The Washington times., 1911-08-16
By CHARLES WILLING BEALE

I nous were the walls that we had not
| noticed 1t. Gwynne took up the lamp
| and shook 1.-THE oil was entirely con-
sumed. The dark tunnel through which
we had entered glowed dfmly for a GER
tain distance, and then disappeared in
| blackness.
1t would have been worse than folly
to attempt to grope our way out, as
the place was full Of pitfalls and honey
combed with innumerable passages.
Better die in the weird light that sur
rounded us than perish in some miser-
able hole, or be torn to pieces by the
cataract. Besides, there was a possi-
bll1ty of rescue If we remained where
we were, though, as Gwynne admitted,
after the scare of the Ya-tI ghost, it
was a slim one.
Naturally, our first thoughts were
ABOUT food and water. With the rush Of
the river SO near at hand. our thirst be-
gan to assert itself, and with the mem
ory that we had brought nothing to eat,
we were Immediately hungry.
overwhelmed by the situation, threw
myself upon the ground AS l did so
my foot struck something metallic. II
proved to be dinner pail brought
there by one OF the pundlts. and. on
STOPPING to examine 1t, found that
there were a dozen more. Besides this,
there were water cans and few SLABS
of barley-cake. 1t was a great find, but
after all, as l reflected, could only defer
'Gwynne looked at his watch and
wound It,
Twenty minutes after three" he said
II hardly expected to be here SO long.
He settled himself upon the ground
beside me. We each felt that We were
looking upon our tomb. There was
nothing to be said-nothing to be done.
From time to time we walked round our
prison.
Al o'clock we had breakfast. It
1t was because we felt 1t 10 be a duty.
not because we were hungry. We had
no desire to smoke. At one we ate
again, and for the same reason. Later,
We exercised a little, not because we
ton of health. At seven, we dined from
another of the dinner-cans, and at eight
we lay down to sleep. All this time
no word was spoken.
The next day we repeated the pro-
gram, careful as TO observation of the
hour, and exact in the division of the
food. At the end OF each meal we
drank a little water. The day follow
ing, and the day after that, the same
system was preserved. The mental
pressure was growing apace. Would
1t end in madness?
At the close of the fourth day,
Gwynne bounded to his feet.
There's chance! he cried. It's in
the radium!'
The sound of his voice startled me
III dH Instant was SIdnulhS DeSluo
him.
He kicked over some huge Tibetar
shovels that lay upon the ground, then
seized his pick.
Well take a shovelfuI each-there
may be light enough in it to show US
the way"
He was tearing at the wall like a
madman, and in an instant 1 was doing
likewise.
The shovels were loaded. the goat
skins secured about our bodies, and we
crept into the tunnel.
Strange that we had not thought of
it before; for although the illumination
was faint, 1t showed the WALL the floor,
and the ragged projections when held
against them.
On we crept, losing ourselves from
time to time, barely escaping the pit
fall of the Tsanpo, examining closely ,
and carefully each step before we took
1t, and only emerging from the cavern |
at the close of the fifth day.
1t was blessed sight. and a dazzling |
one when the fading light of day again !
confronted us.
A Continuation of This Story VIII
Re Found In TOmOrrOw'a