The Lamar register., 1919-10-01

epurred 10 desperate effort, stood
up on the instant and leaned against
a rocky wall. Miracle of miracles
1 could stand. 1 was not dead, after
all. / was not. indeed, so far as l
could tell. seriously hurt. Badly
bruised. of course-but no bones bro
ken. 1t seemed incredible, but 1t was
so. The realization made me feel
weak again, and l sat down with my
back propped up against the rock, and
waited for more strength.
Slowly my thoughts fumbled around
the situation. Then, as by force of
habit. my hand went to my pocket.
God be praised | had matches, and
cried with thankfulness, out of very
weakness. But | still sat on in the
dark for while. / felt very tired.
After thinking about II for long time.
| took out my precious matchbox.
which unconsciously | had been hug.
ging with my hand and struck light,
looking about me in dazed fashion.
The match burnt down to my fingers.
and / threw 1t away. as the flame
stung me. | had seen something of
my surroundings. enough TO last my
tired brain. for minute or two. was
at the bottom of sort of crevasse,
a narrow cleft In the rocks which con-
iinued on in n slanting downward
chHsm into the darkness. II was
natural corridor. with II floor OF white
sand. The sand had accounted for
81,
bones.
After another minute or two I
struck another match, and 10 another
miracle There was my lantern lying
beside me. The glass OF II was bro
ken. but that was no matter. As | lit
the wick my hopes lenpt up with the
flame At the worst / had light.
swung my lantern aloft. seeking
the possibilities OF a climb. but every
or protubernnce of any kind To lake
advantage of. and it was utterly de-
void of vegetntlon-not sign OF u
friendly shrub or root to hold by.
] had sense enough to know that |
was too tired to think profitably, and
drowsiness coming over me told me
that an hour or two's sleep would give
me the strength l needed to renew
with II Will and more chances OF sue
cess my efforts to escape.
Light was too precious TO waste. so
| blew out my lantern. and. curling up
on the sand, almost Instantly fell
asleep. But before | lapsed into un-
consciousness / had clutched hold of
one sustaining thought in the dark
ness-the assurance of Calypso's safe
ty. so confidently announced by hes
father: Don't be afraid for her.
know my daughterr Whatever hap
pened To me. she would come out all
right. As her brave shape flashed be-
fore my minds eye. down there under
the earth. could have no doubt of
that
My instinct had been right in giving
way to my drowslness. for ! woke up
from my sleep new man. How long
had been there. of course, | had no
means OF knowing: but ! fancy | must
have slept a good while. for / felt so
refreshed and full OF determination to
tackle my escape In good earnest
had hardly relit my lantern when
Its rays revealed something which 1t
seemed impossible for anyone with
eyes. however weary. to have over
looked.
In the right-hand corner of the
little cavern. five or six feet above my
head. was a dark hole. like the en-
trance to a tunnel. or. more properly
speaking good-sIzed burrow-for II
was scarcely more than a yard In d.
ameter. II seemed to be something
more than n mere cavity in the rock.
for. when ] flashed my lantern up to
il | could see no end. To climb up
to II at first seemed difficult; but
providentially. had n stout clasp
knife in my pocket. and with this l
cut a step or two in the porous rock.
and so managed 1t. Lying fiat on my
stomach. l looked in.
II was, as had thought. a narrow
natural tunnel, shaking through the
rocks-as often happens In those curl
Gus fantastic coral formatIons-for
all the world. indeed, as II 1t had been
made ages ago by some monstrous
primeval serpent. Il giant wormhole.
no less, leading-heaven alone knew
where.
There was just room to crawl along
il on all fours, so started cautiously.