The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1907-05-04
slon,nr outward below. ana presenttax

climbing. The walls of the cave again
which it had ground its way in falling,
arched over and were even more i'm
practicable. The opening was, as /
reckoned, fifty feet over our heads.
IF that great heap of rubbish in the
next cave were only piled up here,
Psyche" said /, finding that l had laps
ed into silence.
She answered by rubbing her cheek
against my shoulder and murmuring
some unintcllgible sounds.
But it isn't, and we have to do with
out it somehow. We might drag it in lit
tie by little to be sure, but it would take
us months t. make pile that would reach
to that opening, and I'm afraid we have
not got months to live. If we dared to
pull down one of the timbers that shore
up the roof in the big cave, with view
to notching it for ladder, I'm not sure
that we could drag it in here; but | am
sure that We could never ser it up on
end. SO that's no good, is it? No, we
must either cut through the chalk or bur-
row under it. Now, supposing we tap it
all the way along, and see if any one
part sounds less solid than the other"
We went to the extreme end on one
side. and with the back of the hatchet
| knocked upon the face of the chalk
till we reached the other end 1t amused
Psyche, but il disheartened me, for |
could make out no difference in the sound
anywhere.
1T doesn't matter where we begin,
Psyche. We shall just make mark to
show some future discoverer where we
tried TO escape before we lay down to
die, and that's all
That's ALL" she said, catching the
words and echoing my mournful tone.
We'll, here goes for a beginning" said
I, Ia desperation; and disengaging her
hands from my own, | gave a cut at the
chalk with my AK. Chipping first of all
a square about two feet each way, which
| considered sufficiently large for us to
wriggle through if ever we got the chance,
l worked on steadily till l vas tired out.
Psyche stood by looking on in silence
while was engaged; but the moment I
laid down the AK she took il up and car
ried on tAe work nor would she give up
the ak uatil her strength would go no
further.
well done, Psyche, you are a brave
little helpmate," said | but when l took
the Ak from her hand l felt that she was
trembling with exhaustion, and her arms
and face were wet with pe-Spiration. |
wiped her face gently with my handker-
chief and made her sit down by my side,
with words Of sympathy and admiration
that sprang from my heart. AS for her,
| believe that this was the happicst hour
of her life, for she cooed with delight as
she nestled close to my side.
We had been working the best part of
an hour, I imagined and the sky over
head was getting dark, from which I con-
cuded it must be about seven o'clock, il
being now the end of March.
I'VE have done enough for to-day.
Psyche" said /, greatly elated by our
progress, "and yon have done admirably
quite as much as l have. l daresay
we've knocked tie hole six inches deep
between us. That's good. One thing
| perceive now that / might have fore
seen at first. We haven't got it large
enough by two-thirds. We may have
fifty feet of the stuff to work through
and we must, therefore, make the hole
big enough to stand upright and work in.
That's discouraging, but we won't think
of it, will we?"
She attempted to respond, but her voice
had lost lis clear sweetness, and vas
husky and thick. My own voice rasped
my throat but the knowledge that she
was already suffering from thirst was
harder 20 bear than my OWE craving and
the anticipation of what she must vet
suffer before the end came maG4ened me.
I'VE must have water" 1 cried in des-
peration. What can / do"
She nestled yet closer to my arm. as IL
to comfort me in my evident distress.
Suddenly | remembered the water at
the bottom of the well, and the bucket
and rope / had in the next cave sprans
to my feet, and raised my little comrade.
And then, striking a match hurried into
the greai cave and seized the bucket. The
match went out, but i lit another, feel
ing that we might be prodigal at such a
time. We went to the edge of the we'll.
and ] drew up a bucketful of water and
put it tn my lips; it was brackish. feti1
and un6SInkable. | struck my head with
a groan. md | would not let Psyche touch
it again, eager as she looked at the sight
of it. Then | bethought me that if we
had any kind of a filter it might be rem
dered street and wholesome.
Come along. little one,' | said, swell
see what we can do" and the light being
out L lot her to guide me back to the
cave.
But Cow, though it seemed to me no
darker saan it had been in the earlier
part of che day, there was difference,
and Psyche, who could not see in absolute
darkness had to feel her way back.
got out our precious candle and lit 1t.
and choosing a suitable lump of chalk,
| followed it out quickly with the AK.
Setting 1t firmly between three stones /
filed it with water from the bucket. and
SET that ninca of the crock In .-h;ok ...e