The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-01-08
and crevices in scared Of some way

and crevices In search OF some way
of forcing 1t.
"Barcus-old mani"
"Yes?"
Have you any idea"
Devil one!"
A pause
did you notice what that piacA-
guard had fixed up?"
What do you mean?
| "Why-at the bottom of the SMART
I got only glimpse coming in-tne
door Of the powder room was OPEN
and I saw fuse set to the top OF d
keg of blasting powder
whats the good of that? were
fast enough as 1t is"
Simply to make assurance douDiy
! sure by causing a cavein
| II seem to remember nearing u
reading, some place, that tunnels hase
two ends. If that's true, the far eno
/ OF this ought to be about the safest
place when that explosion happens
IL 1t ever does"
Something in that!"
Got any matches?" Barcus IN
quired, as Alan hurriedly helped Rose
to her feet.
Never one"
Nor I. Well have to feel our way
along. Let me lead. If step over tne
brink of a pit or anything, III try 10
yell and warn you In time.
Alan caught his friends hand III
passing and pressed 1t WARMLY ca
ress eloquent of his gratitude to bar
Gus for taking their peril lightly, OF
pretending to, for the sake OF Rose
A ticklish business, that-groplng
their way through blackness SO
Opaque that 1t seemed as palpaple as
a pool of ink. And haste was indl-
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
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-
ateiy 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.
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 tc
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, ant
selling the bottom rung, swung him
self up. But wait for me till sigma
| the coasts clear" he warned before
| committing himself finally to the as
Il cent.
i Marrophat or no Marrophat at TIL
! top, there was nothing for him to d.
but to grasp the nettle danger with
steady hand, unflinching Even thougl
; he were shot dead on emerging fror
= the shaft, it were better than to di
down there, like rat in trap.
He had climbed not more than ha
!. dozen rungs when voice halle
g from above:
81 "Law-0h, Mister Law. say-don
% come up-here's present for YOU"
v Pausing without answer, he locke
v. up. A few drops of water splattere
"a his face, like heavy rain. Almost in
p mediately the blue sky was pc
manently eclipsed; heavy cascade
10 water, almost a solid column, she
n down the shaft with terrific force.
n Half-drowned and wholly dazed, /
IS, felt himself picked up and dragge
lg away from the waterfall.
~ Then, as his senses cleared he cor
s. pretended the fact that the tunn
as was already filing; that where the
stood 1t was already ankle deep; viii
the water continued to fall witho
ny hint of letup.
an CHAPTER xLVl.
nv