Gunnison news-champion., 1912-10-04

g. -
o Contgn.ed irsGa l.s-s " eek
cSsAsvGa xsa
We ee@sses sf Ts10sav.
= nrsi have been the shock a thus
ssalizing suddenly how short a time
ouRained IN which I should haze hehs
0otcA restored ~ ssasss. I knoU Z
Ofacsd at the dim yellow aicksr aulav
of orst. and then vith Q swift retusnr
~ consciousness which spurpsd nS
atm into activity. In that instant ]
y led. despised myssh. rebelled ct mv
~ossness. Faith IN Claire kortines
n she had failed. n was through no
sAult Of hers. and I was no coward to
Ne there and rot without making Q
stern fight for life. When | was found,
those Hbo came upon my body would
know lLt I died struggling. died as .
man should, facing fate with a smile,
With hands gripped in the contest.
The resolution served-.it was q spur
10 my pride, instantly driving away
every hsGtine shadow of evil Vet
where should I turn? To what end
should devote my energies? II was
eseless to climb those stairs again.
nut there must be . way out.
gripped the old musket as the Only
sstrument at hand. snd began testing
!. - walls. Three sides ] raped, re-
efviRe the same dead, dun responss.
was In the darkest corner nov, be
vOad the stairs, still hopelessly heat
~ the gun barrel against the stons.
The dim light revealed 10 change In
eAs wall formation, the same irregu-
~ expanse of rubble set in solid NOR.
tsf, hardened by q century 0f exposure
- the dry atmosphere. Then to Al
Ne. listless blow there cane . hollow,
Veedea sound, that caused the heart
- bsap Into the thFoat trted again,
. fest to the left, coaAdent ny ears
ho1 played me false, but THE tine
thDss could Be no dOubt-thsss was =
1osaing here bach e . vesAsa 49,
~.
Half erased ~ tAis go Ssstuns, Z
soaoht W the inoA = ssalAs, 60 -
q bsi0re the wan. ~ ltn MghG
0sascely served - - ~, - No.
1hsasly had the dess besa painted u
Vesmblanee to the nortassd stone. Z
wes compelled 10 souad again, inch by
,1acA. with the gun barrel before Z
,couA determine the exact Dimensions
- the opening. Then could trace the
eight crack where ths wood was Mt
tsl. nor could I have aoae this but for
~ warping q . board. Wild with ap-
DfeAehsion lest ny light fail before
NE necessary wort could be accom-
Deashed. ! drew out the single -bladeA
nife from my pochst. and began wiA-
ing this crack. Feverishly % I
,&0rked. this was slow q accomplish
Osat, yet silver BY silver the slight
Noertare grew, uhtil I weAged IN ths
Oun barrel. and prisA out the plank.
0hs rush Of air eHtinGuished the
sas1le. yet I cared nothing. for the aif
Was fresh and pure. promising . clear
Sassaee.
0ed. this was luck! With new cour.
49, throbbiaG tAssuSh my veins
GrsoeA my way back to the table after
eiat and steel. and relit the candle
fragment. shadowiAg the fame with
boeA palms ~ I returned to where the
Daank had bees pressed aside. How.
ever. found such precautioa unnec-
eosary. as there Vas 10 pefceptiblo
0rah through ths passage nov the
Opening was clear for the circulation
= cir. There had been two planks-
tAick and of hard Wood-composing
tAs entrance to the tunnel, but found
q Impossible to dislodge the second,
anl was compelled to squeeze ny
Way through the narrow twelveinch
opeAing. This was q dificult task. 40
yasA man Of some weight. but once
accomplished found myself in Q con-
trscted passaeeway. not to exceed
thses feet in width. and perhaps hvs
e-cm floor to roof. Here it was appar.
satly as well preserved 80 when first
0eastructed. probably . hundred years
- more ago. the side walls faced with
0esne. the roof supported by roughly
Aswn oak beams. Was convinced
41efe was no great weight Of earth
ossting upon these. and the tunnel.
Which I followed without difhculty. or
the discovery of any serious obstruc-
AiOA. for fifty feet. inclined steadily
upward. until, in my judgment. it must
have come within . very few feet Of
TIE surface Here there occurred .
eharp turn TO the right. and the exca-
walton advanced almost upon q level
Knowing nothing Of the conforma-
ton above. or Of the location of build
ings, ! was Obliged to press forward
'ohndly, conserving the faint light of
- candle. and praying for free pas
saoe. II was an experience to test the
serves. the intense stiffness, the bare,
erAy wall, cold to the touch. the
beams grazing my head. and uphold
ING that mass Of earth above, the in
tease darkness before and behind, with
oaly the hickering radius Of yellow
light barely illuminating where I trod.
Occasionally the wood creaked omi-
0osly, and bits q earth. jarred By