The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-05-18

twas one Oedo, or A"Ve!
thrilling now with sudden return to
hope.
"Oh, IL don't know. cannot
even tell what has happened. l
stepped back quickly, the bench over
turned and l fell. 1t Is all earth
around me-where am IT,
"In the passage beneath the cabin"
he explained quickly. 1T has been a
miracle; your fall opened the trap.
Perhaps we may escape from these
devils yet. Make room for me to come
down: the cabin is already on fire. Is
the hole deepf
mot very, l think, and there Is
room."
He lowered himself, but 1t was not
necessary to drop; his feet struck the
earth floor, and, as he turned his
hands came in contact with the slab
still dangling, just as 1t had fallen.
Obeylng the first impulse, aware OF a
sudden outburst Of red flames some
where above him, he forced the block
upward, back into its place, tanning
It there with all his strength, until a
sharp click convinced him the punch
con again was securely held. They
were alone, isolated, in the black
depths, underneath the burning cabin,
buried deep in the protecting earth.
He reached blindly out through the
darkness until he touched her, his fin
gers closing convulsively on a fold OF
her dress. In the sudden reaction he
felt as weak os a child, unable even
to control his speech.
1T was God who helped u.s." he said
humbly, mo one else could. You are
sure, Olga, you are unhurt~
II must be bruised, I suppose; 1t
was an ugly fall. and-and ! really
think I lost consciousness at first
Then I 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
ther back out Of the way. When TIL
roof falls this part Of the floor ma!
cave in also"
In spite of the increasing volume o
flames above. scarcely glimmer o
red light succeeded in penetrating Il
where they were hidden. A YER
slight glow found entrance through
narrow crack above them. yet Shelb
was compelled to learn their immed
ate surroundings more by sense q
touch than sight
They were in a mere hole SCOPE
out from the soft earth, hardly wide
than the trap door which led to 1t, til
other puncheons Of the cabin foe
resting sOlidly upon the ground. She
by leading the way, feeling his pa
sage along inch by inch, was suddenl
halted by an earth barrier whic
seemingly blocked all further progress
He could feel that 1t did not who'll
reach the top, leaving a space thel
through which 1t might be possible
crawl. Yet what would there be b
yond7 Why should they venture fu
Their at present? Laud was outsit
, with his Indians, the whole scene
up with the glare Of flames. Tit
dare not venture to expose thel
selves. Here they were beyond reac
: protected from both flames and So
ages. Unless some among those a
sailants knew the existence Of til
: tunnel. or accidentally stumbled upt
its outer entrance. they could scarce
be exposed. Even If one or two foul
their way in. this barrier of ear
would block them, and. If necessar
form the best possible defense. Co
fident that they had persisted, and tn
> their charred bodies were lying In t
midst Of the still smoking embers
the cabin, there would be no qua
!, watching for an attempt at escape.
: reached out and grasped her har
: drawing her down beside him.
"What Is IT." she asked in a VIII
: per.
: "A fall Of earth nearly blocking t
:. passage" he explained. II have
y Idea where the tunnel leads to. M
II II did. we would never dare ere
9 out into the open at present"
n "YOu-you think we had better
O main here?" dOubtfully.
r until the fire dies down; perha
y even longer. Let them believe we dl
In the cabin; then there may be Sol
chance for us to get away"
h "But they will search the ruins?'
I. mot for some time; those logs y
|. be glowing embers for hours. II
o sounded like the roof falling in tn
c. Il was-seel 1t has crushed its "
5. down through the floor. There is
caldron Of fire in that hole We ]
D. left, but it can't reach US here-o
the smoke"