The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-02-12

mAu0CU q view the OCffCK SiCG OF
well as the work before him. He could see
Hale across there talking to'one Of the bridge
engineers He watched the two men lazily,
in drowsy contentment, unhlvhe lost sight Of
them as they started to come over 10 his side,
then his attention became riveted again on
bis immediate surroundings.
They were getting ready for another blast.
Haggerty sat up. IT was rather exciting 20
see the men come sc-ambling.out of the hole.
The whistle had just gone three toots. They
we're coming, now one head after another
popping up over the edge, then-the shoulders,
and finally the men on their feet running hike
deers for shelter-not far, only few yards
for the excavation itself afforded protection,
once clear of it. Haggerty himself was not
fifteen yards away.
He counted the men as'they eame-out Il
was the eighteenth who, just as his head and
shoulders, appeared, waved an arm and
shouted: All out Let 'er gol" he saw
the foreman bend over the battery and make
the connection that would spark the time
fuse at the other end, and then a goan Of
horror went up around him. Number Eigh-
teen, with cry and a desperate effort b pun
himself over the top, had slipped back and
disappeared from sight.
Haggerty's pipe dropped b the ground
from between his teeth, his heart seemed 10
stop its beats, cold sweat broke out upon
his face He was on his fest now, and the
foreman's words were ringing in his ears:
"Then there's minute, lots Of timel Thea
there's a minute, lots of ti1net"
He began to run, and the seconds, a. be
ran, heightened into years and cycles. MY
Godl" he muttered in catchy way.
But fast as he ran, someone was faster than
he. Five yards from the edge Of the exca-
walton, figure, small, short, speeding Ike
the wind, passed him. Il was Hale-the
superl
Behind, the foreman's voice beloved
hoarsely: "Come backl Come back We
can't get to the fusel Dye hear7"
"Mabbe," mumbled Haggerty between-Ais
teeth, Unable we can get the man. Mary
Mother, help usl"
Hale, fat on the ground, was making 10
swing himself over as Haggerty, for the
second time, caught him by the collar Of his
coat "You amt strong enough" he grunted,
yanking the super back. You help me
from the top''-and over the edge he went
himself. cd
The man lay there groaning. It was easy
to see what had happened A misplaced
step in the climb, then a loosened rock, his
balance gone, and the stone had crashed down
upon his legs and ankles.
There was look of helpless terror n The
ewes of the wounded man as Haggerty reached
and bent over him. Get out" the white
lips quivered "You amt got time, give
the signal The blast'n be goin' now"
"There's minute lots Of time" said Hag
gerty in a sing-song, crazy way. He was
trying to fit the words to an air he had heard
somewhere. Queer he couldn't remember
it, the words were straight enough Then he
laughed-foolishly-as be worked like
madmanl
He had raised the man in his arms and now
heaving with all his strength, was gradually
pushing him up, up. The strain became
terrific. Haggerty's muscles cracked. One
of his arms was almost useless to him owing
to the narrowness of the ledge that, to main
tain even a precarious footing as, little by
little, he rose to an upright position, forced
him tight against the wall of rock and earth.
Haggerty painted with cruel gasping sobs
"Then there's a minute, lots Of timel" The
repetition Of the words came surging upon
him with a shock Of horror lending him a
frenzied strength. desperate twist, and
, he had made the half-urn that brought his
back to the cutting. His other arm was free
now A heave, and he had swung Number
Eighteen above his shoulders within reach Of
the super's outstretched hands. A second
more, and, with Hale pulling above and
Haggerty lifting below, the man, with cry Of
agony as his wounded leg banged Imply
against the ground, was forced up over the
bank.
"Quick, Haggertyl For Gods sake, be
quick yourself" cried Hale. Hurry man,
kuyyl"
''There's a minute Haggerty sprang for
the top Of the bank, clutched it," lots Of"
The last word was blotted out as he dragged
himself over the edge, and heard Hale's sharp
command: "Lie hatl" From behind and
below him came the roar of the detonation,
he felt the ground shake and CULVER beneath
him, the echoesswere rolling and reverberat-
ing ike park of artillery-then Hale's low,
fervent: "Thank Cod"
It was Hale who got it first as the mob Of
men rushed forward, cheering laughing,
cabling Historically And it was at Hale's
uplifted hand that the clamor died suddenly
away, and in its stead came the super's voice
In quiet tones: Where's Haggerty2"
cav, gwanl" sputtered Haggerty sheep
ishIy, trying to fight his way out Of the crowd
that pressed upon him to haul and maui him,