Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-05-04

the pulpit desk had stood. and body
lay across me. If lost consciousness
II was for no more than an instant. yet
my whole body felt numbed and use
less. ! could scarcely move my fingers
10 unclasp them from the gun barrel,
and every breath l drew was in pain.
Sttll realized all that happened. dis.
tinguished voices, and the shutting of
feet on the puncheon floor heard
Fox shouting orders. as the mad hub
bub ceased.
That's enough! That's enough.
men! It's all over with. Here, SER
geant, round up those prisoners; God
knows there are few enough Of the
poor devils left. Guard those able to
walk outside. Now, Herzog, carry the
wounded over here. What? Why. of
course. YOU idiot. we are not savages-
those fellows fought like men, and are
to be treated decently. No distinction.
mind You. Let the dead lie where
they are till daylight, but don't over
look wounded man. Where's Cowan?
Does anybody know?"
Shot. sir: he's here in this pile
somewhere"
See II the fellow is alive. Who is
his lieutenant"
II am, sir; my names Kelly"
well get your damn crew of scoun-
drels out of here. what's left of them.
Do you hear! This is soldier work,
and want you fellows outside"
You used us all right when thar
wus fightin' ter do"
That's enough, Kelly. didn't USE
you-Moran did; and you can go 20
him with your complaints. know
how you treat prisoners, and would
hang the whole of you, ii ! had my
way. Now get out, and don't answer
me-those are your orders. l.ieuten-
ant Raymond"
He was here minute ago. sir" Il
voice answered from the vestibule
but he went outside think he was
touched little in one arm"
PITY is wasn't in the mouth; has
anyone seen a woman?"
No one answered.
mo! That's strange! Here Green,
take a couple OF men, and feel your
way along the walls; Jasper. make a
light of some kind-who wants me?
Colonel Moran? Tell him | am the
only officer present. and | can't leave.
BY God. The place is shambles!'
The searching party was to the right
OF me. against the black shadow OF
the wall. This was my chance, my one
and only chance to slip away unob-
served. In five minutes more the
searching party would find me there
and bear me along with the others
wriggled out from under the weight OF
the body lying across my legs, and
CROPPED about in the dark until my fin
gers encountered the ring embedded
In the floor. The light of the sputter
ing torch still left the pulpit platform
In shadow; Fox was at the other end
Of the church, his sharp voice rasping
out orders. got to my knees, and
lifted the trap barely far enough to
squeeze through. There was Il gleam
of light below; sufficient to reveal the
dark outline of the steps leading down
Some eye might distinguish the glim
mer, yet thrust my body through the
narrow opening noselessly, and low,
cred the cover to the floor level.
There was no cry, no sound indicat
Ing that the movement had been 90
served. waited an instant, crouched
breathlessly on the upper step. listen
Ing. My eyes surveyed those contract
ed surroundings curiously. The candle
mere fragment, burned dimly in one
corner, revealing what appeared to be
the interior OF huge box, with 8
platform built half across it, its outer
edge protected BY low rail a small
wheel ingeniously arranged to operate
lever, occupied one end of the plat
form. and directly across was an open
ing in the side wall next the floor
barely large enough for mans body
to squeeze into. Nothing else was
visible; no evidence left of the two
who had already passed that way.
slipped down the steps, lowered
my body silently to the damp floor.
entered the hole head first, dragging
and pushing with hands aud feet. eager
to get quickly into the open. Amos,
before realized the possibility. my
head and shoulders emerged into the
outer air and hung suspended over
q rock ledge. staring blindly down in
to the unknown depths of ravine
The ledge itself was barely wide
enough to afford foothold, yet | sue
ceeded In creeping out upon it, ant
then in standing upright. The Shout
der of the hill was sufficiently steeF
and high to shut out all view of tho
log walls OF the church, while below
was black void, out from which
! arose the faint sp,ashing of distan,
water. But the church Itself must
have been lit up by this time, for ;
reddish glow OF light tipped the bank
above, and bridged the dark ravine
The rock ledge extended to the right
fairly smooth path, and | followed Il
cautiously, finding no other available
passage. II led gradually downward
until it seemed to merge into beater
track, running directly south through
a tangle of underbrush not far above
the stream. The way was intensely
black, yet not difficult to follow by the
sense of touch. while the incessan
roar Of the nearby water blotted out al
sound from above. Once l heard the
crack of guns, but they sounded at
distance. and, looking up, could per
ceive the red reflection on the tree:
lining the bank far above. But fol
these was plunged in a black soil
tude. through which must grope m,
way. each step liable to plunge me