The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1913-12-18
though I might, perchance, have thrust

still had the ak with me and the
sword which | had thrust into my
belt The rock seemed soft. Lying
down upon my back and covering my
eyes with one hand, | struck at ii
| with the ak. thus enarging the pas
sage The water beneath me was
deathly cold. the candle in the lantern
was burning lower and lower, but
hung on. Never did | work so in all
my life as then. At last | loosened a
huge rock. which fell suddenly upon
me. Had not seen it coming ami
dropped the AK and stayed its progress
with both upraised hands it might have
crushed me. AS it was. it fell fairly
upon my breast. could not throw 1t
aside; the way was too narrow. | held
1t up in my hands and forced my way
through. although what | should meet
or where should bring up on the
other side knew not. thrust hard
and harder with my feet and presently
my way was clear, and | showed my
self through the opening. With one
great tinal effort rolled the rock aside
Ind then lay on my back on the sand.
5reathless. exhausted
She dragged herself over my body
and through the passage | had thus
made and then knelt by my side, kissed
me, murmuring words | did not dare to
listen to lest | should go mad with
| joy And, indeed. | was so exhausted
that | could scarcely credit that | had
heard anything real. Presently, how
ever, | staggered to my feet again, She
had forgotten the lantern, but | went
back after it,
We were in a more spacious cave.
The stream. fed by other brooks, had
become larger The descent was much
more rapid The cliff wall was. | be-
lieve, narrower at the treasure cave
than anywhere else in the island. 1t
was, perhaps. not more than half a
mile wide We stumbled rapidly down
the long vaulted passage to the other
wall AS we approached it half fear
! ed that the rock might be solid. and
that the brook might plunge beneath
it, but fortune did not do its worst for
us. There was a rift in the wall.
around which the brook ran A long
distance away appeared to me spot
of dimness. = Recklessly we casped
hands and ran to the OPENING.
| Alas. when we reached the light we
found that the entrance was closed by
huge stone 1t did not exactly fit the
opening. and the light filtered around
it. | stood painting, staring at it.
Are we to be ended now" l cried.
''after having come thus far? Stand
clear" shouted. not giving her time
to answer
Then with all my strength | swung
the ak and struck the rock fair and
square and by good fortune upon some
fissure. for it shivered and crack
| started Once again. this time with
| tremendous force, | swung and struck.
| The ak sank into the stone. the helve
shivered in my hand, 1t was a right
good blow if ! do say 1t myself. for
the rock was by this time fairly split
In two, the pieces falling to the right
and left Still it was well in the en-
trance. We had not yet clear pas
sage.
|
been in the inner cave fighting for her
The blood rushed to my face. mist to
my eyes. stopped down and with
my hands | seized one piece of that
rock and with such strength as Her
rules might have used. thrust it aside
Ny mistress stood staring at me in
! awe, also in terror. The way was
opened.
We stepped out upon the sand My
clothes We're torn to rags; blood was
clotted In my hair and on my fore
head; my face was black with sweat
and dust. There were wounds on my
arms and legs was CORY and hor-
rible spectacle Mistress Lucy had
suffered no wounds. but her clothes
were rent and torn Her face was
grimy and beneath the dust and earth
stain it was as. white as the cap of
wave.
Thanks to God" she said at last.
"and you. we have won
| thought she would have tainted |
caught her by the arm. sat her down
upon the island and sprinkled the wa
ter from the brook in her face until
presently she revived
I'VE are not safe yet" | urged.
There were hundreds of savages upon
the island. They could not all have
been in the cave We must go wariIy.
| We cannot rest now"
II am ready" she said with great
spirit. getting to her feet and stretch
ing out her hand; ''if you will help me
| can go anywhere"
still had my sword drew it and
led on. keeping well under the shelter
of the cliffs We walked up the end
toward the giant stairs. There were
men. islanders. at the top Of the wall
but my first glance told me that we
had nothing TO fear from them, for the
stairs were gone They were but a
scattered heap of stones The earth
| quake had crumbled the work of the
builders OF bygone years. and as the
stairs bad fallen away they had left
the cliff sheer and bare for a hundred
| feet They couldn't come at u.s.