Eastern Colorado times., 1912-09-27

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hewn oak beams. ! was convinced
there was no great weight of earth
resting upon these, and the tunnel.
which / followed without difficulty, or
the discovery Of any serious obstruc-
tion, for fifty feet. inclined steadily
upward. until, in my judgment, 1t must
have come within very few feet Of
the surface. Here there occurred a
sharp 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
blindly, conserving the faint light Of
the candle. and praying for free pas
sage. 1t was an experience to test the
nerves. the intense stiffness, the bare.
gray walls. cold to the touch, the
beams grazing my head. and uphold
ing that mass of earth above, the in
tense darkness before and behind, with
only the fickering radius Of yellow
light barely Illuminating where trod.
Occasionally the wood creaked omi-
nously. and bits Of earth, Jared by
my passage. fell upon me in clods. Al.
together it was an experience have
no desire to repeat, although was in
no actual danger for some distance.
Old Mortimer had built his tunnel we'll.
and through all the years 1t had held
safely. except where water had soaked
through. rotting the timbers. The
candle was sputtering with final ef.
fort to remain alight when / came TO
the first serious obstruction. had
barely time in which to mark the ma
ture OF the obstacle before the flame
died In the socket. leaving me In
blackness SO profound 1t was like a
weight. For the moment I was prac-
tically paralyzed by fear. my muscles
limp. my limbs trembling. Yet to en-
deavor to push forward was no more
to be dreaded than to attempt retrac-
Ing my steps In one way there was
hope; in the other none.
With cropping fingers l verified the
situation, as that brief glance ere the
candle failed had revealed 1t. A beam
had fallen. letting down a mass Of
earth, but was wedged In such a way
as to leave small opening above the
floor, barely sufficient for man to
wiggle through. How far even this
slight passage extended, or what worse
obstruction lay hidden beyond was all
conjecture. 1t was a mere chance in
which l must risk life in hope OF saw
ing tt might become helplessly
wedged beneath the timbers, or any
movement might precipitate upon me
mass of loosened earth. 1t was
horrid thought, the death OF 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 l 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, heartrending struggle. stretched
out fiat like a snake in the darkness.
the loose earth showering me with
each movement. There was more than
about to find opening; again and again
I seemed to be against an unsurpas-
sable barrier; twice I dug through q
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 this
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 sIffoca.
ton, and the very desperation with
which l 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. l had reached the end Of the pas
sage before I comprehended the truth.
1t opened in the side of gulley. COM
ing out between the roots of great
tree,
Twas a wreck In body and mind, my
face streaked with earth. my hair
filled with dirt. my clothing torn and
disreputable. Laboring for breath. my
fingers raw and bleeding. lay there.
with scarcely enough strength remain
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