The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-13

Her face was growing cold. Her
lips were cold. Her arms slipped from
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.
TICK-TICK-TICK-TICK-
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.
wealIness-overcame him, and he sank
down upon the cold rock floor with his
unconscious burden.
TICK-TICK-TICK-
His watch was beating off 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
knew that God would have him choke
back her life a little longer. His fin
gers frightened, and he groaned aloud.
The bell in his watch struck again.
II was a quarter after nine. IL 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. 1t was not
the ticking Of his watch. II 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 ta
the rocks, and his voice rose in shrieks
that were like those of a madman.
Answering shouts came to him through
the mass of earth and rock. They
heard him! He heard the beat Of
metal picks on hard rockl-one, two.
three, and then an army of them!
Their observation-disclosures
to him family, swiftly, and he contin-
ued to shout until he staggered back
exhausted. The girl had regained
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
workingl"
She looked at him dumbly, incom-
prehendlngly, and her hands went to
his face again, and in her eyes there
was 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 a moment they held their
breath.
In the silence there came to them
the rapid beating Of many
picks upon rock.
An hour later crumbling slide OF
efrth and rock cleared the mouth of
The coyote. A flood of warm, fresh air
rushed in upon Philip and the girl he1
still held In his arms. In a moment
he was carrying her over the debris.
A dozen lanterns flashed in their faces.
4 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 out of the jaws of death. But
'ne sprang forward, and caught the
girl from Philip. 1t was her father.
he vice-president. and from behind
lim Philip heard the voice of one of
he men, which told him what had
happened. A rock had fallen upon the
wire leading to the dynamite, and had
ievered it. The battery had failed to
explode the mountain, and men had
ome down to investigate.
He drew in great draughts Of air,
nd looked at Isobel and her father.
The girl had freed herself from his
rms, and another man was standing
'ear, holding out his hands to her.
was the Englishman. And then he
aw the girl draw herself erect-turn
land search for him; and when she
aw him standing there in the glow
many lanterns, white, torn, and
'aiting, she went to him with a great,
obbing cry, 'and all who stood there
card the marvellous words which fell
rom her lips.
fAaU rITfcn 49,. -. ..-l