Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-02-13

40
and then a voice speaking from the
point where the last round of the lad
der remained, saying very distinctly
and in even precise English, "Who is
therei"
lit is 1, Stuart Duncan. l am here
with Eric. and he is hurt and helpless.
can't lift him up alone
~ always believed in being on time"
replied the voice. IF you can move up
you this rope
Stuart lifted Eric from Ills position
and plunged over toward the ladder
hole. The water was above his shoul-
ders. A rope was thrown. and he Sc
cured it under Eric, who had again
tainted from the pain and shock. Then
with an exercise of strength and skill
such as men possess in times of facing
death, the two men, one above and one
below, succeeded in drawing Eric up,
and the man above secured him some
how. while Stuart, using the sides Of
the ladder for support, pulled himself
out of that watery grave.
He was not minute too soon, for
the water was flowing In more rapidly
now, and the large cavity at the bot
tom being almost filed the torrent be-
gan to rise in the shafts very fast. He
had no time to ask any questions of his
rescuer. All three were In great peril.
The ladders were blazing above them
and the water rising below them. With
superhuman exertions they lifted Eric
up. When they came to places where
the ladders were badly broken, they
were obliged to use their utmost skill
to move the body in safety. Once they
were SO long about starting up again
that the water caught up with them,
and Stuart, who was the last one, felt
the torrent swirling around his feet.
AT last, after struggle that left
them completely exhausted, they
reached the first drift from the bot
tom. There was wooden platform
here, and the drift ran out into the
sides of the hill several hundred feet.
Stuart and his unknown rescuer lean
ed a moment painting against the side
of the wall, while Eric lay on the plat
form to all appearances lifeless.
I'VE can't stay here long" gasped
Stuart. "See the water coming up!'
He pointed down the black well from
which they had climbed SO painfully.
The rushing water and the falling in Of
ore banks made terrifying uproar
about them.
I'VE can get out on this level" re-
piled his companion.
what! How's that? We are 800
feet below ground here"
"The old Beury shaft opens into this
drift. walked in here this afternoon
myself. Here is where heard you
shout for help. There! Don't you feel
that breeze blowing through the drift?"
Stuart turned his face and felt the
passing of cool wave of air. And
then it flashed across his memory that
several years before, when boy, he
had himself climbed down into the old
Beury shaft, which opened up on the
side Of the hill, and made his way to
the level of the Davis mine where he
now stood. The mines were some
times connected in this way, though
the abandoned passage would often be-
come choked and blocked up by falling
masses of ore.
But there was no time to lose, even
with this unexpected avenue of escape.
The two men caught up Eric and hur-
ried as fast as their burden would al
low up the passage connecting the
main with the deserted shaft. After
walking with their burden about 200
feet the drift turned abruptly to the
right and began to ascend sharply. It
grew more Gif.cult to carry Eric, but
the danger from the water was now
over. The old passage was really a
tunnel let into the side of the hill at a
sharp incline instead Of shaft sunk
down vertically from above. When
they had reached point above the i'm
mediate reach of the water, they sank
down exhausted again, and by the
Pickering light Stuart first noticed who
his rescuer was.
II haven't any cards with me, but I'll
introduce myself" he said in a tone
that made Stuart smile, and yet there
was nothing flippant or lacking in seri-
BUSINESS about the man. 81 am the new
minister at the church with the clock
In the tower-St. Johns. l arrived in
Champion two days ago. My name is
Andrew Burke. You are Mr.. Duncan,
the mine owner? am glad to meet
you"
He reached out his hand, and Stuart
took it, clasping 1t over the body of
Eric. He felt strange thrill as he did
SO. Somehow the peculiar formality OF
the mans speech struck him as n token
of a special kind of strength. He
seemed to feel that here was man
who. whatever his oddities, was pos,
sessed of qualities that were really
very rare and valuable.
Il owe you my life and that of my
friend here" he said. ut all seems
very strange to me, your appearance
had given myself up for lost !
should certainly have drowned If you
had not appeared"
Eyes; think you would-that is, un
less you had left the body OF your
friend here, and you don't look like the
kind of man to do that. But we ought
to move on. We need to get him to the
doctor as soon as possible. My appear
ance here is very simple, and can tel
that afterward. Shall we move ony'
Stuart eagerly assented. and they
stumbled ON up the tunnel. Their prog
ress was very slow, for Eric was en-
tircly dead weight, and neither Stu
art nor his companion was a powerful
man physically. They had gone but 4
short distance, however, when lights
appeared farther up the shaft, and
soon they We're surrounded by a grouE
of miners, accompanied by DR.. Saxon.
There was no time for more than the
briefest explanations. The party tool
Eric from Stuart and the minister, anf
soon they We're standing out on the
side of the hill in the starlight. The
cool night air blew about Stuart, and
he thanked God for his life. Farther
up on the hill a heap Of blazing ruins
marked the place where the engine
house had stood, while at distance
tile ladder hole smoked and famed like