come home Of my own aeeOpd, I'M
til
How long would they van? How
would they know where N IoOk when
they began? And how long could live!
The smell Of the damp earth uni)er me
came freshly to my nostrils, and for a
moment l fancied that l m already
In my grave. shrieked with the hor-
ror OF the thought; and then suppose
l must have gone mad Tor whllR.
have hazy recOllectior-ss clear.
though, as 1 want 1t to be-Of twisting
every way. In sheer agony Of despera-
tion digging my toes In the ground to
propel myself forward. and seooping
out handholds by which 10 push my
self backward, | started 10 tunnel,
clawing up the ground furtously; but I
did it aimlessly, too, and threw The dirt
in any direction. Repeatedly thump.
ed my head against the noos. and new
err felt the pain OF 1t.
How long this lasted can't tsll. 1
know 1t left me bruised, bleeding and
exhausted. When l came 10 myself a
little my face was in the dirt but l
didn't seem to mind 1t at f1rst. After
while l understood that something
was botherng ME somehow. and I
moved a trifie.
While had been struggling. my
muscles were tense and MY nerves
strained like fiddle strings. Now was
relaxed and limp. / wasn't conscious
ly putting forth effort. couldn't. l
seemed just turning away from tho
thing that annoyed me. Just brushing
over a surface. SO to speak. rs very
sick man sometimes WILL 70 fet into
new position.
Now | felt easier. hut felt
strange. Things were diffeBent. What
vas the matter with my eyes? What
had happened to my back1 ssrt Of
sosged over the situation for a while.
and then made another littDe hitch. I
struck my head this time. but peDhaps
that helped to wake me w. I bffnked
and stared round.
Why, that light was at he place
where had entered! Ny back was
free! | could move!
l couldn't believe 1t. can't explain
to this day how my involuntary move
ments helped me to do what couldn't
do by straining and struggling. When
l had consciously tried to tupn IN my
tracks, had failed and failed and
failed. and found myself every time
more straihtly plnionsd. Possibly in
my frenzy l had ploughed w q path
and 1t was only now that had found
It, Possibly sheer terror had shrunk
me. ridiculous as 1t sounds. Anyway,
there was hope for mel had another
chance.
| was very cautious. and was very
weak. Inched my way. When
touched the boards overhead. I fairly
Rugged the ground. took long rests
between my little gains. And when,
after days. as 1t seemed to me, I came
to the spot where | had SO thOughtless-
ly gone In, | fairly groveled and hid
my face. The sense OF my sufJerings
came over me so strongly that 2 feared
to wake up and find myself back in
that hole, instead of facing the blessed
sunlight.
Well. that's all! That was the mar
rowest escape I've ever had h took
me year to regain my nerve and my
physical vlgor after that experience.
doubt IL mother ever got over H. The
first thing she did was to make father
tear down the horse barn; and (the
captain laughed. but there was love
behind the laughter) she never would
have another hen round the place.
Youths Companion.
The Sea otter.