Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-03-24


than was needed to rid Rose Of her
bonds.
That much accomplished, a pause
OF profound conformation followed
The darkne Nsolute in the tun-
mel, Jimm 4aviP, zen the candle
away with i'm: anu silence was
rendered uncanny byt sobs ard muir
murs of the lovers. tha- sounded some
how fearfully remote and inhuman -
Barcus-who had turned Immediately
to the bulkhead and was, without the
slightest hope. cropping about its joints
and crevices in search of some way
of forcing It.
''Barcus-5old mani"
"Yes?"
Have yszs any idea"
Devil a one!"
A pause ~.
did you notice what that black
guard had fixed up?"
What do you mean?"
"Why-at the bottom OF the shaft
! got only glimpse coming in-the
door Of the powder room was open,
and saw a fuse set to the top OF a
key of blasting powder
What's the good of that? We're
fast enough as 1t isl"
Simply to make assurance doubly
sure by causing a cavein
81 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 enc"
Nor /. Well have to feel our way
along. Let me lead II 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-eut them OF 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 throats, 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. al
the end of long and almost perpendi
cular tunnel. wide enough to permit
the passage of a mans body, and lined
with wooden ladders.
The end of the lowermost ladder
hung within easy reach from the floor
] of the tunnel
Tut even as Alan lifted his hands tc
grasp the bottom rung the opening al
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 a living tomb
What is it," Rose demanded at his
elbow. in shaken whisper
Nothing" he lied instantly, and
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
/ cent.
Marrophat or no Marrophat at the
top, there was nothing foy.him to dc
but to grasp the nettle danger with q
! steady hand. unflinching Even though
he were shot dead on emerging. from
4 the shaft, it were better than to dl'
| down there, like a rat in trap.
He had climbed not more than hal
dozen rungs when a voice haileC
from above:
"Law-Oh, Mister Law. | say--don'
come up--here's present for you"
Pausing without answer. he locke,
up. A few drops of water splattereC
his face, like heavy rain. Almost i'm
mediately the blue sky was per
manently eclipsed: heavy cascade o
water. almost a solid column. sho
down the shaft with terrific force
Half-drowned and wholly dazed. h,
felt himself picked up and dragged
away from the waterfall
Then, as his senses cleared, he com
pretended the fact that the tunne
was already filing; that where thel
stood It was already ankle deep: while
the water continued to fall withou