high above, as though the wintry sun was shining.

I strained my ears to catch any sound beyond the slow trickling of the
water from the spring, but, alas! could distinguish nothing.

Suddenly, however, I heard a dull report above, followed quickly by a
second, and then another in the distance, and another. At first I
listened much puzzled; but next moment I realised the truth.

There was a shooting-party in the vicinity!

CHAPTER XX.

FROM THE TOMB.

Again I shouted--yelled aloud with all my might. I placed my hands to my
mouth, making a trumpet of them, and shouted upwards:

"Help! For God's sake! Help! I'm down here--dying! Help!--_Help!_"

A dozen times I yelled my appeal, but with the same negative result.
Whoever had fired in the vicinity was either too far away, or too
occupied with his sport to hear me.

I heard another shot fired--more distant than the rest. Then my heart
sank within me--the party were receding.

I don't know how long I waited--perhaps another hour--when I thought I
would try again. Therefore I recommenced my shouts for assistance,
yelling frantically towards the high-up opening.

Suddenly the streak of light became obscured, and dust and gravel fell
upon me, the latter striking my head with great force from such a height.

I heard a noise above--a footstep upon the wooden flap of the well. My
heart gave a bound.

"Help!" I yelled. "Open the well! I'm down here--dying. Save me! Fetch
assistance!"

The feet above moved, and a moment later I saw above me a round disc of
daylight and a head--a girl's head--silhouetted within it.

"Who's there?" she asked in a timid, half-frightened voice.

"It's me!" I cried. "Get me out of this! I'm dying. Get me a rope or
something, quickly!"

"Who are you?" asked the girl, still frightened at her discovery.

"I'm a man who's been thrown down here, and I can't get out. Get somebody
to help me, I beg of you!"

"All right!" she replied. "There's some men, shooting here. I'll run and
tell them."

And her face disappeared from the disc of daylight.

At last! Help was forthcoming, and I breathed more freely.

I suppose about five minutes must have elapsed before I saw above me the
heads of two men in golf-caps, peering over the edge of the well.

"Hulloa!" cried one in a refined voice, "what are you doing down there?"

"Doing!" I echoed, "you should come down and see!" I said with some
sarcasm. "But, I say! Send me down a rope, w