The new enterprise., 1904-12-15


where he had stood was vacant. So
blacily did the smoke roll over the
wagon that a pan ten feet or could
not have seen him fall.
Almost before the driver had time to
realize what had occurred he found
himself sprawlng in a loose. helpless
heap upon the rocks he had Just
thrown in. They were not yet heated
through. hut their sharp corners cut
and bruised him severely.
Instantly the deadly peril OF his stu
alton dawned upon him, and he sprang
to his feet. bent upon getting out at
once. Warm. black and sitting, the
smoke wrapped him about like a
sbroud. He began TO cough and choke.
An ordinary man would have sue
cumbed Immediately in that fearful al
mosphere. but Sanders had become so
accustomed to breathing coal smoke
that he did not yield readily to the
fumes. lie was perfectly aware that
his life could be measured by very
few scores OF seconds unless he eXtri-
Gated himself at once from this fiery
pit. Two quick steps brought him TO
the front wall. He pushed his hands
mp along the hot granite blocks, and
found that he could reach well over the
highest layer. A moments grasp upon
some firm projection. the quick thrust
OF n boot toe into a crack In the lining
and he would be out Of his dilemma in
a jiffy!
Even IN the midst OF his peril he was
inclined TO congratulate himself that
the rick in the Kiln was no lower. for
had the distance to fall been greater he
might have broken some bone, the heat
would have been more intense. and the
depth would have made It impossible
for him to get his hands over the top
Of the granite.
He was on the point Of lifting his toe
to thrust it into some crevice in the
wall when beneath his feet there came
a rumbling a sinking The drivers
heart almost stood stlll with terror, for
he knew too well the meaning Of the
sound, The kiln was settling! Down
| slumped the rock with n suddenness
that almost threw him off his balance
The heated mass inside the furnace
| sank barely two feet, but when the mo.
ton ceased the tips Of Sanders finger
rested on the joint between the first
and second layers of granite. He could
no longer touch the top Of the upper
blocks.
It was death TO stay. but how could
he get out? The wall in front was now
too high for him to scale. Beneath his
feet a duh red, dusky glow showed
dimly between the rough pieces of
! rock, Through every crevice the
smoke oozed up from the burning coal
| Just thrown into the arches twenty
feet below. The soles of his boots
were scorching. He was sick. blind
dizzy. In minute or two, at the ut
most he would be overcome by smoke
and heat.
Round him curved the rugged. SCOT.
blackened layers Of granite, barely Wis
ible through the murky clouds, Above
he caught glimpse Of blue sky dark
encd by whlrllng vapor. His eyes
Smartcd intolerably.- From the burn
ing coal and heated rock nauseous,
penetrating odor rolled up to him. His
strength grew less with every breath
he was forced TO take.
Da2ed by his peril Sanders stood mo-
| tlonless. Then from a crevlce almost
under his feeta thin, wrthing tongue Of
! flame, forked and lurld, darted sudden
| ly up, wrestled for a moment with the
smoke wreaths and flckered out as
| quickly as it had come. The appari-
ton brought the driver TO his senses.
| Precious seconds were passing and in
slant action was necessary.
Leaping mp as high as he could he
threw his hands over the edge Of the
! hot granite and tried TO lift himself TO
the top, but he slipped back almost i'm
mediately. The two feet that the rock
had settled meant death to him unless
he could devise some way to regain 1t.
All at once it flashed over him that
he might throw the rocks he was stand
Ing on into a loose pile against the
front wall, and thus make heap high
enough to help him Chamber out.
Could he have done this before the
kiln settled his safety would have been
assured. Was there time to do it now ?
STOPPING he grasped a three-cOrnered
fragment and threw It against the wall.
Another ana then another followed.
They were burning hot, except those
he had Just flung in from his load,
With bent head, facing the fumes that
poured eShanstlessly up, and drawing
them into his lungs with every chok-
ing breath, he fumbed madly over the
hard black Jumps,
In this fashion he heaped thirteen
or fourteen pieces against the granite
and then stopped, feeling that TO work
longer would destroy his only hope Of