Gunnison news-champion., 1912-10-04

me 1srSts9n A. - yao-o = haG h014
ss<eiy. szaspt vAsrs ~asr had 5000
shroagh. sostsaG shs ssDAsra ThD
candle sas spsxssrsz4g Ws.A . aanl =
sDa to semais slsehf Uk~o ! can< -
ths h-ss serious obstruction. hsA
sepssy time in which 10 mara the no-
ssse os the obstsoss bssoss ths aAus
as~d in the socket sssvsaG ne ia Q
bsscknsss - proSogna n Sas H. Q
weight Eor the monsps I uss prsc.
ticsliy psrslyzed by tsar. ny nuscs<s
Limp. ms limbs trembling Vet 10 e.
dssvor to pssh forward waa - NOSE
to be arsasisd than 70 attempt sefrsc-
inG my steps. In sne way thsss wss
hope; IN the other nose.
With eropias snsers I verified ths
situation. as that brief glance ere the
candle failed had revealed h. q beam
had fallen. letting down q mass a
earth. bat was wedeed in such q xay
ss to leave a small opening above the
Moor. barely suaicieaf for . man 70
wiGsle through How far even this
slight passage extended. or what xorx,
obstruction lav hidden beyond vas AN
conjecture. II was a mere chance N
which ! must risk life in hopu> q 40
snG H--l might become Aelpassso0
Wedeed beneath the timbers, or aAg
movement might precipitase upon -
. mass Of loosened earth Ii vas .
hourid thought. the death a burroW-
Ing rat; and ! dare not let my mind
dwell upon the dread possibility. SLOW.
~. barely advancing an inch at a time,
] began the venture. nay hands blindiy
sFopins tor the passage, the cold per.
spiration bathing nay 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: | could scarcely force myself
forward. digging fingers and toes ints
the hard earth floor. the obstrpctiRG
timber scrspine my body. II was -
awful, heartrendine struggle. stretched
out aat like a snake In the darkness,
the loose earth showering me with
each movement. There was more thaD
one support down; l had to double
about to and opening; again and again
] seemed to be against an unsurpse
sable barrier; twice ! dug through .
mass of fallen dirt, once for three sol
Id feet, throwing the loosened earth
either side of ne, and pushing II bach
with NJ feet, thus utterly blocking ell
chance Of retreat Scarcely was this
accomplished when another fall from
shove came, half burying head an6
shoulders, and compelling me to %
slHssish, but was toiling for life, an1
dug at the debris msdly. reckless a
what might fall from above. Better
TO be crushed than to die Of suGoca-
tion, and the very desperstiOa with
which ] strOve proved my salvation.
Fer whst renaiAel q the reSf AslA
Ind struggled thrO~gh tnte ths Arnss
gallery beyond, faint froa szhaustisa,
~ - quickly reviviaG n - fvssAss
cir. | had reached the end a the pas
sage before ! cOmprehenAsA The truth.
II opened In the side 0f Q gulley, con
ing out between the r0Ots Of Q greet
tree,
j
face streaked with earth, my hair
filled with dirt, my clothing torn and
disreputsble. Laboring for breath, my
fingers raw and bleeding, I 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 &C
ton. every ounce of energy having
bees expended in that last desperate
struggle. ! lay painting, with eyes
closed. hardly realizing that was In
6eed alive. Slowly. throb by throb.
my heart came back into regularity q
beat, and my bra1n into command. MY
eyes opened, and ! shuddereA with hos.
rof, - l recognized that dismal open-
ing into the side Of the hill. Clinging
to the tree TRUNK l 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 vas early dawn. the eastern sky
that shade Of pale gray which pre-
cedes the sun, . few. white, heecy
clouds sailing high above, already
tinged with red reflection. I must
have been In that earth prison since
the morning Of the previous day; Il
seemed longer, yet even that expira-
tioh Of time proved that those whe
had imprisoned me there had left ne
to die. God! I couldn't believe that
not of her! Clear as the evidence aD-
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 b.
tween, and . low fence enclosing .
garden. ! could gain but glimpses Of
the mansion through the intervening
trees, but 1t was large. imposing. .
square, oldfashioned house. painted
white, with green shutters. II ap-
peared deserted. and no spirals Of
smoke ascended from the Kitchen