The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-02-28

Then he opened tnem again, and N.
sight Of Stuart's pdle face seemed !.
tell him part Of the truth. The wa,s'
was running over the hand Of his rI,s,
arm. which hung down helpless from
his wounded shoulder. e reused him
self, evidently with the sreatest ds
Guilty.
You will drown. Leave me Am
dying anyway"
mo. no. Eric. I will not leave W,
here alone" Stuart spoke calmly. al.
most cheerfully. Eric's face was dro.
ing over close to Stuart's should,
Stuart kissed his cheek and ut tn
very moment he heard q mans voic
the sweetest sound he ever heard
echoing down the ladder shaft.
He shouted back in reply and wait
ed. Again the cry came in responst
Some one was coming down the lady
ders to the rescue. Whoever he was lid
was evidently coming as fast as thd
nature Of the passage would allow, fol-
the next time the cry was uttered StN
art could hear words Of encouragement
and then voice speaking from the
point where the last round of the lad
der remained, saying very distinctly
and in even precise English. "Who is
there"
ut is l, Stuart Duncan. am here
with Eric. and he is hurt and helpless.
I can't lift him up alone
II always believed in being on time
replied the voice. III you can move uu
under the foot Of the shaft | will throw
you this rope"
Stuart lifted Eric from his position
and plunged over toward the laddC
hole. The water was above his shou.
ders. A rope was thrown, and he So.
cured 1t under Eric, who had again
tainted from the pain and shock Thea
with an exercise Of strength and skin
such as men possess in times Of faci,
death. the two men, one above and Ou
below, succeeded in drawing Eric us
and the man above secured him somk
how. while Stuart, using the sides 4
the ladder for support, pulled himself
out Of that watery grave.
He was not minute too soon, Tor
the water was flowing In more rapidly
now. and the large cavity at the bot.
tom being almost filled the torrent be.
gan to rise in the shafts very fast Zig
had no time to ask any questions Of Va
rescuer. All three were iu great perl
vrho 1nI IInro h1n oturv al. a.
and the water rising below Them With
superhuman exertions they l.ned Ere
up. When they came to placcs Niiele
the ladders were badly broken, theyV
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 a struggle that lett
them completely exhausted, they I
reached the first drift from the bot
tom. There was wooden platform
here, and the drift ran out into Z,
sides Of the hill several hrhdred fgN
Stuart and his unknown fescuer leai
ed a moment painting against the sid3
Of the wall, while Eric Jay on the plat
form to all appearances lifeless.
1--WE can't stay here long" gasped
Stuart. "See the water coming up"
He pointed down the black well fCr
which they had climbed SO painfulS
The rushing water and the falling ind
ore banks made terrifying upNG
about them.
I'VE can get out on this .eyel' n
piled his companion.
"What! How's that? We are 81
feet below ground here"
"rhe old Beury shaft opur, ut0 @
drift. walked In here thu ..erloA
myself. Here is where | ard 20
shout for help. There! Don YOU fef
that breeze blowing through the drift
Stuart turned his face and felt ttt
passing Of cool wave Of air Alq
then 1t flashed across his memory thu
several years before, when boy, he
had himself climbed down into the od
Beury shaft, which opened up on the
side Of the hill, and made his way 10
the level Of the Davis mine where be
now stood. The mines were some
times connected In this way, though
the abandoned passage would often De-
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 Us their burden would d.
low up the passage connecting the
main with the deserted shaft. AftG
walking with their burden about y"
feet the drift turned abruptly to the
right and began to ascend sharply. IL
grew more difficult to carry Eric, pu'
the danger from the water was now
over. The old passage was really
tunnel let into the side Of the hill al
sharp incline instead Of shaft SUNK
down vertically from above. VINE"
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 VINO
his rescuer was.
ho yap,x opu oorI, With mo Out | III