Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-01-15

left carelessly thrust into the wall by
Marrophat's lieutenant, ind guttering,
had dropped flaming wick into lit
tie heap Of bone-dry debris. This last
famed, licked hungrily ct the timber
Ing that upheld the falls of the tunnel.
The timbering caught fife without de-
lay. In space of time Incredibly
brief the flames were spreading right
and left, the tunnel was 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; ito
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 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 and the
dynamite took it's cue without the
least delay.
The resultant defamation was ter
rifle. The bulkhead was crushed in
like an eggshell barrier. Part of the
walls fell in, but the tunnels and shaft
remained intact. The released food
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 contrivcd
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 witiess burden beneath
the mouth of the shaft that he discov.
cred Barcus alive, II almost unrecog.
nizable in his mask Of mold and SCOT.
battling back toward the shaft against
the kneedeep tide.
Half-blinded and stiflsd as he was BY
the reek of steam and powder fumes,
Alan struggled with himself until his
wits were passably cleae.
Immediately before hin1 danglcd the
hosting bucket and rope.
Surrendering the caro- of Rose to
Barcus, Alan climbed int the bucket
and stared upward, examining the
walls of the shaft for q 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 waa via the
rope. And there was nobody at the
top to work the windlass-nnd Alan
hoped there would be nobody to Oh.
pose his essay.
He addressed himself to the task
without murmuring-lifted himself up.
on the rope, wound 1t round one leg,
and began that heartbreakiny climb.
How he accomplished IL he never
knew. That 1t must be accomplished
was his one. all-absorbing thought.
And somehow, by some almost super.
human effort, 1t was eventually accom-.
plished.
He arrived at the top Of the shaft
far too exhausted to show surprise
when, falling in half.fainting condi.
ton within two feet Of the brink, he
saw Judith Urine running like mad
across the clearing.
But without her aid hc would not
within hours have been able to work
the windlass and lift Rose and Bar
Gus to the surface.
(TO BE C0NTINUEDl