The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1908-07-10
At the End of the
Lower Level.
By AXLE AIDYL.
Copyrighted, 1908, by Associated
Literary Press.

reached for his hat eff only l wa
cavern, put up drill there at the enc
of the lower level and bore through
that COMPOUNDED rock myself, and the
timber gang cd go to-
The door slammed, and his daughter
heard him stride on down the trai
leading to the mine.
Helen did not wonder at the outburs
of temper. Her father had sunk his
last dollar in this mine, and now witt
riches-as he confidently believed-al
most within his grasp the timber gang
refused to work without their last
months pay.
1t was impossible to drift without
them The mine was unsafe and liable
to cave without the support Of the big
timbers. Sinclair was confident that
once through this wall of slate which
they had struck in the lower level he
would find again the rich ledge which
had suddenly stopped 200 feet above.
Then wages would be paid with inter
est.
To Mason, the owner of the adjoin-
ing mine, he had said, ANY darn fool
knows that a high grade four foot
ledge isn't going to stop off short, as
though cut in two with saw, unless
old natures had spasm and in twist
ing things about given this slate a
chance to wedge itself in"
And now as he swung on down the
steep trail he met Mason coming up.
Things have come to a crisis there,
I hear" said the latter, nodding his
head in the direction of the mine, "and
I'd like to talk to you about it before
you go down.
1.-THE miners will not work without
the protection of the timbers. l be-
lieve you are nearer through that slate
than you realize. 1 was down in the
drift today, and the character of the
rock is changing. It's quite possible
that one more days work would bring
you to the quartz, but the men have
quit and you are helpless. What l
want to propose is that you let me go
down there and work for two or three
days. No, no." as Sinclair raised his
hand to protest; '1t's all right. There
is less danger of a cave-in with only one
drill at work. Let me try it for a cou-
pie of days anyway"
ITS exactly what l would do my
self If l was equal to it." said Sinclair,
'but it's a big thing for me to accept
from you, Mason. If anything went
wrong ~
Nonsense! 1t won't go wrong. It's
only giving me a chance to prove am
right And no one need know what |
am doing. I'd little rather you would
not speak Of it. particularly toto Hell
en-. Just a notion. And now I'd like
to begin this work tonight"
Sinclair simply grasped his hand.
Then together they STROBE down to the
mine.
Everything was quiet. The pound
ing of the stamps had ceased. The
only sign Of activity was in the engine
room, where the engineer was, as usual,
pumping the water out of the shaft.
Sinclair motioned to him. The huge
"bucket" poised at the mouth of the
shaft They stepped well on to the
center, holding to the rope, and began
their descent. Down, down, past the
different levels, which were swallowed
up in inky blackness, the bucket glided
noiselessly on, the only sound being
the drip-dripping Of the water as 1t
percolated through the timbers lining
the shaft
At last they came to a standstill
1000 feet below. Sinclair reached
over and pressed a button at the side
of the shaft, and the entire tunnel was
ablaze with electric lights, stretched
along its roof.
The two men traversed the entire
length Of the tunnel to the end of the
"stope," where the miners had ceased
work a few hours before. Sinclair
helped Mason to get the Burleigh into
position, and then, saying he~himself
would remain at the engine through
the night In case Mason wanted help,
he walked through to the shaft and
eignaled to be hoisted above
Mason worked until early morning,
set off his blasts and went home for a
few hours rest. Returning at o'clock
in the afternoon, he saw that his work
of the night before had uncovered rich
gold bearing quartz. He Clipped off a
piece and put it in his pocket, and then,
intensely excited. he pushed the car.
filed with the worthless slate, along
the track to the crosscut, where an
enormous bulkhead support was being
built with the waste"
Mason deposited his load on the
"dump" and turned to push back when
be heard an appalling roar. but only
for a fraction Of a second, then ire
mendous crash, and he felt himself
hurled with terrific force against the
bulkhead. and all was blank.
Up on the hill at the Sinclair cottage
Helen had just returned from her ride,
but she fingered, chatting with her ia
Their and feeding Sultan his usual
humps Of sugar Suddenly they heard
a dull, muffled boom.
Sinclair turned CHASTITY white as he
exclaimed:
my Coda caveT'
ooh. dad. thank heaven the men quit |
work! There's no one in the mine"
"But there isl Mason's thereF' cried |
Sinclair as he rapidly frightened the !
girth Of Sultan's saddle. HE thought
he could bore through that wall him !
self. He's been there since yesterday. |
He asked me not TO tell you"
And the old man sprang into the sad
die like a boy Of sixteen and dashed |
down the steep trail.
Helen sank Imply on the lower step /
Of the porch. Mason to do this thing /
for her father-Mason. whom she had /