Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-11-21
CHAPTER XIII.
BURIED ALIYE.-THE THREE DEADLY
PERILS,

ALLY E.-IdE THREE DEADLY
PERILS.
Seven miners were buried under the
ruins of the shaft; but although masses
of coal and clay fell into the hall from
the side nearest to the explosions. and
body was crushed to death there; only
the smoke was so sitting that it seemed
impossible to live.
The smoke was lighter than the air;
its thick pail lifted by degrees and re-
vealed three figures.
Grace Hope, by happy instinct, had
sunk upon the ground to breathe in that
sitting smoke. Hope, who had collared
Ben Burnley, lad sunk to the ground
with him, but still clutched the assassin.
These were the three left alive in the
hall, and this was their first struggle
for life.
AS soon as it was possible to speak,
Hope took up his lamp, which had fall
"Grace, my child, where your She
came to him directly: he took her in his
arms and thanked God for this great
preservation.
Then he gave Burnley kick, and or
dered him to the right hand of the hall.
you'll keep to that SIDE" he said, "and
think Of what you have done; your vic
TINS will keep this side, and comfort
each other till honest men undo your
work, you villain"
Burnley crouched, and wriggled away
like whipped hound, and flung himself
down in bitter despair.
oh, papa," said Grace, I'VE have es-
capped great danger, but shall we ever
see the light of day."
'Of course we shall, child; be sure
that great efforts will be made to save
us. Miners have their faults, but leav-
ing other men to perish is not one Of
them; there are no greater heroes In the
world than those rough fellows, with
all their faults. What you and [ must
do at once is to search for provisions
and lamps and tools; if there are no
poisonous gases set free, it is mere
question of time. My poor child has
hard life before her; but only live, and
we shall be rescued"
These brave words cOmforted Grace,
as they were intended to do, and she &C
companied her father down the one
passage which was left open after the
explosion. fortunately this led TO a
new working, and before he had gone
many yards Hope founda lamp that had
been dropped by some miner who had
rushed into the hall as the first warning
and gave it to Grace.
THAT will be twenty-fourhour light
to u.s." said he; 'but, oh, what want
to find is food. There must be some
left behind"
Papa" said Grace, Il think [ saw
miner throw a bag into an empty truck
when the first alarm was given"
Back back my child" cried Hope,
before that villain finds it,"
He did not wait for her, but ran back,
and he found Ben Burnley in the neigh
b0rhoCd of that very truck; but Burn
ley sneaked off at his approach. Hope,
looking into the truck, found treasures
"a dozen new sacks, heavy hammer,
| a small bag of nails, a can of tea, and
bag with loaf in it, and several broken
| pieces Of bread. Heput his lamp out di-
rectly, for he had lucifer-matchesi in his
pocket, and he hid the bag of bread;
| then he lighted his lamp again and fast
ened it up by nail in the centre of the
| hall.
There" said he to Burnley, that's 90
| light US both equally; when it goes out,
YOU must hang up yours in its place"
That's fair" said Burnley, humbly.
| There were two trucks on Hopes side
of the hall-the empty one in question,
and one that was full of coal. Both
stood about two yards from Hopes side
of the hall. Hope turned the empty
truck and brought it parallel to the
other; then he nailed two sacks togeth-
er. and fastened them to the coal truck
and the debris: then he laid sacks upon
! the ground for Grace to lie on. and he
| kept two sacks for himself, and two in
reserve, and he took two and threw
them to Ben Burnley.
L give you two. and keep two my
self" said he. But my daughter shall
| have a room to herself even here; and
if you modest her III brain you with
| this hammer"
Il don't want to modest her. said
Burnley. at amt my fault she's here +"
Then there was a gloomy silence, and
| well there might be. The one lamp,
twinkling family against the wall did