The Forrest City times., 1905-01-13

he caught a glimpse Of blue sky darkenec
 by whirling vapor. His eyes smarted
 intolerably. From the burning coal and
 heated rock a nauseous. penetrating odor rolled up to him. It was eating the lining out of his lungs. His strength
 grew less with every breath he was forced to take.
 Dazed by his peril. Sanders stood mo-
 tionless Then from a crevice almost under his feet thin, writhing tongue of flame, forked and lurid, darted sud- denly up. wrestled for a moment with the smoke wreaths, and flickered out as quickly as it had come. The apparition brought the driver to his senses. Pre- cious seconds were passing, and instant action was necessary.
 Leapng 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 to him unless he could devise some way to regain it.
 All at orce 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 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 1t now?
 Stopping, he grasped three-cornered fragment and threw 1t against the wall. Another and then another followed. They were burning hot. except those he had just flung in from the top of his load. With bent head, facing the fumes that poured eXhaustlessly up, and draw ing them into his lungs with every chok- ing breath, he fumbled madly over the hard black Jumps.
 In this fashion he heaped 13 or II pieces against the granite, and then stopped, feeling that to work longer would destroy his only hope of getting out. His eyes were boodshot, his brain rseling His temples throbbed as if they would burst. He could see nothing, could hear nothing but a confused roar Ing. Strengthening up. he staggered for ward. 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 further 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 a | few feet above him beyond the kiln edge | he could see the wagon body and the lines wavering in the heated atmosphere I that enveloped him. Then. as he dropped | his eyes, he caught sight of something that gave him 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 to him when the wind changed again, the smoke blew back. and once more shrouded him in its pitehy clouds.
 Sanders brain was swimming Strength and consciousness could not endure more than 20 seconds longer His shoes were burning on his feet. His skin was shriveling and cracking
 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 and feeble was his voice that they did not recognize it, and refused to move. Already ten of his precious seconds were gone
 Sanders stopped. picked up fragment of rock and launched 1t at random. through the smoke. in the direction of old white Billy. the off leader of the team. Fortunately. it struck the horse fairly on his flank rousing him suddenly from his reverie. Billy started forward and the others followed his lead There was heavy stamping of hoofs, a creak- ing of unoiied 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 frightened with quick jerk. It was the second he had been waiting for. the one on which hls life depended Without loosing his hold he sprang up. sticking the tips of his toes into the in terstiees between the blocks of granite. The force of the pull hurled him against the wall. but he clung to the leathern straps with desperate energy.
 Had the reins given way, all would have been lost. But they were new and strong. purchased the day before to re- place an older pair and they did not 1 break. In a moment Sanders was | dragged up and out of the kiln, across | the granite edge, and along theplanks oi | the staging, narrowly escaping being run over by the broad-tired wheels.
 Less than minute and a half had l plapSpG SjDca ha G ri&erts faot fire, e .r,,at.