The Springfield herald., 1912-11-29

movement might precipitate upon me
a mass OF loosened earth. 1t was a
horrid thought. the death OF n burrow-
ing rat: and | dare not let my mind
dwell upon the dread possibility. Slow
ly. barely advancing an inch at time.
began the venture. my hands blindly
cropping for the passage. the cold per-
spiration bathing my body. The far
ther penetrated amid the debris. the
greater became the terror dominating
me. yet TO draw back was next to i'm
possible. The opening grew more con-
tracted: l could scarcely force myself
forward. digging fingers and toes into
the hard earth floor the obstructing
timber scraping my body. 1t was an
awful. heartrendirg struggle. stretched
the loose earth showering me w'th
each movement. There was more than
one support down: had to douole
about to find opening; again and again
| seemed to be against an unsurIlss-
sable barrier; twice | dug through a
mass OF fallen dirt. once for three sol
i'd feet, throwing the loosened earth
either side of me. and pushing it back
with my feet. thus utterly blocking all
chance of retreat. Scarcely was tais
accomplished when another fall from
above came, half burying head and
shoulders. and compelling me to do
the work over. The air grew foul and
sluggish, but was toiling for life. and
dug at the debris madly. reckless OF
what might fall from above. Better
to be crushed than to die of suffoca-
ton. and the very desperation with
which | strove proved my salvation.
For what remained of the roof held.
and struggled through into the firmer
gallery beyond. faint from exhaustion.
yet as quickly reviving in the fresher
air. | had reached the end of the pas
sage before comprehended the truth.
1t opened in the side of gulley, com
ing out between the roots of great
tree,
was wreck in body and mind. my
face streaked with earth. my hair
filed with dirt, my clothing torn and
disreputable. Laboring for breath, my
fingers raw and bleeding. l lay there.
with scarcely enough strength remain
ing to keep from rolling to the bottom
of the ravine For some moments |
was incapable of either thought or ac-
ton, every ounce of energy having
been expended in that last desperate
struggle. lay painting. with eyes
closed, hardly realizing that | was in
deed alive. Slowly. throb by throb,
my heart came back into regularity of
beat. and my brain into command. My
eyes opened. and shuddered with hor-
ing into the side Of the hill Clinging
to the tree trunk ! attained my feet.
still swaying from weakness, and was
thus able to glance about over the
edge of the bank. and gain some con,
ception of my immediate surroundings
1t was early dawn. the eastern sky
that shade of pale gray which pre-
cedes the sun. n few, white, fleecy
clouds sailing high above. already
tinged with red reflection. must
have been In that earth prison since
the morning of the previous day: /,
seemed longer. yet even that expira
ton of time proved that those who
had imprisoned me there had left me
to die. God! couldn't believe that
not of her! Clear as the evidence an
peared, yet fought down the thought
bitterly. creeping on hands and knees
over the edge of the bank, to where
could sit on the grass, and gaze
about in the growing light The house
was to the left. an apple orchard be
tween. and low fence enclosing q
I ip b,,t
the mansion through the intervening
trees. but it was large. imposing, a
square, oldfashioned house, painted
white, with green shutters. 1t ap
peared deserted. and no spirals OF
smoke ascended from the kitchen
chimney. Apparently not even the
servants were yet stirring. However
there was smoke showing farther tc
the right. but | had to move before
1 could see the cause clearly-the
smouldering remains of what must
have been large barn. | advanced ir
that direction, skirting the orchard
and row of negro cabins. These
were deserted. the doors open. and
two of them exhibited evidences Of
fire. A storehouse had its door bat
tered In. huge timber. evidently used
as ram. lying across the threshold
and many of the boxes and barrels
within had been smashed with axes
The ground all about had been tram
pied by horses hoofs. and only &
smouldering fragment of the stables
remained
| stared about perplexed. unable tc
decipher the meaning of such de
struction. Surely Grant would never
dare such deed with his unarmet
force. Besides Elmhurst was the
property of loyalist, ay! the colone
of his regiment. Not even the mad
ness of anger would justify so wantor
an act Whatever the mystery coult
| never hope to solve it lettering there;
the house itself would doubtless revea
the story. and | turned in that direc
ton. skirting the fence, yet exercising
care, for there might still remain de
tenders within, behind those greer
blinds, to mistake me for an enemy
saw nothing. no sign of life. as ]
| circled through the trees of the or
chard, and came out upon the grass
plot facing the front porch. The sur
was up now, and l could perceive eact
detail There was a smashed window
to the right, a green shutter hanging
dejectedly by one hinge; the grea'
front door stood wide open, and the