The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-12-30
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THE TWO
MINUTE
EYYSE BY
= O0A WILLIAM
Wallace Cook
Copyright, 1901, BY W. W. Cook.

dOh II LIS OIl11, unWOuuQ Il LWO ulluulc
length of fuse from the coil, scraped
the end and slipped ON a cap. He
pushed the cap down into the hole and
followed it with two sticks of dyna-
mite. gently ramming them home and
filing up the hole with dust
Great Scottw exclaimed Blakesly.
You're putting in charge for your
life, Andy"
''I'm going to blow out this horse and
uncover the vein," returned the fore
man, IF it takes a leg" Just then
burst of childish laughter echoed to
them. SIS that Allie?' he asked.
Allie was his daughter. motherless,
sunny faced child, who had been the
especial protege of Mrs. Hurst. the
keeper of the boarding house. ever
since her father had brought her to the
Pactolus mine. Occasionally Allie was
allowed to come down into the work
ings. which was always treat for her.
She was a prime favorite, and every
one of the miners would have guarded
her as the apple Of his eye.
at must be Allie" said Blakesly,
getung up ana starving OH.
At that precise minute the noon whis-
tie of the stamp mill sounded.
'Take Allie up with you" Andy
called after Blakesly.
"All right" returned Blakesly, halt
ing at the shaft
The ladder was filed with climbing
miners. Fritz at the lower end of the
row.
where's Allie, Fritz" asked Blakes-
ly.
"She vas gone oop alretty," answered
Fritz, looking down.
"Sure about that?"
"Yah, sure Kingman carried her
oudt. seen him meinself."
All the miners of the day shift ex-
cept Kingman and Andy were now on
the ladder. Blakesly was satisfied and
started nimbly up the greasy rungs
The foreman removed his tools to q
place of safety. applied the flame of
his candle to the end of the fuse.
watched the fuse splutter for mo-
ment and then made his way to the
ladder and started for the surface him
self.
where's AllieY asked Andy, spring
ing out Of the shaft and hurrying after
Blakesly.
"She came up with Kingman," re-
piled Blakesly
'Who told you"
Fritz"
The miners were struggling out, sin
gly and in couples. on their way to
the boarding house. Kingman was in
the lead, walking alone. Fritz was
just ahead of the foreman and Blakes-
ly.
"Hello, Kingmanp shouted Andy.
'Where's AllieY
Kingman turned.
Didn't she come up with youY' he
asked
Every miner in the struggling line
came to an abrupt halt. The very
thought that Allie might still be below
with fuse lighted and leaping closer
and closer to a terrific charge Of dyna;
mite was sufficient to set every heart
to pounding. There were other charges
in the level, too, but they were light
compared with the one in the breast of
the tunnel.
Andy wsok white in a second.
"You hf@aal villainY' he roared,
springing Hpon Fritz and gripping him
by the tbssat.
Fritz tore himself loose and ran fran
tically back to the shaft.
"Kingman vent past der slope NIT
Allie on his shoulter," he flung at them
as he raced.
II did," cried Kingman, joining the
rest as they hocked excitedly after
Fritz. "but she said she'd rather come
up with her father. so | lowered her
down the ladder again. Didn't you see
her, AndyY
"Oh, my God? gasped the foreman
and threw his hands to his face.
How many holes were loadedT de-
manded Blakesly.
Three" said Higgins.
"All two minute fuses?"
1t was useless question, for that
was the standard length for the noon
firing.
AA0J GboS6CAO0 hS5o4hol LIZ
work of the ''whim," his face ashen
and his nerve completely gone. He
oould do nothing.
Perhaps she's coming upr' suggested
Blakesly.
Another useless remark, for Allie
could not have climbed the ladder If
VIE had tried. Blakesly leaped on the
Y,Io+Porn, ~ IooI- down h1,f Erif1 bod
already swung the OK hide ore bucket
over the shaft. had kicked the coil of
rope into the depths and had gripped
the strands conyulsively.
1t was a time for action, not for
words. How many seconds of the pre-
cious 100 had already slipped away?
The climbing of the ladder, the walk
toward the boarding house, the colo
guy the backward rush-it seemed as
though all that must have consumed
the time to the uttermost second.
''She's not coming oopp cried Fritz
and as he spoke he sprang into the
BUCKET and dropped from sight.
One glimpse of his wild, terror strick
ep face was all they caught, and then
anne the swirl Of the rope and the
shrek of the unoiled sheave. In a
breath there followed the bump of the
bucket at the bottom of the shaft, and
the rope leaped upward and hung limp
and shaking.
Boom! came from below, a puff OF
blush smoke curling upward above the
platform planks.
"Onew whispered Blakesly, drawing
away from the choking powder.
Boom!
'Twor gasped Higgins, holding his
hat over his mouth and kneeling to
peer downward.
do you see anything-hear any
thing?" demanded Kingman hoarsely.
Higgins turned despairing face to
ward Kingman and shook his head.
Booml
From under them came sodden roar
which seemed to rive the earth asun-
der. Klngman was thrown from his
feet, and the others on the platform
flung out their hands In an attempt to
grasp something and support them
selves. Up from the blackness rolled
billow of sulphurous fog.
Fritz was mad to go down there"
said Kingman. They're both lost.
What are you doing, Blakeslyf'
Blakesly had jerked of his coat and
was wrapping 1t about his head.
IF they're not both done for now"
he replied In mufiied tones, they soon
VIII be IL we don't get them up Stand