The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1921-01-27


gers closing eunValsveiy on q fold u
her dress In the sudden reaction be
felt rs weak as child unable even
to control his speech.
II was God who helped us. be said
humhly mo one else could You are
sure Gigs you are unhrrtT
= must be bruised ! suppose; IT
was an net, fau and aud { reali,
hlnt lost oopsriousnes- ~ Hrsi
Then ssemrd to bear you can me =
long ways % l. The cabin anref
Yes those devils started Il ~ the
rear You can hear the wood cracble
even down here, aud We musi gei far
Their hack cut u fhe WY when the
roof falls this part Of The door may
cave Ia also
IN spite Of the Increasing volume Of
flames above scarcely a giimmef OF
red light succeeded IN penetrating 10
whore they we're hidden very
slight glow found entrance through n
narrow crack above them. yet Shelby
vas compelled 70 learn their lmnedl
ate surroundings more hy sense Of
touch than sight
They we're in q mere hole scooped
out from the soft earth. hardly wider
than The trap door which led 10 e. the
other puncheons ~ the cabin door
resting solidly upon he ground Shel.
"A . H.. 40
sage along inch by inch. WAS suddenly
halted hy an ea1l hHrrier which
seemingly blocked an further progress
lie could feel that u did not wholly
reach the TOP leaving a space there
through which II ngli he possible TO
crawl Yet what would there be be
yondi Why should they venture fur.
Their AZ presenri laud WAS outside
with his Indians. lie Whole scene no
up with The glare uf 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
It's outer entrance they could scarcely
be exposed Even II 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 SUI 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" be explained. II have no
idea where the tunnel leads to, and,
II did, we would never dare creep
out into the open AT present"
"You--you think we had better re
main hereg" 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 70 get away"
"But they will search the ruinsr
Not for some time; those logs viii
be glowing embers for hours. That
sounded like the roof falling In then
II was see II has crushed It's way
down through the floor There Is a
caldron Of ere In that hole we just
left but il can't reach US here-only
the smoke"
"Will II not show them where We
have gomez"
II hope not: probably the smoking.
blazing timbers will choke up the
opening. leaving It so filled with part
ly burned wood as to conceal II entire
ly. Anyhow. this is our one chance.
We would be shot down mercilessly
outside.
The glare from the burning rubbish
revealed their faces, and the smoke
began TO swirl past them In clouds,
vet did not choke the tunnel. showing
there must he an opening somewhere
beyond 70 the outside Shelby fast
eUfN NtN HtfhtEflllfl pNti iHf Nii
nose and mouth, and protected her. as
well as himself by means Of his coat.
Scarcely conscious OF the action they
sat thus. their hands clasped, gazing
at the leapieg figures Of fame, and
listening 10 the variety OF noises
reaching their ears. The position.
while one Of brooding horror. did not
apparently involve immediate peril.
The flames could not reach them and
II was already evident that those
dense volumes Of smoke. while dis
agreeable and sufrocating. could still
he endured But being eooped up
there. In that hole underground. M
able 10 venture forth choked by the
fumes their faces smarting from the
heat the earth walls holding them In
prison. death waiting for them which
ever way they turned brought
strain to Olga she could no longer
combat Impulsively she clutched the
man beside her, her head touching his
shoulder. her slender form trembling
10 sudden ouiburst
Don't lose your nerve. he Wills
pered. startled by her action. nothing