The Lamar register., 1919-10-08

unu
all that Calypso was to me came back
with the keenness of sword through
my heart. All there was my treasure
as ! had known when my eyes first
beheld her-compared with which that
gold and silver In there, whose CLEAN
had made me momentarlly distraught,
was hut so much dust and ashes,
Ardently as l had sought 1t, what was
it compared to one glance of her eyesf
What If in the same hour, / had lost
my true treasure, and found the falsef
AT the thought. that gllttering heap
became abhorrent to me. and. without
looking back, | sought for some way
by which / could descend.
As my eyes grew accustomed to the
dim light, saw that there were some
shallow steps cut dlngonally in the
rock. and down these had soon made
my way, 10 find myself In a roomy cor
ridor 50 much like that in which / had
seen Calypso standing in the moonlight
that. for moment, dreamed it was
the same, and started to run down II.
thinking. indeed. that my troubles
were over-that in another moment
would emerge through thar enchanted
door and face the sea.
But alas! instead OF broad shining
doorway, and open arms OF freedom
widespread for me to leap Into. came
at last to mere long narrow slit
through which could gaze as a man
gazes through prison window at the
sky.
The entrance had once been wide
and free, but Il mass Of rock had fallen
from above and blocked II up, leaving
only long crack through which the
tides passed to and fro.
/ was still In my trap; II seemed
more terrible thnn ever, now that ]
could see freedom so close. her very
voice calling to me. singing the morn
ing song of the sea. But In the caverns
behind me. heard another mocking
song, and felt cold breath on my
cheek. for death stood by my side
a-grin.
"The treasurer he whispered. 81
need you to guard that. The treasure
ure for which you have lost-your
TREASURED You cannot escape. Go back
and count your gold 1T Is all good
money! Hal hal 1T is all good
money T."
The Illusion seemed so real to me
that l cried aloud Il VIII not diei
viii not diei"-cried II so loud, that
anyone In a passing boat might have
heard me, and shuddered. wondering
what poor ghost Il was wailing among
the rocks.
But the fright had done me good.
and nerved myself for another effort.
II only I could wriggle past that con-
traction In the middle, should be
safe. And If stuck fast midway But
the more / measured the width with
my eye. the less the narrowing seemed
to be. To be so slightly perceptible. II
could hardly be enough TO make much
difference. Caution whispered that II
might be enough to make the differ
ence between life and death. But al
ready my choice OF those two august
alternatives was so limited as hardly
to be called choice. On the one
NOuiu NoAhi why OuNh
through the caves and tunnels through
which had passed. and try my luck
again at the other end.
with half a dozen matchesi"
sneered a voice that sounded like To-
bias'-"Precisely" and the hor-
ror OF II was more than l dared face
again anyway. So there was nothing
for II but this aperture, hardly wider
than one of those deep stone slits that
stood for windows in Norman castle.
1t was my last chance. and meant
to take 1t like a man.
stood for a moment nerving myself
and taking deep breaths, as though ]
expected to take but few more. Then,
my left arm extended, l entered side
wise. and began to edge myself along
II was easy enough for a yard or two,
after which it was Plain that 1t was
beginning to narrow. Very slightly in
deed. but still little. However. could
still go on, and-I could still go back. ]
went on-more slowly II is true. yet
still progressed. But the rock was
perceptlbly closer to me. i had to
struggle harder. II was beginning to
hug me-very gently-but It was be-
ginning.
paused to take breath. could not
turn NV head to look back hut i