The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-02-11


his shoulders. She became a weight
in his arms
God in heaven be praised!" he
breathed.
He looked into her white. still face
again. buried his face in the warm
sweetness OF her hair. and as he waited
whispers Of prayer formed themselves
on his lips.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
He could hear his watch. A clam.
my chill crept through him. The roar
Of the bursting mountain seemed al.
ready to I'll his head. sickness
weakness-overcame him, and he sank
down upon the cold rock floor with his
unconscious burden.
TICK-TICK-TTCK
His watch was beating OF the sec.
onds. faster and faster. He counted
them, ten, twenty, forty, sfxty-and
they raced so swiftly that his brain
could not follow. Something had han
pened to the wire UP on the rocls.
They were attaching the battery. A
moment more
The seconds grew into minute8
Five-ten-he lifted his head. Good
God, what did 1t mean? The gih
moved, and he strained her to hlnh
She was coming back to life. His flt
gers touched her soft throat, and lie
knew that God would have him choke
back her life little longer. His in,
gers frightened. and he groaned aloud
The bell in his watch struck again
1t was quarter after nine. It would
happen soon--it MUST happen soon.
There had been a delay-they were
pressing the button now. A little
longer-just a little longer
A sound came to him. It was not
the ticking Of his watch. It was not
the little bell. He raised bis head, his
eyes shining madly. II was a voice.
a faint shout--beyond the choked up
mouth of the coyote.
He dropped the girl and sprang to
the rocks. and his voice rose in sbrieks
that were like those of q na6msR.
Answering shouts came to him through
the mass Of earth and rock. Their
heard himl He heard the beat Of
metal picks on hard rocki--one, two,
three, and then an army OF them,
Their CLICK-CLTCK-C
to him family. swiftly, and he conifn.
ued to shout until he staggered hacis
exhausted. The girl had regasned
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.
Were savedI" he shouted. ''some-
thing has happened They're out
there-they hear us--I can hear them
workingi"
She looked At him dumbly, incom-
prehendingly, and her hands went to
his face again. and in her eyes there
was look as though she feared tha
strain had been too much for hiJn.
"Come-IistenI" he cried, and he
drew her to the cboked mouth OF the
coyote, holding her trembling form "a
his arms.
For a moment they held theit
breath. Z
In the silence there came to them
distinctly the rapid beating Of many
picks upon rock
An hour later q crumbIIng slide OF
earth and rock cleared the mouth OF
the coyote. A flood Of warm, fresh air
rushed In upon Philip and the girl he
still held in ais arms. In a momenl
he was carrying her over the debris.
4 dozen lanterns flashed in their fsces
a score Of men had drawn back, lean
ing on their picks and crowbars, star
ing at them Whitehead and silent, as
men win stare ct those who have
come out OF the jaws OF death. But
one sprang forward. and csught ire
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. rock had fallen upon the
wire leading to the dynamite, ard had
severed 1t. The battery had failed to
explode the mountain, and men had
come down to 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.
It was the Englishman. And then he
saw the girl draw herself ereet-trrn
--and search for him; and when she
saw him standing there In the glow
Of many lanterns. white. torn, and
waiting. she went to him with a great.
sobbing cry. and all who stood thers
heard the marvellous words whica Fell
from her lips q
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