Gilpin observer., 1901-02-21
Eric groancd and closed his eyes.

llrlc GrOaQc0 ana closed b.S eyes.
Then he opened them again, and the
sight of Stuarts pale face seemed tt
tell him part of the truth. The water
was running over the hand of his right
arm. which hung down helpless from.
his wounded shoulder. He reused HIM
self, evidently with the greatest diff
Guilty.
You win drown. Leave lie. l nm
dying anyway"
mo. no. Eric. l will net leave you
here alone" Stuart spoke calmly. al
most cheerfully. Eric's face was dloop-
ing over close to Stuart's shoulder.
Stuart kissed his cheek and at that
very moment he heard n mans voice.
the sweetest sound he ever heard,
echoiag down the ladder shaft
He shouted lack in reply and wait
ed. Again tie cry came in response.
Some one was coming down the hid
ders to the rescue. Whoever he was he
was evidently coming as fast as the
nature of the passage would allow. for
the next time the Cry was uttered Stu
art could hear words OF encouragement
and then 4 voice speaking from the
point where the last round of the lad
der rencined. saying ve"5 distinctly
and in even precise English, who is
there?"
1T is I, Stuart Duncan. I an here
with Eric. and he is hurt and helpless.
l can't lift tila up alone
~ always hclieved in being CT time"
replied the voice. IF you can move rp
under the foot Of the shaft l vii! throw
you this rope"
Stuart lifted Eric from his position
and plunged over toward the ladder
hole. The water was above his shoul-
ders. y rope was thrown, and lie Sc
cured it under Eric. WHO hnd again
tainted from tine pain and shock. Then
with an exercise Of strength and skill
such as men possess in times of facing
death, the two men, o::e above and one
below, succeeded in drawing Er.c 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 a 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 We're in great peril.
The ladders We're 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 n 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 moment painting against the side
of the wall. while Eric lay on the plat
form to all appearances lifeless.
"We 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.
eve can get out on this level" re-
piled his companion.
what! How's. that? We are 500
feet below ground here"
'.The old Beury shaft opens into this
drift. l walked In here this afternoon
myself Here is where | heard you
shout for help. There. Don't you feel
that breeze blowing through the drlft?"
Stuart turned his face and felt the
passing of a cool wave of air. And
then 1t flashed across his memory that
several years before. when boy. he
had himself climbed down into the old
Bcury 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 thls 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 300
feet the drift turned abruptly to the
right and began to ascend sharply. 1t
grew more difficult to carry Erie, but
the danger from the water was now
over. The old passage was really II
tunnel let into the side of the hill at II
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 rcscuer was.