Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-11-12

Of arms reach and made good use Of
nv start.
The water had risen considerably.
It was up 70 my throat IN one part
| NV sodden petticoat chung to my legs
| and weighed me down as l rose to my
feet. Nevertheless l SCRAMBLED up into
the cellar Of the Joy while the men
below we're cropping for the foot irons,
swearing ~furiously. A lamp stood on
the ground where they had left IL be-
! side the flagstone which Taras had
thrust aside with his foot. One edge
of the stone lay square with the side OF
the hole. Seized by 3 savage impulse,
caught hold of the stone by the far
Their edge and raised IL into 3 perpen-
dicular position. Then, as DriRo's
head appeared, with vindictive devittry
in bis appraised face, 1 pushed and let
iG fall. II. struck hts head, and he fell
with a howl on his cenrade below.
1t was easy enough to escape now. A
glimmerlng light in the bar showed me
that the Zap Was open; against the wal
rested the steps by which they had de-
scended. But the blow l had dealt DFigo
filed me with a fendish Joy and whes-
ted my thirst for vengeance. All the
evil passions Of my nature were AMI
mated with q craving for retaliation,
as 1 thought Of the evil those men
would have done to Taras and me. The
only wish of my heart was TO inhict
some terrible punishment upon them.
1 dragged up the stone and poised IL
In the hope that Putty might come up
and that 1 might serve him as had
served Drigo. But he was wise enough
to profit by the experience OF the other
and preferred to stay below and vent
his fury In curses.
While l was waiting the stone slip
ped, and in moving TO keep 1t In posi-
ton my foot struck the lamp and over
turned 1t. 1t was a large benzine lamp,
and as the oil ran out 1t took fire, send
ing up licking tongues Of fame. The
pool spread, and the blazing liquid run
ming over the edge of the shaft ran
down in a fiery stream and dropped In
gouts of fame. The men below Shrek
ed aloud in terror.
''Get out of my wav." shouted Putty,
1--WE shall be burned alive II we stay
here. We must get back through the
hole"
1 heard them cursing each other as
they struggled together, each trying to
get first into the run. Then when the
struggle ceased DIigo, gaspin for breath
cried:
I'VE can't go back. The waters up
to the top"
The POOL of fire kept spreading. l
could hold the stone no longer. 1t fell
with a. thud, cutting off the sound OF
mingled excavations from below. | ran
up the steps into the bar, and
having drawn them up after me,
so that II the men got out OF the
shaft they could not escape from the
cellar, l let down the flap. The place
was thick with suffocating smoke.
Scarcely able to breathe, 1 CROPPED my
way, down the passage, drew the bolts
of the door and got out onto the BAL
cony.
Taras was waiting for me at the end
of the stairs. His figure was just dis
cernible by the faint light that cam
from the gas 10 Ferryboat alley, La a
couple Of minutes l was by his side,
painting for breath.
'Tve KEEP you a-watin," l gasped.
mot long," said he.
Indeed all that l have narrated In
this chapter may have taken place In
less than 20 minutes.
Have you been running?"
Eyes, one way and another I've a q
pretty gooo run for IT,"