The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-12-10

hood Of the hulkhead was 70 court the
death indicated by the fuse and tbe
keg OF blasting powder.
or q sudden the thought crosse
Alans mind nat Marrophat had ar
ranged the atter solely to keen them
away from the bulkhead.
He was decidedly OF the opinion that
u were better to be extinguistod once
and for all time, in the space on a
second, annihilated by an explosion,
than to die thus lingeringly.
On this consideration, he drew Rose
with him. back to the 6ulkheau.
When they had been some fifteen
minutes beside the bulkhead, the w,.-
ter 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 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 az cold as
death
Then, fumblIng under water. ne
found the hand OF the man at his
side.
-, Tho water Tapped his lips like a
blind hand.
In the tunnel that branced off from
the main shaft, beyond the bnlkhead,
some thirty minutes before this juno
ture, q candle had glttered in its stick,
lett carelessly thrust into the wall by
Marrophat'B lieutenant, and gutteriug
had dropped flaming wick into lit.
tie heap OF bone-iry debris! This last
famed, licked hungrily at the timber
Ing that upheld the walls Of the fun-
mel. The timbering caught FIRE with
out delay In space OF time incredible
the flames were spreading right and
left, the tunnel was vault OF blister
ing fury.
AS Alan said his last mute fare
well to Rose and Barcus, the fire
spread out in the bottom OF the SHAFT
and invaded the powder room.
Alan had guessed Alright at Marru-
phat's design; the keg OF blasting
powder was less than an eighth full;
its explosion could not possibly have
affected the cave in Alan had at first
feared. atjG
But what Marrophat had overlooked
was the proximity to the keg OF some
sticks Of dynamite, masked by O Aim
of'earth that had fallen from the
ee:..nbHng walls.
!. When the blazing fuse dropped.
sparks into the blasting powder this
last exploded right Willingly and tho
dynamite took It's cue without the least
delay. ,53 ID, d 81
The resultant detonntion was terrif-
fc. The ibullrhead was crushed sn ifKei
&. sssss..sssssi barrier. Part "a tine walls
fell In. but the tunnels ana shaft re-
fnained intact.
I Swept with the stream as Il pot.rod
out OF the tunnel, Alan kcontriyed
thropghout TO retain his hold round
the waist of Rose. Barcus shot past
MIN unseen Int he darkness. Half
blind and stifed as he was With the
reek OF steam and powder faIacs, Ain,
struggled with himself until This wits
We're passably clear. i d.
Immediately before him dangIed fncl
hotstfng bucket and rope. s9 IS a;
Surrendering tbs care Of Rose to
Berens, Alan climbed into the bucket
and. .atfed upward. examining the wallis
or the shaft for o way TO the TOP.
I. There was none other than tue most
gaps too great TO be bridge
ca py climbing showed In the wooden
ladders. l9I.i 4 S. yi,l,slI
The one feasible route was Via the /
rope. And there was noESdy at tba
TOD 10 work the windlass and Alan
hoped there would be nobody toF op-e
po4o his essay. -
He addressed himself to the sasK
Inurmuring 1lifted himself