Prisoners of Chance

by Randall Parrish

  CHAPTER XXXI

  WE MOUNT THE CLIFF

  "May the gracious blessing of the Lord rest upon you, GeoffreyBenteen," exclaimed the old Puritan fervently, as we faced each otherin that gloomy passage, and it somehow heartened me to note tears inhis gray eyes. There was heart, then, under all his crabbedness. "Ihave suffered much of late both in spirit and flesh, and the very sightof you is as a gift of mercy unto me. No angel with healing in hiswings could prove more welcome, yet I dislike leaving yonder food forthe sustenance of that foul idolater."

  "You hunger then?" I questioned, amused at the regret with which heglanced backward.

  "Is it hungered you call a man who has had but two dry bones to picksince yester-noon?" he groaned, pressing both hands upon his stomach."I am lean as the Egyptian kine, and fain would welcome even locustsand wild honey."

  "Well, friend," I insisted firmly, "if you follow, within fifteenminutes you shall partake of a meal equalling that left behind. Imyself know well what a long fast means."

  "'T is truly a grievous affliction, difficult to sustain in meekness ofspirit," he admitted, yet ever keeping me close company through theincreasing darkness of descent; "yet more am I distressed by the lossof all spiritual nurture amid these wild heathen. Perchance, MasterBenteen, you might be led to unite with me in a moment's ferventsupplication before the throne of grace?"

  "Ay; when the right time comes I will gladly join, yet I warn you nownot to send your bull voice roaring through these passages, or you willhave small opportunity for another meal."

  "A time to work and a time to pray has ever been my motto, most worthyyouth, but my soul is so filled with gratitude at my providentialdeliverance from pagan bondage--even as was Daniel from the lions'den--I long to pour forth my joy in songs of praise. Patience, butwere I out of here, verily would I venture to uplift a psalm of Zion."

  He spoke in such ecstasy I feared lest his zeal might conquer hisprudence, although in truth this latter virtue was one never apparentin his composition, and I determined once for all to nip in the bud allsuch inclination. So I halted in the darkness, and, as he lumberedpast, laid a restraining hand upon his shoulder.

  "Now hark you, Ezekiel Cairnes," I muttered sternly, "I admire yourpiety, but this is no conventicle of the elect we are in; rather aplace where your life, and those of others, depend on our caution. Theechoing of that bull voice along these galleries might cause theblocking of our passage, caging us in here like rats in a hole. Sohold quiet, Master Preacher, and let me hear no more about eitherprayers or psalms."

  The grave determination in my voice served to sober him.

  "'T is in my blood," he admitted doggedly, "to fight and work better tothe holy songs of Israel. It would bring renewed peace to my soulmerely to uplift a paean of victory over the discomfiture of myenemies. But I seek no quarrel here, and hence bide in silence until aproper moment to unseal my lips."

  "'Twill be well you do. Now follow close at my heels, and I 'llpromise a swift diversion to your thoughts."

  Thus cautiously we crept toward the distant flickering of the torch,the unsteady light from which already began to yellow the packed earthabout us, until we finally emerged into its full glare. I had crawledforth, perhaps half my length beyond the concealment of the woodenpillar, and, knife in hand, was stealthily drawing in toward themotionless form of the still slumbering priest, when the roving eyes ofCairnes encountered the idol, with its flashing gems and widelyoutspread wings, towering above like an avenging demon. I doubt notthe sight was startling to the fellow, terrorized by the undergroundgloom, and he gave utterance to one gruff cry:

  "'T is Beelzebub!"

  The sleeping priest leaped to his feet, glaring about in bewilderment.Where I lay outstretched it required an instant to gather myself foraction, and, before I could place restraining grip upon him, the fellowsaw us both, and, with echoing scream of terror, fled frantically upthe dark entry to the right. I made desperate effort to halt him, butmy swift-flung knife found bloodless sheath within the soft earth ofthe wall.

  "Zounds! are you a screeching woman with no control over your tongue?"I exclaimed angrily, panting for breath. "'T is likely that priestwill rouse the tribe, and we shall have a run for it. What caused youto make such an uproar?"

  "Saints of Israel!" he said, repentantly enough, his glinting eyesstill roving over the silent, leering image, "never before did I beholdsuch monster as that. For the moment, I believed it Satan himself.But, for the love of the prophets, what is this?" He began eagerlysniffing the air with his great nose like a pointer dog. "'T is food Iscent; that which will stay a famished stomach. I beg you, friend,pause shortly while I satisfy in some measure the yearnings of thebody. Then shall I be better fitted to withstand the temptations ofthe world."

  "Odds, man, I hope so," I responded gloomily, watching his eager attackupon the supply outspread before the idol. "So far you have acted likea lunkhead, and I begin to regret making you comrade in this adventure.If a full stomach inspires to a man's duty, it would be policy alwaysto bear food about with you."

