The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1913-03-27
CHAPTER XVI.
The Remains Of Tragedy.

The Remains Of Tragedy.
1t must have been the shock OF thus
realizing suddenly how short a time
remained In which l should have light
which restored my senses. l know ]
stared at the dim yellow flicker duly
at first, and then with a swift return
ing consciousness which spurred my
brain into activity. In that instant ]
hated, despised myself. rebelled at my
weakness. Faith in Claire Mortimer
II she had failed, It was through no
fault OF hers, and | was no coward to
lie there and rot without making a
stern fight for life. When l was found,
those who came upon my body would
know that died struggling, died as a
man should, facing fate with a smile,
with hands gripped in the contest.
The resolution served--it was a spur
to my pride, instantly driving away
every haunting shadow of evil. Yet
where should l turn? To what end
should | devote my energies? 1t was
useless to climb those stairs again.
But there must be a way out.
/ gripped the old musket as the only
instrument at hand, and began testing
the walls. Three sides / raped, re-
ceiving the same dead, dull response.
| "a in the darkest corner now, be-
yond the stairs. still hopelessly beat
ing the gun barrel against the stone.
The dim light revealed no change In
the wall formation, the same irregu-
lar expanse of rubble set in solid NOR
tar, hardened by a century OF exposure
to the dry atmosphere. Then to an
idle, ~listless blow there came a hollow.
wooden sound, that caused the heart
to leap into the throat. l tried again,
a foot to the left. confident my ears
had played me false, but this time
there could be no doubt-there was an
opening here back OF a wooden bar
rier.
Half crazed by this good fortune, ]
caught UP the inch of candle. and held
it before the wall. The dim light
scarcely served as an aid, SO inge
niously had the door been painted In
resemblance to the mortared stone.
was compelled to sound again, inch by
inch. with the gun barrel before
could determine the exact dimensions
of the opening. Then / could trace the
slight crack where the wood was fit
ted, nor could | have done this but FOL
the warping OF a board. Wild with ap
~prehension lest my light fail before
the necessary work could be accom-
plished, / drew out the single-bladet
knife from my pocket, and began wild
ening this crack. Feverishly as
worked, this was slow of accomplish
ment. yet silver by silver the sligh'
aperture grew. until / wedged In the
gun barrel, and pried out the plank
The rush of air extinguished tn,
candle, yet l cared nothing, for the ali
was fresh and pure, promising a clear
passage.
God, this was luck! With new cour
age throbbing through my veins
| CROPPED my way back to the table afte,
flint and steel, and relit the candl
fragment, shadowing the fame witt
both palms al I returned to where tn,
| plank had been pressed aside. How
ever, ! found such precaution unnec
| essary, as there was no perceptibl,
draft through the passage now tn.
opening was clear for the circulation
of air. There had been two planks-
thick and Of hard wood-composinl
the entrance to the tunnel, but I foun,
It impossible to dislodge the second
and was compelled to squeeze m,
way through the narrow twelve-incl
opening. This was a difficult task. a
l was a man OF some weight. but ono
accomplished found myself In a cor
tracted passageway, not to excee
three feet In width. and perhaps fv
from floor to roof. Here 1t was appa,
emily as well preserved as when frs
constructed. probably a hundred year
or more ago. the side walls faced wit
stone, the roof supported by roughl
hewn oak beams. I was convince
there was no great weight Of cart
resting upon these, and the tunne
which I followed without difficulty, Z
the discovery OF any serious obstru'
ton, for fifty feet. inclined steadil
upward, until. IN my Judgment. It mui
have come within a very few feet
the surface. Here there occurred
sharp turn to the right. and the exc
walton advanced almost upon a leve
Knowing nothing OF the conform
ton above. or OF the location Of bull
ings. / was obliged to press forwaI
blindly. conserving the faint light
the candle, and praying for a free pa
sage. 1t was an experience to test Il
nerves, the intense stiffness. the bar
gray walls, cold to the touch. Il
beams grazing my head. and uphol
ing that mess OF earth above. the I
tense darkness before and behind. WI
only the hickering radius OF ysdic
usht barely Illuminating where ! tn
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