The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1907-05-18
CHAPTER X.-(Continued.


our hunger had spared, and struck a
match. Although the light was still try
Ing to Psyches eyes, she was greatly
interested in the means of producing 1t ;
and when l made her strike a match she
gave long -drawn exclamation of Won
der in seeing the light burst forth, and
continued to hold it at arms length I'M
til the flame approached Der fingers,
when she dropped it with a cry of ter
ror; for heat was as much new eXpe-
rience to her as light. But the crown
ing surprise came when l .lrew out my
watch, which had run down, wound 1t
ND, and set it to what l thought might
be the hour. She bent over it in mute
establishment, pointing to the second
hand as it travelled round, and repeating
softly the sound it made. l think she
looked upon it as a living thing, KIND
of cav" for she murmured that word
obviously among the strange muslcal
sounds she made when l ceased to talk
to her, and when l put 1t IN her mana
she smoothed it with her cheek, and would
nv no means allow it to lie on its face,
though the shining back drew forth coo
of admiration. | took it to her alcove
and nut 1t below the blanket that served
for her pillow, and she was content 10
lie down at once and keep 1t company
fancying, | imagine, that by my keeping
II in nv pocket it was a delicate sort OF
creature, that must be kept warm and
comfortable. | heard her singing to 1t
in a low tone for some time atterWard
as | sat in the dark bordering over the
strange things that had happened to me.
I was awoke in the morning by the
whistling of old Peter down the shaft.
"Send up the pitcher, you little var
mint" he called, as l took the things
from the basket, land the bucket like
wise IL you want any water!
THE bucket is down below, and the
pitchers broken" l answered.
He drew up the cord once more, and
slammed the cover down, without walt
ing to hear the song of thanks which
Psyche, who had qnuickly followed me,
offered. She put the watch with tender
est care into my hands. l left her to set
out our breakfast, which she instinctively
saw was her business rather than mine,
and went to have a peep at the blue sky.
I found the water high in the hollow, and
after refreshing dip peered down into
our pit to see if it was as We had left it.
I saw that the rise and fall Of the water
had caused a slip in the sand, and above
two feet of our work would have to be
done over again. This was no more than
I had expected but l saw that we must
devise some means of snoring up the
sides before we could make more progress.
Returning to the large cave, | babe
Psyche go and take her dip-an instruc-
ton which she readily understood and &C
cepted-while l sat down to col slider the
subject of snoring up the pit; but some
how / could hit on no device until
Psyche, having taken her bath, came
back and sat down by my side, and l
told her what was on my mind. in the
hope that some idea would come to me.
For I began to see that this method of
thinking aloud brought a clearer percep-
ton of things than silent meditation, be-
sides being agreeable to my companion.
"You see. Psyche" said I, breaking
the loaf in half and giving her one por-
ton. "we may have to go good way
further down yet, and all the time we
are working below the level of high
water we shall be subject 20 continual
washing down and washing in of sand
and rubbish. If it were shored, the
water coming in would be an advantage,
for lit would loosen the stuff, and we
could pull it up in the bucket that hangs
down the we'll. The only way l can
think of is to wall it round below the
:st~ - e IL
Job will be to bring them in from the
heap out there-and long job, too, car
rying them in one at time. II we only
had a barrel that he could fill and roll
along now Barrels there are enough
In French Peters cave--I saw some in
tact, as If they were still full of spirits.
And there's just about enough candles
to last us through. / wonder if we
might venture in there. It's worth try
ing-what do you think, my quiet, atten-
tive little friend?"
What she did think l cannot tell, but
taking her encouraging manner for APP
prevail Of my idea, l determined to make
the attempt. That morning We climbed
the great slope, and happily with such
unexpected escape from accident that I
have nothing to tell of our passing into
French Peters cave this second time
except that we found the slip had con-
siderably opened the gap at the top, and
that my descent to the bottom of the
Inner side was less igniminious and ter
rifying then before. l saw 10 material
change in this cave.
A couple of barrels sheltered by an
angle of rock had escaped destruction.
I knocked in the heads and found them
full of spirits, which l ruthlessly emp
tied away. The empty tuos we got Up
the slope, and rolled down into the inner
cave, having first filled them with old