The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1915-01-01
and crevices in search of some way
&c

Of forcing it.
"Barcus-old man."
"Yes?"
Have you any idea"
Devil a one!"
Did you notice what that black,
guard had fixed up?"
What do you mean?"
"Why--at the bottom of the shaft
l got only a glimpse coming in-the
door of the powder room was open,
and saw a fuse set to the top of a
keg of blasting powder ="
What's the good of that? We're
fast enough as it Isl"
Simply to make assurance dOubly
sure by causing a cave-in e"
Il seem to remember hearing or
reading, some place, that tunnels have
two ends. If that's true, the far end
of this ought to be about the safest
place when that explosion happens
if it ever does"
Something in that"
Got any matches?" Barcus in
quired, as Alan hurriedly helped Rose
to her feet.
Never one"
Nor l. Well have to feel our way
along. Let me lead. If step over the
brink of a pit or anything, I'll try to
yell and warn you in time"
Alan caught his friends hand in
passing and pressed it warmly-a ca
ress eloquent of his gratitude to Bar
Gus for taking their peril lightly, or
pretending to, for the sake of Rose.
A ticklish business. that-groping
their way through blackness so
Opaque that it seemed as palpable as
pool of ink. And haste was indi-
Gated; they stumbled on with what
caution was possible against pitfalls
a gingerly scramble. Then an elbow
in the tunnel-sensed rather than felt
or seen-cut them off from direct
communication with the bulkhead,
and at the same time opened up a
shaft Of daylight, striking down
through that pitchy darkness like a
column of fine gold.
Cries of joy, amazement. inCredulity
choking in their threats, they STUN
bled forward, gained the spot immedi-
ately below the shaft, looked upward,
daZzled, to see blue sky like coin of
heavens minting far above them, at
the end of long and almost perpendi-
cular tunnel wide enough to permit
the passage of mans body, and lined
with wooden ladders
The end of the lowermost ladder
hung within easy reach from the floor
of the tunnel. 1855.
But even as Alan lifted his hands to
grasp the bottom rung the opening at
the top of the shaft was temporarily
obscured #...
Thrilled with apprehension, he hest
tated Marrophat was up there, he lit
tie doubted; hardly like that one to
overlook the ladder-shaft in preparing
the tunnel to be living tomb.
What is it?" Rose demanded at his
elbow, in a shaken whisper.
Nothing, he lied instantly, and
selling the bottom rung, swung him
self up But wait for me till | signal
the coasts clear" he warned before
committing himself finally to the as
cent.
Marrophat or no Marrophat at the
top, there was nothing for him to do
but to grasp the nettle danger with
steady hand, unflinching, Even though
he were shot dead on emerging from
the shaft, it were better than to. die
down there, like a rat in trap.
He had climbed not more than half
a dozen rungs when a voice hailed
from above:
'Law-Oh, Mister Law. say-don't
come up-here's present for you"
Pausing without answer, he looked
up. A few drops of water splattered
his face, like heavy rain. Almost i'm
mediately the blue sky was per
manently eclipsed: heavy cascade of
water, almost a solid column, shot
down the shaft with terrific force.
Half-drowned and wholly dazed, he
felt himself picked up and dragged
away from the waterfall.
Then, as his senses cleared. he COM
pretended the fact that the tunnel
was already filling; that where they
stood it was already ankle deep; while
the water continued to fall without
hint of letup.