The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-01-21

II HAtNuNH OuNDIiPl VI iNh IiNibNo tch'N
where above him, he forced the bloc
upward, back into its place, janmin
IL there with all his strength, until /
sharp click convinced him the punch
con again was securely held. The.
were alone, Isolated I'm the blacl
depths. underneath the burning cabin
buried deep IN the protecting earth
He reached bllGdly out through TIN
darkness until he touched her, his fin
gers closing convulsiyeiy on a fold o
her dress. In the sudden reaction he
felt as weak as a child, unable ever
TO control his speech.
1T was God who helped us. he said
humbly, mo one else could You are
sure, Olga. you are unhurtT
Il must be bruised, | suppose; II
WAS an ugly fall, and-and really
think / lost consciousness at ffrst.
Then seemed to hear you call me a
long ways off. Is the cabin afire?"
Eyes; those devils started 1t at the
rear. You can hear the wood crackle
even down here, and we must get far
Their back out of the way. When the
roof falls this part of the floor may
cave in also"
In spite of the increasing volume of
flames above, scarcely gIimmer of
red light succeeded in penetrating to
where they were hidden. A very
slight glow found entrance through a
narrow crack above them, yet Shelby
was compelled to learn their immedi-
ate surroundings more by sense of
touch than sight.
They were in a mere hole scooped
out from the soft earth, hardly wider
than the trap door which led to it, the
other puncheons of the cabin floor
resting solidIy upon the ground. Shell
by leading the way, feeling his pas
sage along inch by inch, was suddenly
halted by an earth barrier which
seemingly blocked all further progress.
He could feel that it did not wholly
reach the top, leaving a space there
through which it might be possible to
crawl. Yet what would there be be-
You'd? Why should they venture fur
NitNA Ut pACoChl' 1Juuu was OulSluG
with his Indians, the whole scene lit
up with the glare of flames. They
dare not venture to expose them
selves. Here they were beyond reach,
protected from both flames and saw
ages. Unless some among those as
sailants knew the existence of this
tunnel, or accidentally stumbled upon
Its outer entrance, they could scarcely
be exposed. Even if one or two found
their way in, this barrier of earth
would block them, and, if necessary,
form the best possible defense. Con-
fident that they had persisted, and that
their charred bodies were lying in the
midst of the still smoking embers of
the cabin, there would be no guard
watching for an attempt at escape. He
reached out and grasped her hand,
drawing her down beside him.
"What is it?" she asked in whis-
per.
"A fall of earth nearly blocking the
passage" he explained. 81 have no
idea where the tunnel leads to, and,
If l did, we would never dare creep
out into the open at present"
"You-you think we had better re-
main here?" doubtfully.
Until the fire dies down; perhaps
even longer. Let them believe we died
in the cabin; then there may be some
chance for us to get away"
but they will search the ruins?"
Not for some time; those logs will
he glowing embers for hours. That
sounded like the roof falling in then.
1t was-see! 1t has crushed its way
| down through the floor. There Is n
caldron of fire In that hole we lust
left, but it can't reach us here-only
| the smoke"
"WilI it not show them where we
have gomez"
u hope not; probably the smoking
blazing timbers will choke I'M the
opening, leaving It so filled with part.
~ burned wood as TO conceal II entire
~. Anyhow, this is our one chance
we would be shot down mercilessIv
outside"
The glare from the burning ruhhish
revealed their faces, and the smoke
began to swirl past them In cIopds
yet did not choke the tunnel, showing
there must he an opening somewhere
beyond TO the outside. Shelby fast
ened his neckerchlef over the ptrrs
nose and mouth, and protected her az
wen as himself, by means of his coat
scarcely conscious of the action thev
sat mus, their hands clasped gozinT
at the 'eaping figures OF flame and
listening to the variety Of no;soo
reaching their ears. The noeition
wh''e ore Of brooding horror did not
apparently involve immediate ner,I
Inc names could not reach them and
II was already evident that thnsa
uehSe volumes Of smoke, while dc
agreeable and suffocating, conId st,Ir
De endured. But being cooped m
snere, IN that hole underground mn m