Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 86: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

82 IVAN THE CHAPTER XLII. RED JACKET AND HANDSOME NED FALL INTO THE OLD MINE—CONSTERNATION OF THE ‘“‘EEL’’ AND FRIENDS— THEIR MIRACULOUS ESCAPE FROM CERTAIN DEATH—THE DISTANT VOICE—THE SEARCH—DISCOVERY OF SCARLET SAM IN IRONS, CHAINED TO THE DISMAL WALLS—THE RELEASE—THE INTRICATE WINDING GALLERIES—‘ THIS WAY TO THE FORGE”—THEY CARRY THEIR HELPLESS COMPANION—DANGERS INCREASE—THEY MEET IVAN AND FOLLOWERS UNEXPECTEDLY—THE APPALLING sIGHT— THE HIDING HOLE. WHEN Tommy the “ Eel” and others heard the sudden splash and the groans ‘that issued out of the old mine, they were seized with horror and consternation, for they gave up Red Jacket and Handsome Ned for lost. The rope had snapped asunder, and where the two brave men had fallen to was a matter of doubt, for considering the lergth of rope that still remained unwound on the windlass, they naturally thought that the pit was many yards deeper than it really was. ' But if astonishment seized any one, it surprised Red Jacket and Ned more than all. The feat of descending was perilous enough, but when they felt the rope cracking, and heard it suddenly snap, they were plunged into the depths below, but how far the descent had been they knew not. The rope, in truth, was not rotten. It was a trick which Ivan and Aaron had arranged between them, so as to ensure the certain death of any one who might accidentally discover the pit and wish to explore it. | Their usual plan, therefore, after they had ascended; had been to partly cut the rope in some part, and to refasten it again whenever they wished to use it. | They thought “If any one that frequents the house should miraculously discover the secret of the sliding and descending closet, and should afterwards wish to descend the mine, to explore its riches, or ascertain its uses, we will partly cut the the rope in a well known part. If it is broken we may be sure the secret is known, and the victim smashed to atoms. Tf it is not broken, we can easily secure it whenever there is any occasion for us to use it.” That their fiendish plan succeeded, we have seen ; but, for- tunately for the two brave fellows that perilled their lives in descending it, the cut rope had not snapped until they were very near the bottom. For some time the “ Hel” and other anxious persons who were with him, shouted loudly down the pit. ° There was no response. Ahh “ They are smashed to atoms,” one sighed. ‘“‘ Poor fellows, we shall never see two such intrepid fellows in our band again. Captain Blue Jacket will go mad,” said another, in sorrow. ~ wae so, however ; Red Jacket and Handsome Ned were noé illed. ‘ It was some time, indeed, before they recovered their senses from the effects of the sudden fall, but an hour had not passed ere Red Jacket opened his eyes, and discovered himself ‘lying in a pool of water and a mass of soft clay. He rubbed his eyes like a man just awaking from a trouble- some dream, and at a short distance perceived Handsome Ned lying near him, as pale as ashes. The lantern was beside him, and not yet extinguished. As well as he could, he plunged about in the mud almost waist deep, and secured the lantern, He approached Handsome Ned, and found that his left arm was injured severely, but not broken. Blood also was upon his face from a wound in the head, With his hat he scooped up water from the pool and dowsed his companion, who, after a time, opened his eyes and sighed, “Where am I?” ‘‘The devil only knows, Ned,” was Red Jacket’s answer, “ All I know and care for is, that you are not dead no more than I am, though, by Jove! we have both had an awful shaking, Come, rise,man; we must look about us for some outlet by which we can escape from this infernal hole, for the rope has snapped and we cannot ascend the pit,” TERRIBLE. While he thus spoke and helped Ned out of the clay and mud, he heard a distant voice, which feebly, faintly groaned, “Saved, saved! Thank heaven, saved |” “Amen to that prayer,” said Ned, with looks of sudden surprise, shaking himself together. “Amen, whoever you are.” With the aid of their flickering lamp, Red Jacket and Ned looked about them and discovered long galleries running north, south, east, and west from where they stood. There seemed to be an old dry pathway on the edge and side of each, and. along one of these the two bold companions crept, and held on to the projecting parts of the rocky wall. ‘Where did that voice come from?” asked Red Jacket, “There is sotié poor devil hereabouts, but, for thé life of me, I cannot tell where.” nt ha! “Saved, saved !? murmured the voice; faintly and mére feebly still. Paks ; pay It then suddenly burst out into a wild hysterical laugh that echoed like the voices of a doze half-starved lunatics. For a moment the two highwaymen looked at each other; as if to say; ‘What does all this mean? Have we falleti into some trap! How many of them are there? Had we better retreat ike While they thus stood looking inquiringly into each other's pale faces, they heard the sudden jingle and rattle of chains; hey started. oe Conceive theit horror when, of holding up the lantern; they dicovered thé wasted form, the sunkéi, bloodshot eyes, thé wild, unearthly aspeet of @ tall man, éhained to the wall; | His head had stink tpon his breast, his clothes were ii tattera, the rats had wéll-nigh gnawed the heavy riding boots from his feet. Tt was Searlet Sam! _ He was jist alive, and that was all. _ When thé two bold explorers lifted tip his head, the face wore a ghastly smile. | He recognised his two old ¢dihpanions, and his teeth chat: té¥éd. He attempted to speak ii a feeble manner, but laughed wildly instead. os “ Saved, saved!’ he gasped, and fainted. Red Jacket and Handsome Ned weré speechless with astonishment, ; They had not believed half what thé “ Eel” had told them, but now all their worst fears and suspicions were aroused. They cursed and raved and swore bitterly against Ivan, and his dark accomplice Aaron, and vowed to be deeply révenged - for their barbarity and refined cruelty towards Sai, one of their baiid, indeed, who, on many an o¢easion, had proved himself to be the bravest of the brave, and otfé of the most dating “ Fly-by-Nights” that Captain Blue Jacket could count in his famous band. 3 In an instant they looked about for some instfument with which they could liberate their dying friend atid companion. Fortunately they discovered the remains of a very old pick- axe, and afew links of an old but very heavy and massive chain. These rusty, and at other times worthless things, were now more precious to them than tons of gold. Without a moment lost in further reflection, Red Jacket and Handsome Ned, with the rusty pick-axe and heavy links of chain, began to loosen the iron fastenings in the wall, and soon had the satisfaction of seeing their half-starved and ‘almost dying companion freed from his place of confinement and horror. But what were they now to do ? _He could not walk alone! There was no chance of haying him drawn up out of the mine, for the rope was gone, wher aaa with much labour, Red Jacket and Ned carrie e almost inanimate form of Scarl mouth of the shaft, they loudly shouted for ene ors It was all in vain, Oe mere response. | e “ Hel” and his friends had departed; for, thinkin : they were dead, they had left the ree for t Spee ne procuring a newrope and descending after the ‘This is a pretty mess we’ve got into,” said Ned, thouchte’ ’ fully, as he wiped the perspirat {oO} RAV chooks:com