News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-02-20

gOu THIS IOpCs
Stuart lifted Eric from his position
and plunged over toward the ladder
hole. The water was above his Shout
ders. A rope was thrown, and he Sc
cured 1t 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 ont
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, fol
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. 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 a struggle that left
them completely exhausted, they
reached the first drift from the bot
tom. There was a wooden platform
here, and the drift ran out into th.
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.
eve can't stay here long," gasped
Stuart. "See the water coming up!
He pointed down the black we'll from
which they had climbed so painfully.
The rushing water and the falling in OF
ore banks made a terrifying uproal
about them.
eve 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 a cool wave of air. And
then it flashed across his memory that
several years before, when a 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-
ripd as fast as their burden WoIfdi ar
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. 1t
grew more difficult 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 inn
mediate reach of the water. they sank
down exhausted again, and by the
Pickering light Stuart first noticed who
his rescuer was.
81 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 fippant or lacking in seri-
| BUSINESS about the man. 81 am the new
minister at the church with the clock
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 it over the body OF
Eric. He felt q strange thrill as he did
so. Somehow the peculiar formality OF
the mans speech struck him as token
of special kind of strength. He
seemed to feel that here was a man
who, whatever his oddities, was pos
sessed of qualities that were really
very rare and valuable.
81 owe you my life and that of my
friend here" he said. at all seems
very strange to me, your appearance
had given myself up for lost
should certainly have drowned If you
had not appeared"
Yes; think you would-that is, un
less you had left the body of you
friend here, and you don't look like til,
kind of man to do that. But we ough
to move on. We need to get him to TIN
doctor as soon as possible. My appear
ance here is very simple, and can tel
that afterward. Shall we move on?''
Stuart eagerly assented. and the,
stumbled on up the tunnel Their prog
ress was very SLOW for Eric was en-
tirely dead weight, aud neither Stu
art nor his companion was powerful
man physically. They had gone but
short distance, however, when light
appeared farther up the shaft, an