The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-10-28

the mine and all its workings had been
as deserted as a place of the dead.
fThey are coming. Quabbam she
cried What shall we doT'
The hunchback's usual kindly face
took on set expression of murderous
determination strange to Esther's eyes.
''This time I kill themp' he exclaim-
ed. wait; you seer
CHAPTER xxxH.
The Spoil OF the Pelican.
w EWING his task of searching for
the trouble in the mechanism
- of the motor. Quabba slipped
around to the back of it and
pushed the little machine, with many
grunts and straining efforts, from the
dangerous spot near the set blast and
its warning sign.
Pushing and painting. he showed the
heavy little machine over the water
covered tracks hundred yards or
more down the tunnel. Then he rush
ed back under the electric light by the
set blast and, seizing the blast battery
by its leather handle and uncoiling the
loops of wire, the other ends of which
were fastened deep down In the blast
holes to the detonator In the dynamite.
Quabba slipped back through the dark
ness and called to Esther In tense
whisper to come around behind the
shielding bulk of the motor with him.
From the blast battery box he carried
trailed the length of wire that would
carry the vital spark of the forces of
destruction.
Now Blair Stanley and Luke Lowell
had located them by the single hight
upon the electric motor. They pressed
forward with exultant shouts; then
just as they reached the wide space
where the blast was set at the new
heading Quabba, hundred yards
away and shielded, with Esther, be-
hind the motor. drove the plunger of
the battery down swift and hard.
There was a deafening boom and
crash, a burst Of fire. the sound of
showering rocks. heavy fall of earth
and debris that seemed to heave out
and groan and rattle and settle-then
a choking fog OF blast smoke and ST
lence.
Whatever had been the matter with
the motor. the shock and Jar Of the ex-
plosion had settled the loosened wire
back In place to a proper contact, for
when. shaking with fright and excite
ment, Quabba had dragged Esther
aboard the motor again and turned the
lever the little machine moved forward
like living thing, slowly at first and
then, gaining speed, glided smoothly
and swiftly out of the smoke and on
and on, swifter, faster, until the bunch
back and the trembling girl felt
breath of fresh air from outside blow
upon them and saw CLEAN OF day
light and sped on and out from the
dark mouth of the mine into Gods
| good sunlight,
The men called to this side Of the
mountain to the new workings We're
| astounded at the appearance OF so
| strange a pair bursting out from the
| tunnel and speeding down the track on
i the electric motor that had been left
at the other and far off portal OF the
| tunnel. The trackmen dropped their
/ tools. The mine foreman and his wife
/ joined with the throng of miners that
| surged around the motor and the
]
/ They told their wild story to sympa-
/ thetic ears Turning Esther over to
the mfnistering attentions Of the big
hearted sharer of his joys and sorrows,
| the mine boss and several assistants
| reversed the motor and drove back res
| olutely into the mine depths to find the
men whom Esther and Quabba told OF.
They returned at nightfall, having
cleared away the debris of the blast,
but finding no trace of Luke Lowell
| and Blair Stanley. The wicked have
luck alike with the good. at the edge
of the blast, Blair Stanley had been
struck down and hurt slightly. and
Luke had borne him back through the
choking smoke all the weary way
whence they had come, until they, too
reached the daylight and safety, as
Esther and Quabba had reached it. but
on the far side OF the mountain mine.
That night by the fire in the Office
. shack of the mine boss Esther anc
Ouabba told again such parts Of theil
story as they cared TO tell TO the rougf
! but sympathetic new found friend:
. around them Esther told of be-
search for Arthur, calling him only b.
the name that he was known by as on
magnate and owner of these newly &C
ouired mines. She said that he was ;
friend, a relative. and that for reason
she was unable TO solve the desnerat
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