The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-11-08

smoke OOZed up from the burning cOdi
Just thrown into the arches twenty
feet below. The s0les Of his boots
were sc0rehing 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
be caught a glimpse Of blue sky dark
ened by whirling vapor. His eyes
smarted intoIerably From the burn
ing coal and heated rock a nauseous.
penetrating odor rolled up to him. His
strength grew less with every breath
be was forced to take.
Dazed by his peril Sanders stood mo-
tionless. Then from a creyice almost
under his feeta thin, wrlthing tongue Of
fame, forked and lurid, darted sudden
IS up, wrestled for moment with the
smoke wreaths. and nickered out as
quickly as 1t had come The appari-
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 70 lift himself to
the top. but he slipped back almost i'm
medlately. The two feet that the rock
had settled meant death to him unless
be co''lG devise some way to regain it.
Az 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 a heap high
enough to help him Chamber out.
Could he have done this before the
kiln settled his safety would have beer
assured Was there time to do it now?
STOPPING he grasped n three-cornered
fragment and threw It 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 fumbled 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
getting out. His eyes were bloodshot,
his brain reeling. He could see moth
ing, could hear nothing but a confused
roaring Strengthening up he staggered
forward Two steps brought him
again to the wall
To his horror he found that the pile
be had built was not high enough
There was not time to add to it furth-
er. What should he do?
Fortunately at that moment the wind
veered. For a little while the smoke
drew away to the westward. and left
him standing clear in the heat. Only q
few feet above him beyond the kiln
edge he could see the wagon body and
the backs and heads Of his horses. their
wavering in the heated atmos-
phere that enveloped him. Then. as he
his eyes, he caught sight Of
that gave him sudden hope
or escape Over the granite hung the
end OF his reins. where they had fallen
when he grasped unavailingly at the
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
to 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 shrivellug and
With closed eyes he swayed forward.
felt about until he found the loop OF
the reins and hooked his fingers round
them. It would not do for him TO 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? He tried
TO shout to them. but so cracked aid
feeble was his voice that they did not
recognize IT and refused to move. He
must try something else. Already Ten
Of bis precious seconds were gone.
Sanders stopped. picked up a frag
ment of rock and launched il at ram
dom through The smoke, in the dircc-
tion of old white Billy. the of leader
Of the team Fortunately it struck the
horse fairly on his flank. roEsing him
suddenly from his reverie. Billy
started forward and the others fol-
lowed his lead There was a heavy
stamping Of hoofs, creaking of un-
oiled axles. The team was in motion.
The moment the driver flung the rock
he seized the reins strongly again with
both hands. Barely had he done so
when the loop tightened with a quick
jerk Il was the second he had been
waiting for. the one on which his life
depended Without loosing his hold he
sprang up. sticking the tips OF his toes
into the interstices between the blocks
Of granite The force of the pull
hurled him against the wall. but he
clung to the leathern straps with des-
perate energy.
Had the reins given way all would