The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-10-28

might have broken some bone. the heat
would have been more intense. and tho
depth would have made It impossible
for him to get his hands over the tor
OF the granite.
He was on the point OF lifting his toe
to thrust IL into some creyice in the
wall when beneath his feet there came
a rumbling, a sinking. The driver
! heart almost stood still with terror, for
! he knew too well the meaning OF the
sound. The kiln was settling! Down
slumped the rock with a suddenness
that almost threw him of his balance.
The heated mass inside the furnace
sank barely two feet, but when the mo
tion 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.
1t 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 dull red, dusky glow showed
dimly between the rough pieces OF
rock. Through every creyice the
smoke oozed mp 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 a 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
ened by whirllng vapor. His eyes
smarted 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
Dazed by his peril Sanders stood mo-
tiOnless. Then from a crevlce almost
under his feet n thin, wrlthing tongue Of
flame, forked and lurid. darted sudden.
ly up, wrestled for moment with the
smoke wreaths, and fiCkered out as
quickly as IL had come. The apparl-
ton brought the driver to his senses.
Precious seconds were passing and in.
slant action was necessary.
Leaping up 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 inn
mediately. The two feet that the rock
had settled meant death 10 him unless
he could devise some way to regain II.
All at once it flashed over him that
he might throw the rocks he was stand
ing on into loose pile against the
front wall. and thus make "A 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 thrce-corncrcd
fragment and threw Il against the wall.
Another and 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 exhaustlessly up. and drawing
them into his lungs with every chok-
Ing breath. he fumblcd madly over The
hard black Jumps.
In this fashion he hcapcd thirteen
or fourteen pieces against the granite
and then stopped, feeling that to work
longer would destroy his only hope OF
getting out. His eyes were bloodshot,
his brain reclng. He could see moth
ing, could hear nothing but n confused
roaring. Strengthening up he staggered
forward. Two steps brought him
again TO the wall.
To his horror he found that the pile
he had built was not high enough.
There was not time to add TO 1t furth-
or. What should he do?
Fortunately at that moment the wind
vecred. For little while the smoke
drew away to the westward, and left
him standing clear i'm the heat. Only
few feet above him beyond the kiln
edge he could see the wagon body and
the backs and heads Of his horses. their
outlines waverng in the heated atmos-
phcre that envelOped him, Then. MS he
dropped his eyes. he caught sight Of
something that gave him n sudden hope
Of escape. over the granite hung the
end Of his reins. where they had fallen
when he grasped unavailingly at the
whip-stoCk. Might he not take firm
hold of these start his horses. and thus
be hoisted out of that fiery pit?
Barely had the idea suggested itself
10 him when the wind changed again,
the smoke blew back, and once more
shrouded him in its pitChy clouds.
Sanders brain was swimming.
Strength and consciousness could not
endure more than twenty seconds
longer His shoes were burning on his
feet His skin was shrvelng and
cracking
With closed eyes he swaycd forward.
felt about until he found the loop OF
the relns and hooked his fingers round
them. 1t would not do for him 20 bear
his whole weight upon them. FOR they
might break and let him fall back thus
destroying his only chance Even in
his extremity he thought of that.
There was no time to waste. How
should he start his horses? lie tried
to shout 10 them, but so cracked AID
feeble was his voice that they did not
recognize IL and refused To move. He
must try something else. Already ten
of his precious seconds werc gone
Sanders stopped. picked up a frag.
ment Of rock and launched IL at ran.
| dom through the smoke in the dircc-