The San Francisco call., 1913-10-23
Now Go On With the Story

NOW G0 Un
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
of trousers. Allan quickly flashed the
light in his face. 1t was not Rives
With Lefevre's help they carried him
still breathing feebly. back TO the
train.
Two doctors took him in hand, and
in a few minutes they had brought
him to a consciousness of his sur
roundings. Under the further stimu-
lus of drink of brandy he was able
to talk a little His first statement
in broken English, which showed that
he was a French Canadian, was that
the Virgin had saved him. Lefevre
began questioning MIN, gently, but
swiftly, in his own tongue.
He said that he had been uncon-
scious at least once before He had
been revived by current of fresh
air blown across his face. He had
tried to get out of the tunnel and
found that the smoke was too thick.
He was trying to work his way back
to the fresh air when they had found
him, He did not understand that in
the smoke he had turned completely
around again.
Allan muttered an eager exclama-
tion.
That means that the ventilating
plant is making headway against the
smoke" he cried. There's a chance
for some of the others. Ask him if
he heard anything of any others
Yes replied the rescued, eagerly;
Il heard somebody laughing several
times"
What Laughing?p exclaimed Le-
fevre.
Yes" was the solemn reply.
Poor chap" murmured Allan, when
this was Translates. It's a wonder
he didn't hear more than that"
But Lefevre was not wholly in
clined to accept this explanation. He
questioned Renard--that is the man 8
name-in detail and finally told Al
Ian that he was convinced that the
Canadian had heard human voices.
Then let us go in, in Gods namen'
cried Allan. Volunteers from the
doctorsi"
There was a unanimous response.
Allan chose the first two and with
Lefevre set out into the smoke again.
It was a terrible march, picking their
way along the corpse strewn track
over blocked timbers and fragments
of rock Some one was falling con-
stantly. for the smoke was like a
heavy yellow wall against the glasses
of the helmets. Once, after STUN
BILE, Allan felt a terrific pain shoot
from his right ankle up his leg. but
paid no heed.
Suddenly they were stopped dead in
their tracks. From somewhere ahead
of them out of the thick yellow black
vapor came peal upon peal of shrill,
unearthly laughter. For space no
man breathed and one of the doctors
n c Gsf6donlV
as it began it ended, and to the four
ii seemed for a few moments that no
human lips could have made the
CHASTITY sounds that echoed and rat
tied up and down the smoke filled
galleries.
Then Allan began pushing swiftly
on and others stumbled after him as
if afraid to be left alone. In another
minute or two they came upon
small substation, and the terrible
laughing pealed forth again. Allan
put his shoulder to the door and
pushed it in and entered, Lefevre
and the doctor at his heels.
A ventilating tube entered the sta
ton, and around the opening four
men were writhing and squirming
and occasionally from one of the
smitten came shrek of the horrible
! laughter that had startled them in
the gallery. The whistling sound that
came to the ears of the rescuers told
J them that the ventiiating plant was
working with increased power and
this had kept the four alive. In the
station, so close that they bumped
into 1t in their contortions, was an
oxygen generator unused. All four
were foreign laborers. When they
saw the smoke helmets Of the rescue
party they screamed with terror and
erouched in far corner OF the room
One of the doctors managed to make
some sense out of the gibberish and
gathered that they believed them
selves in hell and had taken the res
cuers for demons. When Allan and
the Others approached they sprang al
them in the madness of terror and
fought until they were overpowered
and bound Allan gave an order and
they were hurried back to the train
as swiftly as possible. One was dead
before the goal was reached and none
of the other three ever recovered his
reason.
AS he staggered into the car with
the last of the four, Allan collapsed
| in the aisle He had been 36 hours
without sleep and under strain such
as no man had ever borne before
The doctors quickly revived him, but
when he insisted that he must push
on again. in spite of their protests
one gray haired physician persuaded
him to take a 'stimuiant and rest fol
few minutes" Inside of minute
he had passed into deep sleep thai
lasted several hours.
Lefevre and two of the doctors
made two sorties in the meantime and
got past the station where the crazy
men had been found. but they were
driven back by smoke.
When Allan woke he was under thu
impression that he had not beer
asleep. and no one disillusioned him
He Immediately donned his smoke he'll
met. and with the indefatigable Le'
fevTe and fresh doctor another at
| tempt was made.
The smoke still moved down OF
] them like a living foe, groping IT.
way along the walls. creeping through