, 1925-01-21

that went hand in hand with an Occa-
siona astonishing p%arsimony, had Or
dered oilskln suits n waterproof
boots made especially for his guests.
A room was reserved for the young
ladies' at the mine, equipped for this
one occasion to serve as a boudoir
where they might dress In comfort.
The mine owner's guests donned.
with a good deal of hilarious merri-
ment. the short skirts. the boots and
the rubber helmets. The costumes
could not have been called becoming.
but they were eminently suited for the
wet. damp tunnel Of the Never Quit.
After they had entered the cage It
was n little terrifying to be shot SO
rapidly down into the ~blackness of
the mine.
Don't be afraid. It's quite safe"
Bleyer told them cheerfully.
At the tenth level the elevator
stopped and they emerged into an
open space.
Were going to follow this drift"
explained the superintendent.
They seated themselves In ore cars
and were wheeled into a cavern light
ed at intervals by electric bulbs. Pres
occupants descended.
This way" ordered Bleyer.
They followed in single file into a
hot. damp tunnel. which dripped mois-
u in big drops from the roof upon
a rough, uneven floor of stone and
dirt where pools Of water had occa-
sionally gathered. The darkness in
creased as they moved forward, driven
back by the candles Of the men for a
space scarce farther than they could
reach with outstretched hands.
Moya. bringing up the rear, could
hear Bleyer explain the workings to
those at his heel. He talked Of stOpes
drifts. tunnels, wage scales. shifts,
high-grade ore and other subjects that
were as Greek to Joyce and India.
The atmosphere was oppressively close
and warm. and the oilsk his that Moya
wore seemed to weigh heavily upon
her. She became aware with some an
noyance at herself that a faintness
was stealing over her brain and a
mistiness over her eyes. To steady
herself she stopped. catching at the
rough wall for support. The others,
unaware that she was not following,
moved on. With a half articulate
little cry she sank to the ground.
When she came to herself the lights
had disappeared. She was alone in
the most profound darkness she had
ever known. 1t seemed to press upon
her so ponderably as almost to be tan.
gible. The girl was frightened. Her
imagination began to c~onjure all sorts
of dangers. OF cave-ins and explo-
sions she had heard and read a rood
deal. Anything was possible In this
thousand-toot-deep grave. In a
frightened, ineffective little voice she
cried out to her friends.
Instantly there came an answer-a
faint tapping on the wall almost at
her ear. She listened breathlessly,
and caught again that faint far tap
tap-tap-tap-tap-tap. Instructive
ly her hand went out, cropping along
the wall until 1t fell upon a pipe. Even
as she touched this the sound came
again. and along with II the faintest
of vibrations. She knew that some
body at a distance was hitting the pipe
with n piece Of quartz or metal.
STOPPING. she found q bit OF broken
rock. Three times she tapped the
pipe. An nswer cnme at once.
She tried w knocks. Again the
response of seven taps sounded. -Four
blows brought still seven. Why al
ways severn She did not know, but
she was greatly comforted to know
that her friends were in communica-
ton with her. After all. she was no
alone.
A light glImmered nj the end OF the
tunnel and moved slowly toward her.
Bleyer's voice called her name. Pres
entity the whole party was about her
with sympathetic questions and ex-
plantations.
She made light Of her fainting at
tack. but verlnder insisted on getting
her back to the upper air In -plte OF
her protests. He had discovered that
Joyce was quite ready to return 10
the sunlight. now that her curiosity
was satisfied. A very little OF any
thing that was unpleasant went a long
way with Miss Seldom. and there was
something about this underground
tomb that reminded her strongly Of nm
Immense grave.
At dinner verinder referred to the
attack Of vertigo. Feel quite III
again. Miss Dwight7"
quite. thank you" Moyn was n