The Press., 1894-06-07
ITHE TEN FOOT DRIVE.
Bv oHARLEs IoTIN HILDRETH.
rCouyright. 1894, by American Press Associa
 
CHAPTER XXI.

CHAPTER XXI.
 THE TEN FOOT DRIVE.
 Painting, wild eyed, with face be- fore which the boldest of his associates shrank back dismayed, Matthew North tore passage through the crowd col lected about the main shaft.
 "What has happened?" he demanded huskily.
 s.The water has burst into the Ten Foot Drive"
 s'Twenty- men caught there. Jack Morton was the only ono who escaped. !"
 Drowned like rats in tub. :"
 .'All dead by now, poor fellowl If the bulkhead had been put up, this couldn't have happened.
 "What does Matthew North say to that? It was him as edged us on.
 ''The master wanted to build the bulkhead. Matthew North wouldn t have it.''
 "The lives of 2s good men are at his door,
 "Curse Matthew North!'
 s'Down with Matthew North! Him and his fine speeches has lost me brother this day."
 "Send him to join the others! Throw him down the shaft''
 There was a rush of infuriated men, among whom the quondam leader rec ognized some who but week before had been his most ardent supporters. A dozen brawny hands seized him; he was pushed and dragged to and fro, with in finite insult and derision. His clothing was torn; blood streamed from dozen cuts and bruises. Yet he uttered nc word of protest; he made no attempt to defend himself. With dull eye and hag- gard cheek he submitted passivelystC their will. Though his nonresistance was the effect of his own remorse and despair-for at that moment he would gladly have welcomed death as an ex, piation and an escape from the tortureS of conscience-jt was the means of say ing his life. No man, except one ut terly given over to the fend, can dc murder on victim who voluntarily stretches out his neck to receive the blow. Therefore the mob hesitated, and it is more than probable that the greater number of the would be executioners felt sense of relief as Ralph Monck ton. followed by Miss Duke, rode up and throwing himself from his horse made his way hastily to the spot.
 'What are you doing here?' he sait in abrupt, commanding tones. ssR Re lease that man and fall back-fall back I sayl"
 He was promptly obeyed. There wa something in his voice and manner evoked by the terrible exigency of tn hour, that quelled the most turbulent
 Matthew North remained where h. had been dragged, with dropping head hands hanging at his side, apparent. taking no heed of what was passing around him.
 "CaIl hither the engineer and the su perintendents, said Monckton. "Le no more time be lost. ,
 The subordinates gathered around their principal, and hurried counci was held. The miner Morton, the onl. one of those in the inundated sectiol who had escaped, told the story of tn disaster in a few agitated words. Tn men, he said, were fully aware of tn l danger which threatened them, but witt | the recklessness which becomes sec ond nature with miners they ignored it. The positive order to abandon tn cutting sent them through John Turne was never delivered, owing to that per sons delay in returning to the village | A moment before the rupture of tn, wall Morton noticed new seam in tn breast from which the water was flow l ing. He gave the alarm and started fo the shaft, but he had not taken 10 step before there was dull report, and tn water was boiling about his feet. H had been at work near the entrance while the remainder of the men were a the farther end, and it was only after desperate struggle that be himself hat escaped.
 The scene of the catastrophe, calle, by the miners the Ten Foot Drive, wa in one of the lowermost levels of tn works. It was one of number of tun nels ramifying from the main cham be- at the bottom of the shaft. Out of thi tunnel other smaller cuttings, gallerie and pits opened, following the various seams and deposits of coal. At the far thermost end of the Ten Foot Drive wa the wall or breast which had given way to the dood-a mass of slate and shal, where the supply of coal had ended, ant where, in consequence, the excavation had ceased. As we have seen, months before some of the more experienced men had detected the existence of sub terranean stream behind this barrier s which from it's friable nature could no be supposed to, withstand the action O water for any considerable period. Witt its fall must occur one of the mos dreaded of mine disasters and the al most certain destruction of those a work in that section. The recent heavy rains and the overflow of the creek into the old shaft, farther up the hill, ha6 E Increased the volume of the underground stream and brought about the fulfill ment of at least part of John Fur ner's prediction, sooner even than he had looked for it. Had the rest come sa e4M&gaNi5@MSs.