  "Ay, 'tis strange, indeed," he mumbled, his mouth too full for clearspeech, "that one who ever strives to live in spiritual exercise shouldbe so completely the bound slave of mere bodily indulgence. Yet I didinherit all such ungodly tendency from my mother who was of Dutchblood, as round of form as a Holland churn, while my father was spareof build, and throve marvellously upon the water of life."

  Leaving the engrossed sectary to refresh himself to the full of hiscapacity, I anxiously set to work searching after some species ofcross-tunnel, shrewdly guessing this underground altar masked ajunction point, from whence some such branch passageway would leadtoward the open air. With diligent care I passed along the walls,testing each separate section, yet discovering nothing to reward myefforts, until, finally creeping between the spreading feet of theeffigy, which appeared to sway unsteadily, I lifted the crimson draperyhanging down its back, thus disclosing an opening, barely sufficient topermit the easy passage of a small man while lying flat.

  "Most noble scavenger," I said, feeling in better humor from thischance discovery of the means of escape, "are the wants of naturefinally satisfied? For if so, I have found a path which will lead usfrom this hole of iniquity."

  "Nay, call it not so while it offers such excellent bodily nurture," hereplied with fervor, cocking one eye up at me, yet keeping both handsbusily employed in crowding his pockets full of eatables. "Say ratherthe shadow of a great rock in a weary land, or a well of water indesert places. I shall be ready to accompany you upon a journey afterI lay in these few necessaries. The Lord hath given me manna in thewilderness--even as the ravens fed Elijah so hath He succored me--and'twould be sin to make mock of His mercy."

  "Very well; only hurry and follow my lead."

  "Will you not carry the torch to help guide?" he questioned, peeringdoubtfully into the yawning black opening.

  "No; the light would serve to betray us to any spying eyes. Perhapsthat frightened priest may deem us spirits, and muster courage to comecreeping back. If so, it will be best for him to find things hereunchanged, although in faith he will scarcely doubt we possess earthlyappetites when he notes your onslaught on the sacred food. Come, man,enough of stuffing; your pockets can hold no more, so press on with me."

  "It grieves me sorely to leave behind so much good pabulum," heexplained, eying still the few morsels left. "It would be well, to myjudgment, did you pack the rest of this providential supply."

  Never pausing to answer, I crept between the spreading wooden limbs,and, with the expenditure of no small effort, succeeded in wrigglinginto the narrow hole beyond. It was a cramped passage for a man of mygirth, yet, by digging in firmly with both hands and feet, I managed toadvance, until I finally emerged, within space of perhaps a yard, intoa much larger excavation, resembling the tunnel we had previouslytraversed.

  "Now, Master Cairnes," I spoke back encouragingly, "it is only a shortdistance to good
footing; so take fresh breath and come on."

  His massive head completely shut out the faint light of the narrowopening, and I heard heavy breathing as the fellow squeezed his broadshoulders through the hole. There followed sounds of violent struggleduring his slow and painful advance.

  "By all the prophets and the patriarchs," he groaned wearily, "'tis notin me to make it! Had I endeavored this before eating I could haveslipped through, scarcely touching either side. But now I am scrapedlike a pig for the feast. Baste me, friend Benteen, but I can moveneither forward nor back in this accursed place; I am full aground inthe centre, and can never hope to progress without aid."

  I reached down until I laid firm hold upon his groping fingers.

  "Find some projection to push against with your feet," I adviseddisgustedly.

  "Fervently will I endeavor to dig in, and thus render all assistance inmy power, yet I feel little to encourage me here in good works. Wouldit not be wise to test the potency of prayer? Verily the prayer of therighteous availeth much."

  "I try earthly power first," I returned testily. "So lay to it, and wewill have you out."

  I braced my knees against the firm wall, exerting all the strength Ipossessed. There followed a series of moans and heated expostulations,then the sound of rending cloth, and the disgruntled Puritan came forthwith a suddenness of exit which landed us both in a heap on the floor.

  "May all the spawn of hell be your playmates," he roared in mad anger."By the bones of Moses! you have scraped every bit of skin off me, andhalf my coat is ripped loose and left behind. Thou art an ungodly,blaspheming--"

  He gasped wildly for breath as I throttled him, but the grip of myhands stilled his speech.

  "It was only that you gorged like a bear preparing for Winter, or youwould have passed through even as I did," I muttered, heedless of hiseffort to release my clutch. "Lie still now, or, by all the devils inthe pit, I 'll shut down harder on your throat. Ah, so you can keepquiet, friend? Then I will let you go, for I would be free to explorethis passage."

  I could perceive, by means of the faint light streaming through thenarrow opening, that he was busily engaged in rubbing his sorelylacerated sides, and I noted his brown jerkin had been fairly wrenchedoff his shoulders.

  "Where did you leave your coat?"

  "Yonder in that accursed hole! It has store of provisions in itspockets. Lord save me, but was there ever such a time!"

