The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1885-02-20

and Iald her gently down; but AFTER rnaJ
he sprang wildly to his feet in frenzy,
and ragged aloud, as his daughter could
no longer hear him. mo, no." he cried;
"this thing cannot be; they have had
seven days to get to us.
"Ah, but there are mountains and
rocks of earth and coal piledup between
US. We are buried alive in the bowels
of the earth.
swell, and shouldn't have blasted a
hundred rocks, and picked through
mountains, to save hundred lives, or
to save one such life as this, no matter
whose child she was?
"Ah! you poor scum, you came to me
whenever you wanted me, and you new
er came in vain. But now that want
you, you smoke your pipes, and walk
calmly over this living tomb lie in.
"Well, call yourselves men, and let
your friends perish; l am man, and 1
can die"
Then he threw himself wildly on his
knees over his insensible daughter.
"But my child! Oh God! look down
upon my child! Do, pray, see the hor-
ror Of it,. The horror and the hellish
injustice! She has but just found her
father. She is just beginning life; it's
not her time to die! Why, you know
she only came here to save her father.
Heavens blessing is the right OF .plous
children; it's promised in Gods Word.
They are to live long upon the earth,
not to be cut off like criminals"
Then he rose wildly, and ragged about
the place, flinging his arms on high, so
that even Burnley, though his own rea-
son was shaken, covered away from the
fury of a stronger mind.
Men and angels cry out against it,"
he screamed, in madness and despair.
"Can this thing be? Can Heaven and
earth look calmly ON and see this hOr-
ror? Are men all inguatitude? Is God
all dpGthy?"
4 blow like hammer striking
church bell tinkled outside the wall,
and seemed to come from great dis
lance.
To him, who, like the rugged Elijah,
had eXpostuated so boldly with his
Maker, and his Maker, who is not to be
irritated, forgave him, that blow SEEM
ed at first to ring from heaven. lie
stood still, and trembled like a leaf; he
listened; the sound was not repeated.
"Ah," said he, lit was an illusion, like
hers"
But for all that he seized his hammer,
and darted to the back of the hall mount
ing on huge fragment Of coal. struck
the seam high above his head. He gave
two blows at longish intervals, and Their
three blows in quick succession.
Grace heard, and began to raise her
self on her hands in wonder
Outside the wall came two leisurely
blows that seemed q mile off, though
they were not ten feet, and then three
blows in quick succession.
"My signal echoed" yelled Hope. DO
you hear, child, my signal answered?
Thank God! thank GOd thank Godl"
He fell on his knees and cried like
child. The next minute, burning with
hope and joy, he was by Grace's sside,
with his arms round her.
you can't give way now. Fight on
a few minutes more. Death, L defy
you; am father; tear my child from
your clutches" With this he raised her
in his arms with surprising vigOr. 1t
was Grace's turn to shake off all weak
ness, under the great excitement of the
brain.
"Yes. III live" she cried, I'll live for
you. Oh, the gallant men! Hear. hear
pickaXes at work; an army is coming to
our rescue. father: the God you doubt
ed sends them, and some hero leads
them"
The words had scarcely left her lips
when Hope set her down in fresh alarm.
An enemy's pickaXc was at work to de-
stroy them; Burnley was picking furi-
ously at the weak part of the tank,
shfieking, They will tear me to pieces;
there is no hope in this world or the
leXt for me-"
"Madman," cried Hope-"hell let the
'Sater in before they can save us" He
rushed at Burnley and seized him; but
his frenzy was gone, and Burnleys was
upon him: after q short struggle Burn
er. Hope flew at him again, but incau-
tiOusly. and the savage, lowering his
head, drove it with such fury into
Hopes chest that he sent him to a dis
lance, and laid him flat on his back, ut
terly breathless. Grace flew to him and
raised him.
He was not man to lose his wits.
"To the truck" lie gasped, cor we are
lost"
"I'll food the mine. III food the
mine." yelled Burnley.
Hope made his daughter mount u
large fragment of coal we have already
mentioned. and from that she sprang to
the truck. and with her excitement and
with her athletic power she raised her
self into the full truck, and even helped
her father in after her. But just as she
got him on to the truck. and while he
was still only on his knees, that section
of the wall we have called the tank rent
and gaped under Burnley spickaXe. and
presently exploded about six feet from
the ground, and IL huge volume of water
drove masses of earth and coal before
it, and came roaring like solid body
straight at the coal truck, and drove it
against the opposite wall, smashed the
nearest side in. and would have thrown
Grace off il like feather, but Hope.
kneeling and clinging to the side, held
her like wise.
Grace screamed violently. Immedi-
ately there was aroar of eXultation out
side from the hitherto silent workers;
for that scream told that the roman
was alive too: the wife of the brave fell
low who had won all their hearts and
melted away the icy barrier of class.
Three gigantic waves struck the truck
and made il culver.
The first came halfway up; the second
came full two-thirds; the third dashed
fbn capcplpcc hoIy of Ron BURNLEY with