The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-12-05

o"''iFt tA'tpl NUtTt water ndu bOdkGu
through, rotting the timbers. The
candle was sputtering with a final Il
Tort to remain alirht when | came "a
the first serious obstruction. bad
barely time in which to mark the a
turc OF the obstacle before the flame
died in the socket, leaving me In q
blackness so profound It was like a
weight. For the moment | was prHc
tlcally paraly2od by fear, my muscles
limp, my limbs trembling Yet to On
dcavor 20 push forward was no more
to be dreaded than to attempt retrac
Ing my steps In one way there WAS
hope; in tn" other none
With cropping fingers | verified the
situation, as that brief glance ere tie
candle failed had revealed it. A beam
had fallen, letting down a mass Of
earth, but was wedgcd in such way
as TO leave 4 small opening above tie
floor, barely sufficient for a man ia
wigglc through. How far even this
slight passage extended, or what worse
obstruction lay hidden beyond was al
conjecture II was n mere chance in
which ! must risk life in hope Of saw.
ing til might become helplessly
wcdgcd beneath the timbors, or any
movement might precipitatc upon M
a mass Of lOosencd earth. 1t was a
hOrrd thought, the death Of a burrow
Ing rat; and dare not let my mind
dwell upon the dread possibility. Slow
IT, barely advancing an inch at time.
began the venture. my hands blindly
cropping for the passage. the cold per.
SEPARATION bathing my body. Tho far.
Their ] penetrated amid the debris. the
greater became the terror dominating
me, yet 10 draw back was next to i'm
possible. The opening grew more con
tracted; ! could scarcely force myself
forward, digging fingers and toes into
the hard earth floor. the obstructing
timber sCraping my body. II was an
awful, hcartrcndnE struggle. stretched
out flat like snake in the darkness,
the loose earth shOwcrinE me with
each movement There was more than
one support down; ! had to double
about to find opening. again and again
seemed TO be against an unsurpas.
sable barrier, twice | dug through a
mass of fallen dirt. once for three sol.
id feet, throwing the looscned earth
either side of me, and pushing # back
with my feet, thus utterly blocking all
chance of retreat Scarcely WAS this
accomplished when another fall from
above came, half huryiug 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 suluca.
tion, and the very desperation with
which | stroyc proved my salvation.
For what remained OF the roof held
and struggled through into the hrmer
gallery beyond, faint from exhaustion.
yet as quickly reviying In the frcshcr
air had reached the end OF the pas.
sage before ! cOmprchended the truth.
It opened in the side Of gulley, com.
ing out between the roots OF great
tree,
was n wreck In body and mind, my
face strcaked with earth. my hair
filled with dirt, my clothing torn and
dIsrcputahle. Laboring for breath. my
fingers raw and bleeding. | 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 nc.
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.
r0r, as | recognized that dismal omen.
ing into the side Of the hill. Cllnging
10 the tree trunk | attained my feet,
still swaying from weakness. and was
hus able to glance about over the
edge OF the bank. and gain some con.
'eption OF my immediate surroundings.
II was early dawn, the eastern sky
hat shade of pale gray which pre-
'edes the sun, few, white. fleecy
LIQUIDS sailing high above. already
inged with red reflection. must
lave been in that earth prison since
he morning OF the previous day: IL
eemed longer. yet even that expIra. |
Ion OF time proved that those who
lad imprisoned me there had left me
o die. God! ! couldn't believe that
lot Of her! Clear as tho evidence an
feared, yet fought down the Thought |
utterly, creeping on hands and knees
'ver the edge OF the bank. TO where |
could sit on the grass, and gaze |
bout In the growing light. The house |
vas to the left. an apple orchard be-
ween, and d low fence enclosing A
arden. ! could gain but gllmpses OF
he mansion through the Intervening
rees, but 1t was large. imposing. n
quare, old-fashioned house, painted
ihite, with green shutters. II nm.
cared deserted, and no spIrals Of
moke assembled from the kitchen
Kinney. Apparently not even the
ervants we're yet stirring. However,
here was smoke showing farther to