Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1924-02-08

mess Of ham and cabbage" he OBJ
served.
Il am glad to have found something
to stimulate your appetite-it's wor-
ried me-" replied Wallie. But his
sarcasm was wasted on Rufus. who
arose, yawning, while Wallie indicat-
ed that he was ready.
Turning the windlass according to
instructions, Wallie deposited Rufus
in the bottom. Then at intervals he
hoisted the bucket, which Rufus filled
in leisurely fashion, and emptied it.
performing the two mems work cas-
lily.
Wallie went down occasionally to
stoke the fire, and upon his return re-
ported so favorably upon the ham and
cabbage that Rufus took to consulting
his watch rather frequently after ten.
thirty.
"rll quit at 'leven," he informed
Wallie, land thatll give you plenty
of time to make batch of biscuit and
get dinner"
Wallie agreed with him that it was
an excellent idea and promptly at
eleven pulled up the bucket Of dirt
which was to be the last one.
When it did not come down imme.
diately, Rufus called to him:
"Hi! I'm ready! Get a move on,
for I'm starvin'"
There was no response at the open
ing.
Whats the matter with you?" he
demanded, impatiently.
The echo of his own voice answered
him. Slightly alarmed he called loud
'er: Macpherson! What's happened
to ye?"
Still no answer.
Distinctly nervous, Rufus shouted
at the top of his lungs for Wallie and
the bucket, breaking into perspira-
ton at the continued silence.
Was he sick? tainted? Dead
Many. things that could occur came
W hCCu dS NC Ad1lOCu luLllC1y.
When one o'clock came he was
hoarse from yelling and sick with
fear at his predicament. His imagin.
alton painted grewsome pictures as
he sweated. He saw himself weak
and emaciated, dying slowly OF
starvation, collapsing, finally to lie
undiscovered for days, weeks, maybe
The memory OF field mouse that
had fallen into pit haunted him, its
futile, frantic struggles to scale the
steep sides, and he remembered that
when he had passed that way again
he had looked and found it dead In
the bottom. He wished now that he
had rescued it.
His suffering would be worse than
that of the field mouse, for he had the
intelligence to know that it was use
less to struggle, that there was nc
hope for him unless someone came to
his assistance. And merciful heav
ems, how hungry he was at only an
hour past his dinner time; what
would his sensations be at an hour
past his supper time or at one o'clock
tomorrow? He made a sound like
someone grooming in a rain barrel as
he thought Of the ham and cabbage
boiling dry in the cabin.
1t made the back of his neck ache
to watch the opening Of his prison
and the patch of blue sky, from which
he prayed, vaguely, that a rope lad
Ter might descend to rescue him. So
he sat down finally with his back
against the side Of the we'll, his
knees to his chin, and his head bowed,
to await the inevitable.
When three o'clock came he could
no longer doubt but that some acct
dent had befallen Wallie. He had
given up hope and endeavored to re-
sign himself to the fate awaiting him
Remorse mingled with the pangs of
hunger and the cold fear Of dying
which was upon him. He wondered
if this torturing end was judgment
sent upon him. He could scarcely
doubt it.
But if by some miracle he got out
if the Lord saw fit to save him-he
would be a different man. The AL
mighty had his word for it. Still sit
ting with his back against the wall
and his cramped legs extended in
front of him, Rufus rolled his eyes in
supplication to the circular blue space
above him and registered this vow
with all the fervor and sincerity of
which he was capable.
He moved uneasily. He was vague
ly conscious of dampness. He felt
mechanically of that section of his
overalls upon which he was sitting.
He sprang to his feet with an excla-
nation and looked at the spot he had
occupied Moisture! A seepage!
Water! His eyes grew big with hor-
ror. Even as he looked with dilating
H.