The Ordway new era., 1915-01-01

s0 yo9 uOtico NuAt tn4S 9AeSA-
suard had nxsd up!"
What Do you mean!" i
"Why-at Tie bottom of the shaft
!. got only . glimpse coming in--ths
door Of TIE powder room was OPEN.
and saw . fuse set to the top Of Z
kag e blasttAg powdsr
whats the god Of tha&f were
fast enough - II Isl"
"1inpiyr b mako assurance doubly
sure By cansiag cavern
II seem 70 remember hsarlns OF
reading, some placs. that tunnels have
two ends. II that's true. tho far sne
Of this ought 70 b about the sassss
place whsa that explosion happsns-
u II ever Asss."
"9omsthlng IN that!"
Got any mstchesf' Barcus IN
quirsd. - AlAA hurrisdly helped Rose
70 her test
Never one"
"Nor 1. Wen have to feel our way
along. Lst mo lead. II step over The
brink Of pit Or anything. III try 70
yell and warn You in time.
AAn cansht his friends hand IN
passing and pressed II wafmiy-e e.
rsss eloquent q his gratitude to Bar
Gus for takiag their peril lightly. or
pretending to. for tho sake Of Rose !,
A tickiish business. that-grcpans
their way through blackness 20
opaque that Il seemed as palpable e
= pool Of ink. And haste was indt
Gated: they stumbled on with what
caution was possible against pitfalls
. gingerly scramble. Then an elbow
in the tunnel-sensed rather than felt
or seen-cut them OF from direct
Communication with the bulkhead.
and at the same time opened up .
shaft Of daylight, striking down
through that pitchy darkness like .
column Of flne gold
Cries Of 10y. amusement, incredulity
choking in their throats, they STUN
bled forward. gained the spot immedi-
ately below the shaft. looked upward.
dazsled. 70. see blue sky like . coin Of
heavens mintins far above them. at
the end Of . long and almost perpendt
cular tunnel. Wide enough to permit
the passage Of mans body. and lined
with wooden ladders.
Z The end Of the lowermost ladder
hung within easy reach from the door
Of the tunnel. 80
But even ~ Alan lifted his hands to
grasp the bottom rupg the opening ct
the top OF the shaft was Temporarily
obscured.
Thrilled with apprehension. hs 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 1T" Rose demanded at his
elbow. In = shaken whisper.
Nothing. he He'd instantly, and
seixing the bottom rung. swung him
self mp. But wait for me till ! signal
the coasts clear" he warned before
committing himself finally to the A.
cent.
Marrophst or no. Marrophat at the
top. there was nothing for him TO do
but to grasp the nettls danger with .
steady hand. unninching. Even though
he were shot dead ON emerging from
tho shaft. itJwere better than to die
down there. like q rat in trap. -.
He had climbed not more than half
q dozen rungs when . voice hailed
from above: 4.
"Law-Oh, Mister Law. say-don't
come up-here's present for you"
Pausing without answer. he looked
mp. A few drops Of water splattered
his face, like heavy rain. Almost i'm
mediately the blue sky was per-
manently eclipsed: a.heavy cascade Of
water. almost solid column, shot
down the shaft with terrific force
Half-drowned and wholly daxed, he
felt himself picked up. and dragged
away from the waterfall,
Then. ~ his senses cleared. he com
pretended the fact that the tunnel
was already filling; that where they
stood 1t was already ankle deep: while
the water continued to fall without
hint OF letup. -. !.