Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-01-11

lips were cold Her arms slipped from
his shoulders. She became weight
in his arms.
God in heaven be praised" he
breathed.
He looked into her white, still fac,
again, buried his face In the warm
sweetness Of her hair, and as he waited
whispers Of prayer formed themselve.
on his lips.
TICK-TICK-T1CK
He could hear his watch A clam.
my chill crept through him. The roar
of the bursting mountain seemed al.
ready to flll his head. Sickness
Notwithstanding him, and he sank
down upon the cold rock floor with his
unconscious burden.
T1CK-T1CK-TICK-
His watch was beating OF the sec.
onds, faster and faster. He counted
them, ten, twenty. forty. sixty-and
they raced so swiftly that his brain
could not follow. Something had hap
pened to the wire UP on the rock.
They were attaching the battery. A
moment more
The seconds grew into minutes
five-ten-he lifted his head. Good
God, what did it mean? The girl
moved, and he strained her to him.
She was coming back to life. His fin
gers touched her soft throat. and he
knovx Id
back her life little longer. His fin
gers frightened. and he groaned aloud.
The bell in his watch struck again.
1t was a quarter after nine. 1t would
happen soon-it MUST happen soon.
There had been delay-they were
pressing the button now. A little
longer-just little longer
sound came to him. 1t was not
the ticking Of his watch. 1t was not
the little bell. He raised his head. his
eyes shining madly. 1t was a voice
faint shout-beyond the choked up
mouth Of the coyote
He dropped the girl and sprang TO
the rocks. and his voice rose in shreks
that were like those Of a mailman.
Answering shouts came to him through
the mass of earth and rock. They
heard him. He heard the beat of
metal picks on hard rock.-one, two.
three. and then an army of them.
Their CLICK LICK-CLICK-came
to him family. swiftly. and he contin.
ued to shout until he staggered back
exhausted The girl had regained
consciousness. and was swaying on her
feet. holding out her arms to him and
murmuring incoherent things He
sprang to her and caught her In his
arms.
We're saved" he shouted Some.
thing has happened. They're out
there-they hear us-I can hear them
working"
She looked at him dumbly, incom
prehendingly. and her hands went to
his face again, and in her eyes there
was a look as though she feared the
strain had been too much for him.
"Come-listen! he cried. and he
drew her to the choked mouth Of the
coyote. holding her trembling form in
his arms
For moment they held their
breath.
In the silence there came to them
distinctly the rapid beating of many
picks upon rock.
how Ia ne cffAo ~
earth and rock cleared the mouth of
the coyote. 4 flood of warm, fresh air
rushed in upon Philip and the girl he
still held in his arms. In a moment
he was carrying her over the debris
4 dozen lanterns flashed in their faces
score of men had drawn back. lean.
ing on their picks and crowbars, star
ing at them white-faced and silent. as
men will stare at those who have
come ont OF the jaws OF death, But
, one sprang forward and caught the
girl from Philip, It was her father.
the vice president. and from behind
him Philip heard the voice OF one of
the men. which told him what had
happened A rock had fallen upon the
wire leading to the dynamite, and had
severed it. The battery had failed to
explode the mountain. and men had
come down ID investigate.
He drew in great draughts of air.
and looked at Isobel and her father.
The girl had freed herself from his
arms. and another man was standing
near, holding out his hands to her.
II was the En8.ishman. And then he
saw the girl draw herself erect--turu
and search fop. him. and when she
saw him standing there in the glow
Of many lanterns, white, torn. and
waiting she went to him with great
sohbing cry. and all who stood there
hArd the marvellous words which fell
(nxm her lips
"MY HUSBAND-MY HUSBAND!"