Bob Younger's Fate — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

BOB YOUNGER’S FATE. 117 occupant of the cellar, and with a steady effort he pushed up the stone, which he found to be thin and flat, until it stood upon its edge. He now stepped out, and allowed it to fall back ‘into its place. Belton always carried a box of matches about with him for any emergency that might arise. Pulling them out of an inside pocket, he was re- joiced to find them in perfect condition; and light- ing one he immediately set to work removing all traces of the loose dirt about the stone. ‘“Now for my final exit!”’ With the aid of another match he discovered that the cellar was walled up to the very floor, which was some ten feet from the ground. ° ve With not an opening of any kind in the four walls that incloséed it, this apartment seemed to have been ~ constructed for the very use to which it had been put this very night. ‘“‘“How many men have lost their lives in this infer- nal hole?’’? he muttered. ‘“‘It seems that in a cer- tain sense I have jumped out of the frying-pan into the fire, and not that either, for that well is any- thing but a frying-pan. However, it amounts to about the same thing, as I can see no way of escape, and the lovely Irene will doubtless have her own sweet way inthe end. By the by, it must be close to morning, judging from the sensations of hunger and weakness that are beginning to affect me. My watch has stopped, and not a chink in the wall to show whether or not day has come; but I’ll go to work at once, for I ought to have been out of this place long since. Ah, I have it!” He had bethought himself suddenly of the small pieces of timber that are nailed between.the joists of floors to hold them in position; a rope thrown over one of these would enable him to climb up and un- fasten the trap. From that point his escape would be easy, provided he were not discovered. _ In an instant his coat was off and torn into two pieces. These he tied together, and now attempted to throw over the timber mentioned, cGcomicboo