American fiction -- 20th century; Short stories, American -- Periodicals
Finally, also, Detroit Jim turned the pick over to the old man, who,
feeling in the blackness with his hands, discovered the span as wide
as his outstretched arms, from which Detroit Jim had removed the
bricks. It was a span of yielding earth into which the old man now dug
his pick. As he worked, the loosened dirt fell upon him, upon his
head, into his eyes and nose and ears....
Abruptly the old man's pick struck the flagging above them! Detroit
Jim mounted upon the pile of bricks and shoved Anderson aside.
Jim felt along the edges of the stone clear around. It seemed to
measure about three feet by two, and to be of slate, and probably held
in place only by its contact with other stones, or by cement between
the stones. No light appeared through the crevices. Detroit Jim took
from his pocket a huge pocket-knife and with the longest blade poked
up between the main stone and the one adjoining. The blade met
resistance.
Ultimately, and abruptly, however, the blade shot through to the hilt
of the knife. Jim drew it back instantly. No light came through the
crevice.
"I smell good air," he whispered, "but I can't see a thing. It must be
night!"
They knew now what to do. The flagging must be removed at once, before
any one should go by! The hole would be big enough to let them out!
Old Man Andersen's heart leaped. It was over. They had won. Trust him
to go where they'd never get him for the Slattery business! As for
Detroit Jim, he already knew the next big trick that he would pull
off--out in Cleveland!
Ultimately, as Detroit Jim worked upon it, the stone began to sag. An
edge caught upon the adjacent flagging. The two men, perched upon the
wobbly bricks, manipulated the stone, working it loose, until,
finally, it came crashing down.
The stone had made noise enough, it seemed, to wake the dead; yet
above them there was no sound. Swiftly they raised the flagging and
set it securely upon the heap of bricks. When Detroit Jim stood upon
this improvised platform his head was level with the aperture they had
made. He could see no sky, no stars, could feel no wind, discover no
light such as pervades even the darkest night.
"Good God!" he breathed. His fingers went out over the flagging. His
knife dropped. The tinkle echoed dully down the conduit. He stooped to
where Old Man Anderson stood, breathing hard.
"It's a--a room!" he whispered.
"A--a room?" repeated Old Man Anderson dully.
"Come! After me! Up! I'll pull you up!"
Detroit Jim, being wiry, swung himself up, and then bent down, groping
for the old man's hands. Winded, panting, exhausted, the two men stood
at last in this new blackness, clutching each other, their ears
strained to catch the slightest sound.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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