THE ESCAPE
And the seventh day was the Sabbath! The Lord rested on the Sabbath! Sabbath! Seventh! Seventh! Sabbath! These in Alan’s ears as he and in the darkness. He where he was, but was too to make much to out. His were and his whole ached; he see nothing, for total him. Then again him, and he again of the Marshfielden and the brooks.
When he it was with a healthy of hunger, and his returned and he where his and Jez-Riah were. He called them by name, but there was no reply. He out on either of him, but nothing—he to be alone. The was oppressive, the air heavy, and he a great in breathing. He to think of the for into the river; he the cold close over him, by an time under water when he not breathe, when his were bursting, to the used up air him. Then he a of as he in a long of air, and afterwards—no more. He to have into a dream. Now at last he he was safe again, and in his he thanked God for having over him and him once more to safety.
As the past events clearer, Alan rose up 130cautiously, but his came in with the of the place he was in. He on all and his way the place. It was very small, twenty yards in circumference, and perfectly dark. Suddenly his hand touched something, something warm. It was Jez-Riah, and, close her Desmond. He spoke to them each in turn—shook them, but they no of having him. He for their beats, but neither any of life.
The water that had them all to this new ran near, and Alan the two to the water’s edge. He his hand in the liquid and that it was only an or two at the most. He a cup with his hands and the water into his companions’ in turn, and at last was by a from Jez-Riah and a from Desmond.
“Dez, old man, how are you now? Jez-Riah, are you better?”
So from one to the other he turned, his only to them to life and hope.
Suddenly Desmond spoke. “That was a near shave, Lanny.”
“How are you?”
“I beastly.”
“Where are we?” asked Jez-Riah.
“I’ve no idea. The river has either or we’ve been up a little and left the main itself. There is very little water here—only a at the most and it is very sluggishly. There is a to the right up which we must have come, but it is very low; I can the of waters, but I don’t to in the dark.”
“Of not, Alan,” answered Desmond, and then Jez-Riah said pathetically, “I am hungry, O Ar-lane.”
Alan his wearily. “There is no food here. The light has gone. I am we are from the of the underworld.”
They talked in low for some time—they all 131ill and weak. The and all their were so safe, and the still fast on Alan’s back. Their were nearly dry, so they they must have been up by the water for some time. While they talked they the of from above their heads. Then the and they that which it was for them to mistake—they it too well—the of operations in a mine!
Alan’s were shining. “Did you that?” he asked excitedly. “You know that sound? Haven’t you that in the at Grimland?”
Desmond spoke huskily. “You that we are—”
“We are a mine. White men are not away, I am sure. They may be Britishers like ourselves—oh, how can we to them?”
Wildly they at the above them, but the they were and little and no in the distance. Tired and they all asleep, and when they there was everywhere. They were from hunger; they have themselves they would have been at their appearance. Pale, emaciated, with and cheeks, they looked almost like old men, of still in the of their manhood.
They into a stupor, and themselves, so weak and were they, when all at once there came upon their ears a which the place they were in and sent and all about them in the darkness. Then came a and terrible.
“It’s all right,” Alan. “They are only again.” But neither Desmond Jez-Riah answered him. Weak and they and upon the ground. The overhead again, and Alan alone in his at the with his hands, but his on the ground his and gave to dry, hard sobs.
132He to his in the of fever, and he the of the woman as she asked for water to her mouth. Then he too gave way. Strong and he had been through all their privations, but he and to the he up in the darkness. Death was near them; the Black Angel was by them, and the Reaper had his in his hand only waiting for the opportunity that he would come, and that would him to cut three more for his well granary.
“I can’t think where the water comes from, Mr. Vermont. There must be a somewhere. Can I have the going and make for an excavation?”
“Certainly, Mennell, when you like,” and William Mennell, of the Westpoint Gold Mines in Walla Balla, Australia, started his preparations.
The part of the mine he was on at the moment was with water, which the very difficult, and was a great of about the safety of the mine. The were ready, a was sunk, and they to work.
“The trouble is there, sir,” said he, the ground under his foot. “I’ll have it all up to-morrow.” By six the next the men were hard at work, and they the earth aside, meanwhile. Suddenly one of the men and gave a as he himself on the ground him.
“What’s up, Bill? Tea too this morning?”
“Take care,” he shouted. “There’s a or something. My right through. There’s a there.”
Carefully they the place, and that the ground was not solid beneath, but a dark cavern.
“Where is Mr. Mennell? What had we do?”
133Mennell came up. “Got a lantern, boys?” he asked. “Let’s see how it is.” They a miner’s on to the end of a red and let it down. “H’m, only about eight feet—during the the land must have slipped. My God,” he shouted. “Ropes! Ladders! I’m going down.”
“What’s wrong?” asked Ferrers, one of his pals. “You look as if you have a ghost.”
Mennell the off his forehead. “Look there, Ferrers,” said he hoarsely. “Can you see anything?”
Ferrers took of the and into the blackness. Then he up and looked closely into Mennell’s face. “There is something there,” said he in an awe-struck voice. “Something that looks like men.”
“You saw too?”
“Aye, William.”
“Then it was no ghost.”
Down the rope Mennell, by Ferrers. They over the of Alan and Desmond Forsyth and them up into the mine.
“What’s that?” Ferrers pointed to a of the cave.
“It’s a woman.”
Tenderly also was Jez-Riah up the ladder. The were all speechless. How was it possible for three beings to have got into such a position?
Reverently they were to the office at the of the where the manager was writing. Mennell told him what had happened, and the boys were by upon the floor. But when they looked at Jez-Riah they not a shudder. She looked almost with her skin and horn. They their repugnance, however, and her lips.
Desmond opened his first. “Is this Marshfielden?” he asked.
134“It’s all right,” said Mr. Travers, the manager, kindly, and he offered him some more of the stimulant.
“Then I am alive?” He touched Mr. Travers’ hand. “God, I am among white people at last,” and he again unconscious.
“The doc’s above,” said a man. “I’ve been on the ’phone. Beds are all prepared for them.”
So the two boys, in miners’ coats, were out into the once again. Alan, however, did not at all. He was out from hunger, and worry. Always the one to have a word to his companions, this last had been too much for him and he so still and and cold, they it would be to save him. And Jez-Riah? She had come to her and had called for Alan but the did not her, and away from her in fear.
“What shall we do with—it—her?” asked Mennell at last.
“Take her above and put her in Dr. Mackintosh’s care,” said Mr. Travers kindly.
“Right, sir.”
The day was perfect, the sun brightly, the sky was blue, a blue, and the were gaily. The of the sun’s came through the that was Jez-Riah, and she to be free of it. The men put her on the ground, and she stood, hands and at the sun.
“Jovah. Har-Barim,” she cried, and at the all around.
Suddenly a came over her and she out on to a patch. A of men her, and their and fear. There was perfect for a moment, and a voice out in so as to be unrecognizable, “My God” and a man and fled. All the of the him, their white and strained, and little work was done that day at the mine.
135And in a little near by, the men were deeply, to the they had just witnessed; and they laughed and in their fear, but not one of them spoke to the other of what he had seen.
137
BOOK III
EXIT THE WORLD
(After the War)
139
