The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1914-09-10
GOOD Boy! Good Boy! Ay! That
Was a Blow"

she wasted no time in either explana
ton or urging. Doubtless my face tolt
its own story, and made her desperate
With strength l had not supposed
her slender body possessed, she
dragged me about, until my feet dan
gled helplessly in the opening.
Now push yourself down, monsieur
I say you must! 1t is not far, not more
than four feet is not to hurt, no
no. You will come easy to the bottom
Good That is the way. See, l will
hold tight to you like this"
Helped by her, yet exercising all my
remaining strength, and now compre
hending her plan. sank slowly into
the hole, but so numb were my limbs
that, the instant the girl released hel
grasp, / sank Imply to the bottom
resting there, leaning against the side
wall, looking eagerly up at her face
framed above me in the narrow open
ing.
you are safe, monsieur? You are
not hurt?" she asked in trembling anX-
iety.
murmured word or two, for had
exhausted all my strength. She mus
have accepted this as reinsurance, foj
she lifted her head, and glanced swift.
ly about. Then she reached down tt
me the pannikin Of water.
Il canpot wait longer" she whis'
pered. Some one will come. Here;
take this. monsieur; put it down care
fully-ah! that was fine. Wash ou,
your wounds, and the blood from youl
face. 1t will be dark, but fear moth.
ing. l will come again to you eoon."
where does this tunnel lead?" ]
asked, as her hand grasped the stone
slab.
ITO the cave cellar at the rear:
where we first met-but you must wal
for me to come, monsieur"
I saw the shadow Of the stone de.
scending, shutting out the light.
Gust one question more, mademG.
selle," l managed to articulate. "Is
Brady dead?"
l could dimly perceive the outline OF
her face.
mo, monsieur, he is prisoner"
Slowly l made effort to explore my
wound. This was most painful, as my
rough shirt was held to my flesh By
CONCEALED blood and had to be torn
away. possessed no knife; but stuck
to the work manfully, my teeth
clinched, my face beaded with perspi
ration, until separated the last shred
and could explore the wound with my
fingers. It proved deep and ragged
enough, but had penetrated nothing
vital. II l could staunch the flow OF
blood, and bind it up SO as to prevent
it's being reopened, there should be
no serious result. l went at this as
best could in the dark, and, by sense
OF touch, groaning at the pain, I
swabbed out the wound until it prac-
tically ceased to bleed, and then bound
1t up with silk neckerchief and q
strip torn from my shirt. 1t was rude
surgery, but effective. Shut out thus
from the air the wound merely duly
ached, and l found myself able to
move with much greater freedom. 9th
erwise l was surprised to discover
had sustained no particular injury.
l got to my hands and knees, deter
mined to discover for myself the ma
ture of the passage. Any form of &C.
ZION was better than merely to lie
there inert. l had to creep forward
and found barely room for the passage
Of my body. My wound still hurt SUI
fciently to make me cautious of every
movement, and consequently my al
vance was slow. There never was
olacker darkness; it was like u weight
pressing me back, and the Silence was
Ike that of the grave. I could hear
nay own breathing. hut my hands and
knees made no sound on the earth
Hoor. Whatever OF savage fury was
occurring above, 40 echo found way to
where | burrowed below. To all ap-
psarance the tunnel ran in a direct
line; at least l could discover no evil
aence Of deviation, Ii D'Auyray han