Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-07-05

exit completely cut off. This misfor-
tune, however, did not paralyze their
activities.
With the two railroad men encour-
aging them, the men worked hard TO
get through the obstruction in front
of them. They toiled unremittingly,
knowing how every hour within their
prison would lessee their chances for
life. One of the men, exhausted by
Il e labor, picked up l. water canteen.
1t was broken. A canvass was made
of the situation and 1t was found they
had no water. Gloom settled for a
time on them. Thereafter, question
ing the foreman carefully, Rhineland-
er picked place where the expert
enced miner thought they might, with
little work. get through and turned
to the men. Dynamite through this
WALL he said.
The men began. The moment the
blast was ready, 1t was set off and
they were back again at their drills
preparing for the next. Working thus
with frenzied energy, they tore great
holes into the tunnels side. but seem
ingly with no hopeful result. And the
work was beginning to tell on them.
BY the time they had gotten what they
hoped might be the final shot ready,
Rhinelander and the miners-all in
the tunnel except Storm-were on the
verge of collapse.
Nerved to a final effort by the hope
of life. the shot was fred. No ray Of
daylight greeted their straining eyes
as the smoke thinned away. The air,
now foul. had so overcome them that
few could crawl forward to examine
the shattered wall. One grlzzled fel.
low, sturdier than his mates. stag
gered TO it. He looked for a moment
at the rock and cried out Animated
by fresh hope. the exhausted meu re-
| sponded by raging themselves TO
| him.
The blast had not given them the
| hoped-for avenue of escape. But
broadly lined across the jagged sur
face now dislodged. they saw staring
at them as If in mockery of their
state. the lost vein. the lead of pre-
| eious quartz again before them. I'm
told riches confronted them. But at
that moment for a single CLEAN Of
daylight any one OF them would have
bartered the riches of Midas
Seagrue, in his room, had heard the
distant report of the explosion, but he
had been drinking of late and his
nerves were on edge It was now his
| servant who fell under his displeasure
and as the shot fired from the interior
of the tunnel re-echoed down the val
| ley, Seagrues man. closing a door
sharply. was roundly berated for his
carelessness. His master was plainly
nervous.
| He strobe up and down the room re-
volving in his mind the situation of
the men imprisoned within the big tun-
mel. He knew enough Of the mine to
understand perfectly the peril of their
position and the necessity OF a quick
rescue IL their lives were TO be saved.
Further than this, he charged his mind
with nothing of responsibility; indeed.
| he would hardly have walked across
the street to save one of the imper-
/ lied men. Yet, a strangely persistent
curiosity moved him to want to know
| thus struggling for their lives He re-
| sisted more thar once the impulse to
/ go 10 the mine he told himself he
had no business there: t'.at he could
be of no help. If he so desired-and he
had already convinced himself that he
| did not so desire.
A decanter stood on the buffet and
he turned to il. While he poured
brandy into glass, he heard strange
noise in an adjoining room--a sound
as If of a miners doublejack. II
startled him unpleasantly. He called
to his servant and the man, thus abb
ruptly summoned came quickly. car
rying an fee pick
What's that noise? What are you
doing?" demanded Seagrue. harshly.
The man in a half-frighteh ed way
began to laugh. only picking a lit
tie ice, sir" he said, apologetieally.
Seagrue, without answering, snatcled
the ice pick from his hand. give
me my hat and coat" he exclaimed
with anger. And as the man hurried
ly produced them, he added CURLY:
Get out" And serving himself he
made ready to start for the mine
Attempt after attempt on the part Of
Rhnelander, Storm and the miners to
open way of freedom was failing
and overcome by the foul air. the men,
one after another, had sunk down from
exhaustion.
Outside, the engine and little train
had brought Helen and the relief and
the men were running up the slope. In
the distance the machine bringing the
doctors tore across the desert. a great
cloud of dust streaming after il.
The few men attacking the face OF
the cavern, now greatly REINFORCED.
worked with desperate energy at the
fallen rock The cool-headed foreman
assumed leadership and organized the
men so that no energy should be vast
ed and slowly but steadily the willing
workers ate a hole into the mass of
splintered rock before them
In the tunnel where Rhinelander and
his stupefed companions lay in vary
ing stages of distress and despair
storm heard at length the sound OF
the work on the other side Of the wall
He shouted feebly 10 his companions
a4-rFo,,fra coming" he crfpd 'Igopu