The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-02

ing me waist buckle, and now as he drew
near. running as lightly as Satin hisself. h
whipped u his gun from his hip and sem
a shot over the f~ugitive's head. but moi
80 far over that he would not hear its
omnibus song; while as a fitting accom-
paniment he let out a blood curdling yell
vital with the imperoashuns of livery known
and unknown tongue, as II the Tower Of
Babble had just fell,
At this suddint since of his peril. Wei
lost his head. For a moment he ciroled
about like a Gagged rat; thin of he dashed
his boldly bint for'ard, parallel to the
ground. his kronk webbing low. in q bee
line for the fiimsily enclosed quicksand
now not far distant. and with the avingel
Of blood clus to his heels.
I screamed, / did, but the wind TUX uI
the sound and reechoed it mookinely
Whiniver we're blind rage and binder
terror stayed by a warning sign2 Crssh
whit Web t'roo the rickety fince to sink
with a shrek in the %infunnel brot'; and
bang. large follered In his idintical slips,
into the idintical hole. eager for anudder
engulfmint. o
Win. a sicond later, l hung breat'less
and shaking over the shattered rail. there
was not human sight nor sound. save as a
few black bubbles rose and broke. and
we're not.
ooh. Gintleman George Ringeold,' I
now is Mud?'
Ever as I spoke. as if in answer to my
prayer, something huge and hidjus popped
up suddintly from tho very cintre, like a
stick that had been thrust deep down
into the mire. In an instinct I had necked
and dTafEed what vas left Of large out
IN the solid strand, frantically striving
to separate the sane from the clay.
Talk about ~excavashuns! FOREVER arter
/ ought to be a boss ditoher and oliver
in good and regular standing. Furusly
/ scratched. dug and wiped at the muck
OF ages over poor Jarge's eyes and mout'
until finally. a blissed finally. light and
life KEN creeping back to thin.
v. He e A%sSs Up x. b Gpits Sgo to s the se GuISi1
where the timid stars glimmered pity
ingly, and his finger tips KEN togedder
in childhood's forgotten pose. i erased
mesilf.
is it sou he murmured. 1have / anud-
der chanel? Am L still alive? Thin.
Smithers. l am a changed man."
You certainly look like wan I an
swered orsteerly.
Prisintly he shudderingly explained.
As l wint sliding down into that awful
pit" he said. my feet struck and stuck
on something that poor wretch's shout
ders. Smithers. Win he bumped hard
on tho bid rock. it seemed miles below.
the shock OF it stint me flying up again.
but he stayed, oh. heavings, he stayed!'
Here large beduzzled as il his heart
would break il it were unly there.
By the time he was on his feet. weak
and spint from these highstricks. some
Of the merry villa gers gaddered about
agape at 8 marvellous an adventure.
From thin we learned that Web had
struck Miss Throop a glancing blow with
his pondyard. which had stunned but
not serusly harmed her.
She is waiting and Watching for thee
with the tin t'ousand plunks in her
clothes, I whispered timpting.
But his terrible experience. like my
disprit efforts. had taken all the sand
out Of large.
Nope. nope" he persisted. Il am
escaped with the skin Of me teet'"-which
! doubted on account Of the grit. 'Hince-
for'ard the straight and narrer.'
Indeed 1t was not until we were
back again in our ubban -four be nine,
with the pipes bubbling saft and the dreen
passing free, that large began to con-
slider wanst more the ways that are dark
and the means that are vain Of our COM
mon livelihood.