New-York tribune., 1908-07-12

a hard dav's work Balser Iooked at his watch
and said it was five o clock
There's no treasure here he said regret
fully. but | am glad We came We have been
rewarded for our trouble By the slght OF TINS
wonderful cave
u believe We have examined every square
foot OF it. l answered There are no more
caves 70 be conquered. I think there Is not q
spot in all these rooms that We have not gone
over a dozen times. This Is not WyandOtte
cave: or he lied about the treasure. HE OLD
fellow was drunk when he told Us the story
II don't believe It Is his cave. SAID B4.Ser-
Vel find the right cave one OF these days
and we'll get the treasure. Tom Andy BIZ, lus'
as sure as my name Is BalSer-
80 Well said for perhaps the hundredtn
time Il hope vour right. but We have no
more business here. 50 let Us get out and 60
home
V/E took up our smoke trail, and had no
w difficulty IN finding our way back 70 the
entrance of what we had ChrIstened the mar
bic chamber lust as We stopped 70 pass under
the low arch OF the doorway, We heard back OF
us in the darkness a wh1rrlng nose not rnhke
that made by strong wind DloWlng through
a leafl,sS forest. The nose increased rapidly,
and was most unCanny III It's effect. II fright
ened US: but before We could learn the cause
We were struck from behind as II by a shower
OF small stones Our torches were dashed from
our hands and We were thrown to the ground
the noise continued for perhaps thirty seconds.
After II had ceased We lay on the ttOor OF
the cavern, and presently Balser said, Bats
saw them by thousands Cl1ngrng 70 the roots
and walls of the cave
He was right. Thousands OF bats con-
gregated in the cave during the daylight. and
flew out in great f1ockS when the evening aP-
preached. The explanation was simple enough,
but the result was far from simple tor BalSer
and me For the first time III my lie l realized
what total darkness meant.
We sat where we had fallen, and every few
minutes the whIrring noise would pass over Us.
1t seemed that we had suddenly dropped from
heaven into a terrible inferno After a short
time the noise ceased. and we knew that the
bats had all gone out for the night We sup
posed that it was dark outside We rose to
our feet. and began 70 grOpe around 70 tlnd II
possible, the paSsaGeway leading out Ot
course our smoke trail would be OF no heip 70 Us
IN the dark Life OF me- how black II was
We could not find the outgoing corridor
Several times We thought We had found It; but
we invariably came up against a stone wall
We had been IN great trouble at the lower end
OF the slippery chute. but now We're IN ut
ter despair. Our heads got many a hard bump.
and We learned the lesson TO make haste
slowly We kept a firm grasp on each others
hands, for should We become separated we
might not be able 70 get together again. The
reverberating echoes of our voices were mis-
leading. and we had little chance of finding
each other by calling out, should we once be
parted
Il gripped Balser's hand SO hard that he
cried out in pain, but YOU never saw tr"- boys
stick closer together than We did IN the black
heart of that awful rock. II We must die, We
should die together. and I tell you. It looked
very much as though that fate was n store
for
A FTER bruising ourselves IN every bone and
muscle. We concluded 70 give up the fruit
less search so We sat down or the floor to rest
and if possible. to compose ourselves. We had
been in the cave long while. and were very
tired.
80 How long do you suppose We have been
here since the torches went OUT asked Balser.
I'm blest If l know. | answered, but It
has surely been eight or ten hours Perhaps
It has been more.
We lay down and tried to sleep I remerl-