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

though black ropes were being dashed
tightly about 1t, squeezing out my
breath; then entire blackness engulfed
me and / knew no more.
How long I lay there In the darkness
/ cannot tell. All I remember Is
suddenly opening my eyes on intense
blackness and vaguely wondering
where l was. My head seemed entire
ly detached from my body, of which
SO far 1 was unconscious. But pres
emily the realization of 1t returned.
and involuntarily / tried to move
to find with sort of Indifferent mild
surprise that 1t was impossible.
So there lay, oddly content. in the
dark--the pungent smell of the earth
my only sensation, and my head use
lessly clear.
The remembrance of what had hap
pened began to grow in force and
keenness and, of a sudden. the thought
of Calypso smote me like a sword |
Spurred to desperate effort. i stood
up on the instant and leaned against
a rocky wall. Miracle of miracles
I could stand. / was not dead, after
all. was not, indeed, so far as
could tell, seriously hurt. Badly
bruised, of course-but no bones bro
ken. 1t seemed incredible. but It was
so. The realization made me feel
weak again, and / 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 praisedl 1 had matches, and
/ cried with thankfulness, out of very
weakness. But / still sat on in the
dark for a 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 q 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 a minute or two. was
at the bottom Of q sort of crevasse.
a narrow cleft In the rocks which con-
tinued on In a slanting downward
chasm into the darkness. 1t was
natural corridor, with floor of white
sand. The sand had accounted for
my coming OF without any broken
J bones.
After another minute or two
struck another match. and 10 another
miracle. There was my lantern lying
beside me. The glass Of 1t was bro
ken, but that was no matter. AS lit
the wick my hopes leapt up with the
flame. At the worst had light.
I 1 swung my lantern aloft, seeking
the possibilities Of climb. but every
where 1t was sheer, without ledge
or protuberance Of any kind to take
advantage of, and 1t was utterly de-
void of vegetation-not sign Of a
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 i needed to renew
with 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, alpost 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 daughter.y 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 drowsiness. for woke uT
from my sleep q new man. How Ions
/ had been there, Of course, had nc
means of knowing; but fancy mus
have slept good while, for felt 81
refreshed and full of determination t.
tackle my escape In good earnest.
1 had hardly relIt my lantern wher
its rays revealed something which 4
seemed impossible for anyone witt
eyes, however weary. to have over
looked.
In the right-hand corner of tn,
little cavern, FIVE or six feet above m!
head. was a dark hole, like the en-
trance to tunnel, or, more properl.
speaking a good-sized burrow--for
was scarcely more than yard In dl
ameter. It seemed to be something
more than a mere cavity In the rock
for. when I flashed my lantern up 4
II I could see no end. To climb NJ
to II at first seemed diflcult; blu
n providentially. i had a stout class
knife In my pocket. and with this
cut step or two In the porous roch
and 80 managed It. Lying fiat on m,
stomach, hooked In.
1t was, as I had thought. . narrov
natural tunnel. shaking through III