Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-02-03

"Hark. What's that?" suddenly cx-
claimed the engineer, his voice rising
almost to a shrek as he turned sharply
on the reporter.
His practlsed ear had caui ht a dis.
tant murmur. Sanders listened, and
heard 1t, too. From far up the pine
echoed a low, swelling sound, halfway
between the rumble of train and the
monotone Of the surf on sandy beach.
Louder and louder 1t came, gathering
in volume. The two looked at each
other with startled faces. Atterbury's
cheeks grew pale. He snatched his
watch from his pocket, and flashing
the lamp-bulb on the crystal, inspected
It closely. cry of alarm broke from
his lips. The hands were still at TWEEN.
ty-seven minutes to Z
How long had 1t been since the
watch stopped? At Z the gate at the
lake was to have been lifted. After.
bury faced Sanders suddenly.
Good heavens, man. he cried. 1.-THE
waters not more than mile or so
away, and coming down like a race
| horse If we're not ont Of this pipe In
less than five minutes, they'll be fishing
our bodies from the city reservoir early
tomorrow morning"
No further words were spoken he.
tween the two imperlled men. They
raced at the top of their speed toward
the open manhole in the station half
mile back.
The bricks beneath their feet were
slippery. The air was close, and both
were soon painting. But 1t would not
do to stop. 1t was n far different
progress from their leisurely walk
few minutes before.
Ah.r-r-r-r! Sound carried far through
that narrow pine. AS the engineer ran,
he could trace in his mind the course
of the food from the time the water
gate at the lake was opened. He
seemed to see its first yeasty, bubbling
Onrush into the black tunnel that had
been two years preparing for its re-
ceptlon. He could see 1t foaming down
the long grade through Litchman's Val
ley, and then swerving to the left to
parallel the course of the river for
three miles, until it swung back again,
dove under Eyebright Hill, and came
surging on beneath the meadows of
Charing till it was nearly upon them.
He seemed TO see its spumy front,
sprnging out of the darkness like a
raging wild beast
Nearer came the water. Louder grew
4 In ha
voice of doom. There was no hope. no
mercy. The pipe shut them in with
its smooth, pitlless bricks. The engi-
neers face was CHASTITY. He painted as
he ran.
Sanders foot slipped. Down he went
in a sprawling heap, carried along for
short distance by his own impetus The
engineer stopped. In an instant his
arms were under those of the reporter
and he helped him to his feet.
Don't do that again. he shouted
hoarsely. Again they ran on.
And now it was Atterburys turn, He
slipped and shot heavily forward. San
ders went into him full tilt, and was
likewise capsized The electric lamp
was broken and extinguished by the
catastrophe. Instantly the reporter
was on his feet, ready to run on. But
before he started he waited for the en-
gineer. He could not see him in the
darkness; but even above the deepen
i'iS so"'lu VI cue "~nd. he heard faint
groan' he CROPPED baok and touched a
heap of clothing. A wrencneu tondon
had made it impossible for the engineer
to stand upright unaided. Atterbury
shouted go on! Never mind me-"
But Sanders picked him up in his
strong arms, and half.caTied, half
dragged him rapidly along the pipe.
Ahead faint light glimmered through
the open manhole. CLOSE Uvhinp Dur"t
the increasing roar Of the torrent.
Could the reporter make the distance
in time?
h~ TT9n orI I"af f6: H noYTid face of the
Swede looked down. Sanders dragged
Attprbury to the foot of the ladder.
The engineers hands clinched the
rounds. and he went up like prnctised
athlete, barely touching his injured
foot
1t was Sanders turn now. Had he
waited too long? There was no time
to trihe with the rounds Of hemp. Up
he sprang, and caught the edge OF
the manhole with his fingers.
AS he leaped he had glimpse of
confused turmoil of water, foamy
torrent shooting out of the blackness
to overwhelm him. Something caught
Mt his feet with rush and roar and
dragged them irreslstibly down. But
the Swede and Atterbury seized him
by the wrists and swung him up
through the opening; and in a second
he was lying on the floor above, trying
to recover his breath, while the sta
ton man slammed down the cover OF
the manhole, and screwed 1t on to keep
out the food that threatened to burst
through. Youths Companion.