The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1911-09-14

forth. Seeing a house in the distance,
he made for it and on reaching it
knocked at the door. A black eyed
Spanish girl opened it.
"Could you give me a bite?" asked
the soldier, lifting his hat politely.
The girl shook her head, indicating
that she did not understand English,
whereupon Sandy made pantomine
motions descriptive Of shoveling in
food. The girl led the way into the
dining room and placed on the table
the remains of last nights supper.
Sandy exercised great ingenuity in
pantomining his gratitude, then sat
down and fell to. Meanwhile the girl
left the room. After the soldier had
eaten his fill he stuffed his pockets for
his comrades, then arose from the ia
BILE and, taking his gun, was about to
depart when the girl came in, appar-
emily in great excitement, and, pam
tomining in her turn, gave him to I'M
derstand that the Spaniards were COM
ing. Opening a trapdoor, she pointed
to a staircase leading to the cellar.
Sandy descended, and the door was
closed. Then he heard the sound of
heavy furniture being moved on to the
trap, and it began to dawn upon him
that he was a prisoner.
Having got in, the first thing he did
was to look about him to discover
how he could get out There was but
one little square window, near the
ceiling, which was covered with an
iron grating; consequently Sandy was
as safe as rat in a trap. He had not
been there long before the girl, ac-
companied by Spanish officer, ap-
peared at the window. Sandy seized
his rifle, but the two speedily betOOk
themselves out Of range. He could
hear them chattering and made out
from one or two words he understood
that one Of them-the officer, he sup
posed-would go for a guard to remove
him. Then he heard footsteps in the
room above, after which all was quiet.
Sandy gave himself up as captured
for a time, then resumed his inter
rupted accommodating for means of
escape. A chimney was built from the
cellar, where it was Of stone, with no
opening, but the house was very old,
and the stones had been loosely put
together. Sandy tugged at one of
them and succeeded in removing it.
This loosened two Or three more, and
he put his head and shoulders through.
The chimney was large enough for
him to pass through it, and he deter
mined to climb up. Leaving his rifle,
relying solely on his revolver, he got
through the aperture and, using back
and knees, Skinned up to the floor
above, where he encountered broad,
fiat hearthstone. Sandy was pretty
strong and succeeded in lifting it a
few inches. Through the crack he
saw the Spanish officer sitting with
his arms and head on table, asleep.
Sandy's movements from this point
were conducted with the utmost care.
Bracing himself, he gave the stone an
other lift and drawing his revolver,
put it lengthwise between one end and
the floor This was a critical moment
If the officer awakened Sandy was
lost.
At this moment loose stone became
detached and dropped to the cellar,
making a great noise. The officer rails
ed his head, and great was his aston
ishment at seeing Sandy sitting in the
fireplace For q moment he seemed
paralyzed. Then, drawing pistol, he
was about to fire when his arm fell
limp and his pistol dropped on the
floor Sandy had winged him.
Hands up! Bout face! March!'
cried Sandy, but as the officer did not
understand English his captor was
obliged to resort to pantomime again,
which the officer, with a revolver
pointed at him, was not slow in under
standing. Sandy marched his captive
out Of the house and toward the Amer
lean lines. When he got within hail
ing distance Of the picket a bullet
sang by his ear from the rear, and,
turning, he saw dozen Spaniards, led
by the girl who had trapped him,
standing at rise In the ground, ges-
Hculating At the same moment the
picket advanced to Sandy's rescue.
Captain Murphy Of the picket post
had finished a two hours nap and
was rubbing his eyes when he heard
the firing. Starting up, he saw Sandy
Bancroft coming in with his prisoner.
"What were you doing outside the
line?" demanded the captain sternly.
Accommodating" said Sandy.
The officer thought Of his nap on
post and concluded to compromise for
silence with Sandy and the men who
were munching the food Sandy had
brought for them.
"You are brave man." he said 81
shall recommend you for promotion"