The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-01-08

left carelessly thrust into the wall by
Marrophats lieutenant, and guttering,
had dropped flaming wick into lit
tie heap of bone-dry debris. This last
famed, licked hungrily at the timber
ing that upheld the falls of the tunnel.
The timbering caught fire without de-
lay In a space of time incredibly
brief the flames were spreading right
and left, the tunnel was a 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 in
vaded the powder room.
Alan had guessed Alright at Mario
phat's design; the key of blasting pow.
der was less than an eighth full; its
explosion could not possibly have eff
fected the cave-in Alan had at first
feared
But what Marrophat had overlooked
was the proximity to the key of som4
several sticks of dynamite, masked by
a 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 and the
dynamite took it's cue without the
least delay.
The resultant defamation was ter
rife. The bulkhead was crushed in
like an eggshell barrier. Part of the
walls fell in, but the tunnels and shaft
remained intact. The released flood
streamed out and spread swiftly to the
farthest recesses of the burning tun-
mel Dense clouds of steam filled that
place of terror as the fires were extin.
guished.
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. 1t was
not until Alan had contrived to catch
an unburned timber and stay himself
and his almost witless burden beneath
the mouth of the shaft that he discoy.
cred Barcus alive, if almost unrecog.
nizable in his mask of mold and SCOT,
battling back toward the shaft against
the kneedeep tide.
Half-blinded and stifled as he was BY
, the reek of steam and powder fumes.
, Alan struggled with himself until hia
wits were passably clear.
Immediately before him dangled the
hosting bucket and rope.
J, Surrendering the care of Rose To
Barcus, Alan climbed into the bucket
: and stared upward, examining ths
! walls of the shaft for a way to the
top.
; There was none other than the most
difncult; gaps too great to be bridged
;, py climbing showed in the wooden
ladders.
The one feasible route was via ths
: rope. And there was nobody at this
!. top to work the windlass-and aIor
! hoped there would be nobody to on
y pose his essay.
! he addressed himself to the fash
: without murmuring-lifted himself I'm
:. On tne rope, wound it round one leg
q ana began that heartbreaking climb
How he accomplished il he novo
knew That it must be accomplishe,
ID was MS one, allabsorbing thought
=. ana somehow, by some almost sinner
n human effort, it was eventually accom-
III pllshed. "OOoii
% he arrived at the top of the shat
" Tar TOO exhausted to show surnria
when' falling in half-fainting cond
"a tion within two feet Of the brinL :
s. saw judith Trine running like ma
across the clearing. w ma
ne BUT without her aid he would No
within hours have been able 10 wn =.
on ane windlass and lift Rose and 10,
81 Gus to the surface. Oh" ""
Cfo BE CoNT1Nt1Er,,