White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1933-01-19
CHAPTER XII-Continued
(WNU Serviee)
(Copyrisht BY William Gerard Chapman.)

a long time ago, at that. AS to where
1t belongs on the map, I don't know
You won't be afraid to stay alone for
a few minutes, will you? I'm going
to climb up and see where this bucket
leads to. Just stay where you are
until you hear me lift the bucket and
drop it. Then climb in and shake the
rope when you are ready for me to
haul you up. Will you do that?"
eyes," she agreed; and with that he
laid hold Of the rope and began to
climb up.
When he had wriggled out at the
top of the shaft and found, by cropping
around, that it was capped with a
wooden windlass, he was willing to
rest for few seconds and catch his
breath before giving Betty the agreed
upon signal.
At once it was answered and he
began to wind. In a few minutes he
had drawn the bucket and it's precious
freight out upon the windlass plat
form.
When the candle was relighted it
became apparent that they had as
cended to what seemed to be nothing
more than an upper layer Of the rabbit
warren of bewildering passages and
drifts.
Haven't you any idea where we
are?" Betty asked.
"Wait a Bit" said Lands; and then,
"I've got 1t! Hasn't Bert Candy told
you about his mine-the Quavapai?"
yes"
well there are two Quavapais; the
new one that is being worked now, and
much older one," and he repeated
for her Starbuck's account of the an
cient workings. "That is about where
we are" he concluded; "buried some
where in those old workings. Well
keep on going while the candle lasts.
There must be some connection be-
tween these old workings and the new.
You're not too tired to tramp, are
you?"
I'm not tired at all, now. And we
been kidnapped and shut up in here for
nothing"
That was the beginning Of a long
period Of fruitless wanderings in q
maze that seemed endless.
1t was not until their candle had
dwlndled to half-inch that the really
desperate character of their situation
gripped Lands. With the light gone
they would be utterly helpless.
eve are nearly at the end Of things,
Betty" he said soberly. "You see how
much there is left of the candle. After
It is gone We'll be just buried alive"
II know; but I'm not afraid, Owen.
lit will be starvation, won't it?
don't want to die, but I'm not afraid.
Let's sit here on this pile Of rock and
face it the best we can"
For little while they sat in ST.
lence. When he spoke it was to say,
"Im to blame for whatever happens
to you, Betty. If I hadn't brought you
along-the devils, whoever they are,
who kidnapped you, wouldn't have left
you to starve at the bottom Of that
shaft"
Maybe not. But you mustn't think
of that now. You did what you
thought was best; we both did. Do
you think they've got Wally, too?
"Im afraid they have"
IF he is gone there is nobody to
miss us; not very soon, anyhow. The
Stillings will think 1 was invited to
stay overnight with the Smiths; and
the people at the hotel won't miss you,
will they?"
mo, suppose not"
AS he spoke, the remaining bit of
candle wick fell over, to burn flicker
1ngly for few seconds before it went
out.
After moment in the Stygian dark
ness that followed the extinguishing of
the CANDLE Betty said YEARLY, I'm
awfully tired; aren't you, Owen?"
mo; not very tired. But | know
you must be. Put your head on my
shoulder and go to sleep, If you can"
She did It, and after a little while
he knew from her regular breathing
that she had really fallen asleep. Be
fore long he felt that he, too, was sue
cumbing; and after few efforts to
fight off the lethargy of fatigue, his
eyes closed in spite Of his resolve, and
he slept
When he awoke Betty was still Sleep
ing, with her head on his shoulder
and, sharp as was his desire to move
and stretch and get the stiffness out
of his muscles, he was unwilling to
disturb her.
1t was while he was sitting with
wide-open eyes staring into the dark
ness that he saw, or thought he saw,
a faint thinning Of the darkness at a
point directly opposite. He stared
again and saw nothing. Then, in q
flash, the faint thinning Of the black
ness came again, and his start at this
repetition of the phenomenon awoke
Betty.
"What is it?" she asked.
II don't know. Look straight ahead !;
do you see anything?"