The Washington herald., 1907-11-28
CHAPTER XVII.


ne
There was but one way 70 the surface
az least one way that a man could use.
John Roy knew that one we'll Of it was
already dangerous Only a few props.
some light wood, ina mmable as matches.
and long strips OF bratticing protected the
other. II was a matter Of a few seconds
AZ the longest before the air shaft should
be attacked A man has but one life. lie
VIII save that. All that he hath viii he
give for IT, And. for the first time, John
Roy knew now dear his life was 20 him
when he glanced upward and saw that
duh red glow in the heart Of the olinding
reek.
Yet. doubtless $50 his conscience ar
gued). ii was his duty 10 abide by his sig
nais- But his Hfe-his life. lie was the
only man who knew the bells-the only
man who could reply to them. The bot
toner Is the man AT the helm. Only he
can communicate up that long incline,
nearly third OF a mile In length. with
the men in the engine house on the sur
face. whose steel levers. wire ropes, and
electric signals control in their turn. the
movements Of the cage by which alone
safety can be reached. But his life-his
life,
But John Roy did not happen TO be
very brave man-less so than his fel-
loWs-and the necessity OF choice came
upon him very swiftly. indeed.
Stunned. bewildered. not knowing which
way TO turn, amid the binding dOwnpour
Of sitting smoke. and tine cracking OF the
fire eating its way upward among the
timbers OF the pit, john Roy acted as his
master had done. and leaped into the
cage. He would have saved all II he
could. But himself first OF all
lie stood FOR a long moment with his
hand on the bell lever, which on that side
was still working.
Three boys We're running toward him.
crying out % know what was the matter
They had just arrived with their pony
loads. ready for the trucks Oh which they
were 10 be conveyed up the Dock.
The pits afire. lads. cried out the
/ "bottomer.' Come away with me, Jump
in, Quick with you"
But these three lads jand this is a true
tale). whose names deserve TO be written
IN golden letters. though no more than
children in years, returned 10 the falter-
ing "bottomer' the answer OF brave men
No. they said. we viii gang back and
warn the mem
But fear had fallen on John Roy. The
| helmsman forsoOk mis- post. Thrice he
1 jerked the lever and was whisked away
/ just IN time. for the fire had caught the
ventilating shaft He escaped and left &
/ hundred helpless men 10 face their fate
| and with them a girl.
The three boys sped on their way. The
weight OF many lives oppressed their
| eager bcyiSh hearts. The main workings
were far away. Breathing deeply 20 give
1 them vigor bending low TO take the awk-
ward corners, leaping aside 10 avoid some
4 laden wagon running toward the well. ''
| they ran through the increasing smother.
/ For already the air Passages We're taint-
/ ed and instead Of feeding the great
/ pit with pure air. the dOWn-draft was
pushing the deadly smoke. which men
cannot breathe. along all the working
! faces OF the pit
/ The boys raced. their backs bent from
/ their hips. as Jhey took one dark arch
I way after another. or scrambled over
/ dangerous heaps Of rubbish in their zeal
| 10 be the first 10 warn their comrades.
/ "The pits afre-ruu. mentor ,oUr
/ lives. Leave your picksr'
/ The last word cIenched the matter. The
men knew that only in the most periIous
/ necessity. would such advice be given
I Them. So at the word. all along the
( long lines OF half-naked men. each man
/ and boy dropped the tool he was using
| pick OF drill or hammer or 'ielIeck. "
| and ran IS best he might for the bot
I tom OF the incline
But. when they arrived. they found
I only the red FIRE glowing sullenly from
/ high overhead down upon the dull waters
/ Of the "sump," and the cage which
/ ought to nave taken them 10 safety.
i gone with the pilot on board.
/ And yet. 10 the credit OF their man.
/ hood. their FIRST thought was not for
| themselves. caught thus. as il seemed
/ without hope. They thought OF Vida
| Bryan. whom they found standing be-
/ side old Dick Finnan. smiling, but a
\ little dazed: she did not know what fl
/ was all about.
"Eh. the poor lassie." they said among
\ themselves. this is the risk we hae 10
\ run. But its waur Tor her that zens
| nocht aboot the deep things o the earth
/ or the perils O. men that spend their
| lives there"
And above them. filing their only exit
/ from side to side. the fire roared. blow
/ ing down its choking breath upon them.
/ while the red eye among the smoke
| seemed 10 look at them ever nearer and
| closer.
Hear to me said Dick Finnan, after
/ a long look upward; lads. we had bet
ter get 20 the prayin! Yon's Death