Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-02-01
CHAPTER xIIl.-continued.

CHAPTER XIll.-Continued.
That he meant every word he spoke
4 felt convinced, and his enthusiasm
YVES contagious. My blood leaped
within me at this call to action; all
lethargy fled, and with it every dead
ening thought CT her who had so sud.
denly woven about me the meshes of
her power. False or true, maid, wife,
or widow, my duty as a soldier to my
commander and the army to which l
belonged, blotted out all else. Even
as this new rush of determination
swept over me, above us there
sounded clearly the dashing music of
q military band in the strains of a
STRAUSS waltz, and we could dis
unguish the muffled shuffling of many
feet on the oaken floo. overhead.
Cations chance remark about the great
bail to be given that evening by Off
GERS Of the headquarters staff recur-
red TO my memory.
THAT dancing up there will help us,
Jed I said quickly. my mind now
active to grasp ever detail. "You
say there is a chance for escape from
your cell? Then give me your hand,
and help me to crawl through that
hole"
1t was a narrow squeeze for a man
0i my size, yet l crept through with
aus great difficulty, al found myself
iE- the dense darkness of a O
which, as l judged hastily from feel
Ing about me, was similar in shape
and extent to the one L. which | had
been confined, Bungay, however, per-
United me little time for exploration.
Grasping me firmly by the arm, and
feeling his way along the wall, he
CROPPED across to the other side.
There's a mighty big stone chimbIy
comes down we're, Cap" he whispered.
An Their openin' ter take out SCOT an
ashes is up thar, list blow ther
fuer. It's a sheet-iron pan, I reckon,
Their way it feels; an 1t musi be thar
shey put a niger in ter clean Their
chimbly whin 1t gifts stuffed up. I
cfuld git up thar alone. out | couldn't
% no work, but tibet char pan ought
ter cum out all right, Dew We think
ye cud hol' me up. Cap? I'm purity
durn heavy"
Z smiled in the darkness at the lit.
tic fellows egotisrn, and lifting him as
/ might a child, poised him lightly
upon my shoulder. He struggled a
moment to stesdy himself against the
wall, and then l could feel him tug
sing eagerly at something which an
peared 20 yield slowly to his efforts
AS he worked, a dense shower OF dust
and SCOT caused me to close my eyes.
She's a comm all right" he said.
cheerfully, putting with his exertions,
but | reckon as how this chimbly
aln't bin cleaned out since Their war
begun. Hold up yer right han. Cap,
an git a blame good grip on her, fer
she's almighty full, anil wanter go
clown sorter easy like"
did as he suggested, bracing N.Y.
self to meet his movements, as he
stood straining on my shoulders, and
In another moment ] had succeeded
in lowering the large sheet-iron pan
silently to the floor.
Room 'nough yere fer two men ter
oncet," chuckled my companion, in
Tare delight. 1.-THE chief in silence
STROBE before Yere goes"
Hia weight left my shoulders; there
was a slight scramble, another shower
OF dirt, then the sound of his voice
once more,
Lift up yer hans, Cap; dig in yer
toes on Their stones, an well begin
our VICE"
lie grasped my wrists with a
strength which l had no conception
the little fellow possessed. There was
n moments breathless struggle, and
2 squirmed through tho opening, and
lay painting on the flat slabs which
composed the foot of the great funnel.
To afford me more room Bungay had
gone up a little, finding footlodgment
upon the uneveE stones of which the
chimney was constructed. For a mo-
rnent we rested thus motionless, both
breathing heavily and listening to the
music and shuffling Of feet now almost
rron q level with u heads.
The noise. which was strong and
continuous, rendered discovery from
any misstep highly improbable. and as
delay wal dangerous neither OF us was
disposed to llnger long.
BE ye all ready, Cap?" questioned
Bungay, bending his head down. Fer
AZ We be, I'm a goin' up"
"Ail right answered, struggling
TO my knees IN the narrow space;
only take it slow, Jed. I'm a trifle
bigger man thar you, and this Is
rather close quarters"
Wal, yes. maybe d matter Of q
pcdn' or two,' he retortad, and the next
moment | could hear him scraping
zhis way upward. feeling for foothold
upon the Irregular layers Of stone !
followed. pressing my knees firmly
against the rough wall, and trusting