The Delta independent., 1914-11-27
Copyright. 1914. by Louis Joseph Vance
CHAPTER XIV.
Tho Bowel. Of the Eartt

| AWdhLi6 DSlCii bdICu4 IN
fashion sufficiently sharp and startling
to render him Indifferent to the berefi
cial effects Of some eight hours ol
dreamless slumber.
He discovered himself lying fiat or
his face, with somebody's inconsider
ate. heavy hand purposely grinding the
said face into the aged and splintery
blanks Of the shed flooring. At the
same time other hands were pusy
binding his own together by the
wrists and lashing the same to the
small of his back by means of a cord
passed around his middle, while his
natural II somewhat spasmodic efforts
| to kick were sadly hampered by the
fact that mis- ankles had already been
secured by means of half dozen half
bitches and a square knot.
His hands attended to. his head was
released. Promptly he lifted it and
essayed to yell; an effort rendered
abortive by the gag that was thrust
between his teeth the instant his
jaws opened.
Then he heard a laugh, q cold.
mirthless chuckle.
Now the blood of Thomas Barcus
ran cold (or he thought 1t did; which
amounts to much the same thing.
For If his senses had played fair, the
laugh he had heard was the laugh OF
Mr.. Marrophat. head-devil in the serv-
ice OF Seneca Trine.
He twisted his head to one side
and glancing along the floor, saw moth
ing but the wall. Twisted the other
way. at the cost of a splinter in his
nose, the effort was repaid by the dis
covery of Rose Trine in a plight like
his own-wrists and ankles bound,
gagged into the bargain-the width of
the shed between them.
But of Alan Law, no sign.
The heart of Mr.. Barcus checked
momentarily; he shut his eyes and
shivered in an uncomfortable seizure
of dread.
Then. tormented beyond endurance
by the fears he suffered for the safety
of his friend. he began to wriggle and
squirm like a crippled snake. pain
fully inching his way across the floor
toward Rose-with what design, heav-
en- alone knows, Dimly his men,
tai vision comprehended the bare pos
sibility of his being able. with his fast,
numbing fingers, to work loose the
knots at Roses wrists; but deep in,
his heart he knew this to be nothing
but forlornest hope.
With infinite pains he had con-,
trived to bridge the distance by half.
or possibly not quite SO much. when
q dark body put the sunlight OF the.
open doorway into temporary eclipse.
Another followed it Boots clumped
heavily on the flooring. The laugh
sounded again. apparently in ironic ap-
probation of Mr.. Barcus' efforts. Two
pairs Of hands seized him. one be-
meath the shoulders, the other be-
meath the knees, and he was lugged
1aboriously out into the sunlight. car
Fied a considerable distance. and de-
posted unceremoniously within a few
feet Of the mouth OF the abandoned
mine just at the moment when he had
satisfied himself that the purpose
of his captors was simply to throw
him into the black we'll
He wasted 10 of appeal on the
frozen mask Of villainy that was Mar
rophat's (who bore the burden OF Bar
Gus head and shoulders) and got
laughed at for e.. his pains.
Then he was y 4 to himself once
more. but only for a few moments:
the interval ended when the two ap-
peared again. this time bringing Rose
In similar fashion.
Not until she had been put down be-
NJ 40 htv,, ha L.
was likewise q captive-trussed to a
tree at some distance.
The remaining arrangements OF
their captors were swiftly and dsftly
consummated. though their design re-
mained obscure to Mr.. Barcus until
he. after Rose, was dumped like a bale
into huge bucket and therein by
means of rope and windlass lowered
to the bottom of the shaft-a descent,
he estimated shrewdly. of something
like hundred feet
A hideous screeching followed. the
protests OF rusty and greaseless ma
chinery. Twisting his neck. Barcus
saw the dim opening OF the shaft
slowly closing. as II curtain were
being drawn down over It, Jimmy
was closing the bulkhead door. leav-
ng them definitely prisoners, beyond
human aid, there In that everlasting
black hole.
With a final squeal and thump the
'ulkhead settled into place. A con-
usion OF remote sounds thereafter in
Heated that Jimmy with, perhaps.
uarrophat's assistance) was making
he bulkhead East bevond question
wedStns and blocking It with umoers.
These ceased-and the silence was
bscken by Alan's voice
"Barcus!-
The latter grunted soulfully by way
of lnaNer. ha could do M, xna.>