The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-10-08

all the world. indeed. as II 1t had been
made ages ago by some monstrous
primeval serpent. q giant wormhole,
no less. leading-heaven alone knew
where.
There was Just room to crawl along
It on all fours, so started cautiously.
making sure had my precious
matches and my jackIxnife all safe.
/ progressed. should say, for some
twenty or thirty yards, when. to my
! inexpressible relief, / came out, still
on,nll fours. onto a spreading floor;
then, standing up. perceived that
was In cave Of considerable lofti-
ness and some forty feet or so across.
It was good to breathe again such
comparatively free air; yet, as
looked about and made the circuit of
the walls, 1 saw that had but ex-
changed one prison for another. There
was this difference, however, whereas
there had only been one passageway
from the cave ! had just left. there
were several similar outlets from that
In which / now stood. Two or three
Of them proved to be nothing but al
coves that ran few yards and then
stopped.
But there were two close by each
other which seemed to continue on.
There was not much choice between
them, but as both made In the same
direction. so far as could Judge the
direction In which / had so far pro-
crossed, / decided to take the larger
one. 1t proved to be passage much
like the tunnel had already trav-
ersed, only little roomier, and there
fore 1t was easier going. and 1t. too.
brought me out. as had the other. on
another cavern-but one considerably
larger In extent
/ had stumbled on something like
Monte Cristo suite Of underground
apartments. And here for moment
released my imagination from her
binders, and allowed her to play
around these strange halls. And in
one of her suggestions there was some
comfort. 1t was hardly likely that
caverns of such extent had waited for
me to discover them. They must sure
ly have been known to Teach. or what
pied the ruined mansion not SO very
far above ground.
set about the more carefully to
examine every nook and corner. Two
iron staples imbedded In one. Of the
walls, with rusting chains and man.
acles attached. were melancholy proof
of one Of the uses to which the place
had once been put. Melancholy for
certain unhappy souls long since free
Of all mortal chains. but for me-need
I say it?-exceedingly joyous. For
II there had been way to bring pris-
dent that there had been a way to
/ take them out. But how and where?
Again I searched every nook and cram
ny. There was no sign of entrance
anywhere.
Then q thought occurred to me.
What If the entrance were after the
manner Of a medieval oubliette-
through the ceilingl There was a
thought indeed to send ones hopes
soaring. ran In my eagerness
through one cavern after another,
holding my lantern aloft. That must
be the solution. There could be no
other way. / sought and sought, but
alas 1t was a false hope, and threw
myself down in a corner In despair,
deciding that the prisoners must have
been forced to crawl In as had
though 1t was hardly like jailers to
put themselves to such Inconvenience.
leaned back against the wall and
gazed listlessly upward. Next mo-
ment 1 had bounded to my feet again.
Surely had seen some short. regular
lines running up the face of the rock.
like ladder. raised my lantern.
Sure enough, they were iron rounds
set In the face of the rock, and they
mounted up till l lost them in the OBJ
security, for the cave here must have
been forty feet high. Blessed heaven
was savedl
But alas! they did not begin TIL
some six feet above my head, and the
way was sheer. How was l to reach
the lowest rung? The rock was toe
sheer fer me to cut steps In, as hat
done farther back. looked about me
Again the luck was with me. In one
of the caves had noticed some broker
pieces Of fallen rock. They were ter
ribly heavy, but despair lent mt
strength, and after an hour or two's
work. had managed to roll severa
of them to the foot of the ladder, ant
with an effort of which would no
have believed myself capable--hat
been able to build them one on top Of
another against the wall. So, found
myself able to grasp the lowest RUM
with my hands. Then, fastening thu
lantern round my neck with my neck
tie. I prepared to mount.
The climb was not difficult, once
had managed to get my feet on tn
first rung Of the ladder, but there wa
always the chance that one OF tn
t<~Ik xoA until