The Irish standard., 1915-06-05

other signs and tokens; but, alive or
dead, the Freemans were not there. We
learned, too, how they had been trap
ped, how having got in they were not
able to get out again, and also indica-
tions Of their pathetic efforts to climb
out Of their trap. Many signs and to-
kens of the recent presence Of the broth
ers and especially Of the long continued
residence there Of poor John freeman
we found, but not what we want
ed to find-not themselves. Again and
again we searched the vast cavern
through and through, expecting now
only to find their bodies sunk in some
cleft Of the great powders with which
the cavern seemed filled, but our search
! was vain. As our investigations became
closer and more minute we discovered
various other relics and signs of the
presence of the brothers, but neither
their bodies nor any opening into which
they might have fallen. True, they
might have died on the edge of that
pool which evidently communicated
with the sea by some passage, for the
water there ebbed and flowed; they
might have died in its verge and their
bodies afterward aoated away on the
rising tide and been born through that
passage. Again they might have COM
mitted suicide by throwing themselves
into that boiling chasm in which the
second of those galleries to which have
referred terminated, a chasm like a
huge caldron Of madly seething waters.
Yet there was something quite absurd
and incredible in both theories. When
they wrote that letter and signed it,
they were in good health and had plen-
ty of food. That they had plenty of
good food we knew as we'll from their
letter as from its presence in the cavern,
for we discovered their storehouse-
Granny between two powders in
which were bread and pieces of sailed
mutton. It was easy to see, too, how
that mutton had been procured. Hard
by were the bones of a sheep from which
the flesh had been stripped. The sheep
had evidently been Gifted, to use a To-
cal expression-that is to say, had fall
on from above through the opening into
the cavern. We did not disturb that lit
tie magazine. Indeed we added to it,
leaving there the whole supply of sand
witches which l had brought with me
for the use of my party. The flask of
brandy laid there too. The whole
affair Of the disappearance of tho broth
ers was so extraordinary and surprising
I believed it might eventuate in new
and still more extraordinary develop
ments. In. presence of this mystery l
could now believe in anything. I will
not trouble you with an account of our
consultations, theories and guesses.
Enough to say that after having spent
six or seven hours in that cavern we
came up again into daylight, not wiser,
but sadder men. BY this time huge
crowd Of people was assembled on the
hillside, Mr.. and Mrs. Freeman and the
little boy Charley among them. I was
the last to ascend. hoped that they
might have taken their departure before
my arrival, but they had not, and I had
the misery, and intense misery 1t was,
Of explaining to them the nature and
extent Of our explorations and our vain
discoveries. I shall never forget the
faces Of the bereaved parents as babe
them adieu. Az was parting from
them the little boy tugged me by the
coat.
"What is it. Charley?" I said.
II am glad you left those things in
their storehouse, he answered. Some
thing told you they are there still and
alive. Something tells me the same. f"
I started and looked at him. but
turned again at once and walked away
Something had not told me they were
there. Yet indeed, if had not depos-
tied the basket of sandwiches in that
tyranny to be eaten by the lost brothers
and that flask of brandy to be drunk by
them, why did leave those things?
The little boy was right before. He
knew that his brother John was at
the bottom of the DEVILS Parlor. {"
Might he not be right now? turned
round once more. He was standing in
the same place looking after mo. His
parents were now at some distance,
Mrs. Freeman leaning heavily on the
arm Of her husband and apparently
weeping.
II shall try again, Charley, 1 called
out.
He nodded approvingly and darted
away after his parents with an anima-
ton and cheerfulness which surprised
me.
"Out of the mouths Of babes and suck
hngs," murmured to myself as l
walked home.
spent all that night strictly by my
self pondering over the extraordinary
events Of the day. 1t is now daylight.
have spent the last two hours in writ
ing the official account and this private
one. Farewell.
I have just returned from q second
exploration Of this mysterious cavern
as close and as minute as the first. The
loaves which Charley Freeman threw
down recently have not been touched,
nor the articles which placed in tho
Granny. Saw a seal in one of the pools.
am almost mad with excitement.
Have explored the cave for the third
time. The flask is gone, the sandwich
basket opened. Some of the contents have
been eaten or taken away. Nosign of the
brothers. am COMPOUNDED. l have left
men in the cavern and shall keep them
there In permanence. The suspense Is
terrible. l am returning to the cave my
self. Send this after post car by orderly.