  He turned, groping anxiously about in the scene of his late adventureuntil he finally brought forth the missing garment. Carefully testingthe pockets to see their contents remained intact, a smile lit up hisleathern face, and he flung it across his shoulders, like a pair ofwell-filled saddle-bags. I reached in also, lowered the drapery, andthen led down the dark tunnel as rapidly as the grim uncertainty of theway would permit.

  The passage proved long and tedious; at least so it seemed to uscompelled to grope slowly onward through the darkness. However, it ranstraight and upon a level, although the numerous supports of the roofgave us occasional foul blows, and proved so confusing we wereconsiderable time in traversing its distance. All I have alreadypictured as occurring since I departed from the presence of Madame, andfirst plunged blindly into the underground labyrinths, had requiredseveral hours, and it must have been close upon sunset when we emergedfrom the gloom of the tunnel into the fresh sweet air.

  The passage traversed so long terminated abruptly, and with a sheerturn to the left, coming forth between two huge rocks. To allappearances, it ended at the high bank of a noisy stream, and waspartly hidden by the overhanging cliff. The latter, devoid of path orchasm, now barred our progress, towering aloft until its ragged summitappeared to press the blue sky. At first view I thought the way endedhere, but Cairnes pointed silently toward the right, and then Iperceived where a path led upward, along the merest narrow, jaggedshelf, skirting the boiling water, yet ever rising higher above it,until, as my eyes followed its serpentine windings from terrace toterrace, I grew dizzy contemplating the possibilities of so mad a climb.

  "I suppose it must be tried," I admitted soberly, "for there isapparently no other passage. Doubtless it leads straight to the top ofthe cliff."

  "Ay," with more of indifference than I had expected, "and it will be noeasy trick in the night."

  "The night?"

  "Surely, yes; when else could we expect to compass the path? Is it notplain, friend, that before we rose fifty feet we should be in full viewof every eye in the valley with the sun bright upon us? I tell you wemust foot yonder rocks amid the night shadows, or else it will be saferto lie hidden here."

  I perceived the truth of his words and I confess to a sinking of theheart, as I contemplated the work before us. I was never an adept inclambering, it addles my head; and, bad as it appeared by day, surelydoubly bad would it prove by night. Yet there was little help for it,and I made shift to win back my oozing courage by more cheerful speech."Odds, but that is no such trip as I would seek after, yet needs mustif the devil drives," I said. "So, now, brother Cairnes, if you wiltconsent to divide your store of food, we shall both front our night'swork with stronger bodies."

  "Saints' rest! and if we go over the edge," he replied, cheerfullyemptying his bulging pockets on the rock, "it will be a comfort to bearloaded stomachs with us. It was ever against my pleasure to die halffilled."

  We lingered as long as possible over our meal, conversing in such a wayas to encourage each other and indulging in frequent draughts from theclear stream. Nothing occurred to disturb us, and, finally, bothyielded to the soothing influence of the drowsy evening, and, restingback upon the rocks, dropped asleep. I know not the hour of myawakening, yet it greatly heartened me to be greeted by the sight of anearly full moon, and to observe how the clear silvery light floodedthe rocks, revealing the winding path leading upward. To arouseCairnes was no easy task, but at last we advanced on our path. Thehuge rocks overhead appeared to arch us in, while, with utmost caution,we crept along the narrow, irregular ledge, which at times was level,and anon rose abruptly like the steps of a stair; occasionally it woundabout projecting rocks and over vast, unknown depths, until my brainwhirled, while I hugged the smooth rock wall at my right, and feltcautiously forward for solid foothold.

  I imagine we had progressed thus for upwards of three or four hundredyards, and were elevated so far above the stream that scarcely an echoof its noise assailed our ears even in the silence of the night, whensuddenly we came to the end of our path. The rocky shelf was so narrowthe very conception of turning about smote me with terror. Directly infront, extending to the very edge, stretched a solid wall of rock. Myeyes sank to the shelf on which I stood. Lying close against the sheercliff was the root of a tree, its trunk, perhaps a foot or more indiameter, stretching over the abyss, whose depth I durst not guess. Istooped cautiously, my heart throbbing, and ran my fingers along thebark.

  "Oak," I announced soberly, "and feels solid and strong. No doubtthose Indians must cross here, but it is a bridge to rack the nerves."

  "Will you adventure the passage?" questioned Cairnes, striving to peeracross my shoulder. "As for me I would rather attempt the Red Sea."

  "Odds, man, the choice is not given. 'T is either turn and go back, orfoot the tree; of the two the attempt at turning would addle me worse."

  I leaned out over the edge as far as I dared, clinging desperately tothe root, and gazed down. It was like peering into the mouth of agreat well. Then I nerved myself for the ordeal, and the next momentwas fairly launched over the abyss, hanging on grimly to the log, mybrain reeling as if with drunkenness. Yet I kept moving inch by inch,for there was now no stopping, and soon felt solid rock once morebeneath my groping feet. With prayer on lips I crouched, sick anddizzy, close in against the wall, watching Cairnes where he followedalong the same perilous path.