The Washington herald., 1914-11-01

even
bottom rung the opening at the top Of the shaft
was temporarily obscured.
Thrilled with apprehension, he hesitated Mar
rophat was up there. he little doubted; hardly like
that one to overlook the laddershaft in preparing
the tunnel to be living tomb.
Marrophat or no Marrophat at the top there was
nothing for him 10 do but to grasp the nettle dan
ger with steady hand, unninching. Even though
he were shot dead on emerging from the shaft Il
were better than to die down there. Ike a rat in
Q trap.
He had climbed not more than half dozen rungs
when voice hailed froh above:
"Law-oh Mister Law say-dont come up
here's present for you"
,Psusing without answer, he looked up A few
drops Of water spattered his face, Ike heavy rain
Almost Immediately the blue sky was permanently
eclipsed: . heavy cascade Of water, almost solid
column. shot down the shaft with terrific force
Alan sought vatnly to escape It, to mount against
IT. Seeming to gain In strength and volume with
each instant, It beat upon his head and shoulders
with irresistible power. Before he knew II, his
grasp had been Wrenched away from the ladders
and he was shooting feet first back into the tunnel
HalEdrowned and wholly dazed. he felt himself
picked up and dragged away from the waterfall
Then, as his senses cleared, he comprehended
the fact that the tunnel was already filling; that
where they stood It was already ankle deep; while
the water continued to fall without hint Of letup.
N-FLooD AND FIRE
Screaming to make himself heard above the roar
Of the deluge Barcus hammered In Alan's ear:
That devil! He's found the reservoIr-opened
the sluicegates-turned it into that shaft! We're
done fori"
Alan had no argument with which to gainsay
him Silently getting on his feet silently he
gropsd for Rose in the darkness, momentarily be-
coming more dense as the fall Of water shut out
the light and drew her away with him, up the
slight incline that led back to the bulkhead.
as hour in hell = e
To die there In the darkness, Ike so many nox-
ious animals trapped in q well!
The water mounted rapidly Within hve minutes
: Il drove them back to the elbow In the tunnel:
within ten it Tapped their ankles es they fingered
there doubling which was the greater peril to
advance or to stand fast and let the flooding tide
sauR out the fires OF life To return to the neigh
borhood Of the buIkhead was to court the death
indicated by the fuse and the keg Of blasting pow
der
OF sudden the thought crossed Alan's mind
that Marrophat had arranged the latter solely to
keep them away from the bulkhead.
He was decidedly of the opinion that It were bet
ter to be extinguished once and for all time, in
the space Of a second annihilated by explosion
than to die thus lingeringly.
On this consideration, he drew Rose with him,
back to the bukhead.
When they had been some fifteen minutes be-
side the bulkhead the water mounted the head of
q slight rise perhaps ten feet behind them. and
poured down in ever deeper volume to back up
against the barrier.
In fifteen minutes more it had reached their
chins. And they stood with heads against the roof
of the tunnel.
Holding Rose close to him, Alan kissed her lips
that were cold as death.
Then, fumbling under water, he found the hand
of the man at his side.
The water Tapped his lips like blind hand
In the tunnel that branched OF from the main
shaft, beyond the bulkhead, some thirty minutes
before this juncture, candle had guttered in its
stick, left carelessly thrust into the wall by Mar
rophat's lieutenant and guttering, had dropped a
flaming wick into little heap of bone-dry debris.
This last famed, Kicked hungrily at the timbering
that upheld the walls Of the tunnel. The timber
ing caught fire without delay. IN q space of time
incredibly brief the flames were spreading right
and left, the tunnel vault Of blistering fury.
AS Alan said his last mute farewell to Rose and
Barcus, the fire spread out in the bottom of the
shaft and invaded the powder room.
Alan had guessed Alright at Marrophat's design;
the key Of blasting powder was less than an eighth
full; its explosion could not possibly have effected
the cave-in Alan had at first feared.
But what Marrophat had overlooked was the
proximity to the keg Of some several sticks OF
dynamite masked by film of earth that had fallen
from the crumbling walls
When the blazing fuse dropped sparks into the
blasting powder this last exploded right willingly
anu Ino uynamlIe IOOk lIS cue WITHOUT Ine leaSI
delay.
The resultant defamation was terrific The bulk.
head was crushed in like eggshen barrier. Part
Of the walls fell in. but the tunnels and shaft re-
manned intact.
Swept with the stream as It poured out Of the
tunnel, Alan contrived throughout to retain his
hold round the waist Of Rose. Barcus shot past
him unseen in the darkness.
Halfblinded and stihed as he was by the reek
Of steam and powder fumes, Alan struggled with
himself until his wits were passably clear.
Immediately before him dangled the hoistins
bucket and rope
surrendering the care Of Rose to Barcus. Alan
climbed into the bucket and stared upward, exam
lining the walls Of the shaft for way to the top.
There was none other than the most difficult:
gaps too great to be bridged by climbing showed
In the wooden ladders.
The one feasible route was via the rope. And
there was nobody at the top to work the windlass
and Alan hoped there would be nobody to op-
pose his essay.
He addressed himself to the task without mur-
muring-ifted himself upon the rope. wound IL
round one leg. and began that heartbreakng climb.
He arrived at the top Of the shaft far too ex-