The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1916-06-08

along tho fail and tho trench. Ions
steamers OF flame were licking across
II. The half.looked. for had happened
The little bunch OF lighters were
hommcd In. ringed around by ire
Death faced them on every side.
Then, as tho owner sent u searching
look to every quarter. he sprang for
ward.
"Hcre!" he cried. here! Into it!
Every man of you. In, | sayl"
AZ the crest OF the sheer ridge an
old. abandoned tunnel gapcd IN IN"
gloom, n dim haven OF refuge Its
mouth was oycrhung by vines. It's re.
cess mysterious IN the b%lnCkncss. san.
dry sprang to it's edge and turned back
for the men to pass They stood, a
small, silent bunch. gazing In wordIcss
CONSERVATION ut the red canopy.
Now how In he'll did It get across
the fall?' said Collins hoarscly
but one by one they stopped amt
entered the small black hole I'm the
earth. It ran backward into the ridge
scarce the height ot u tall man It's
Nuor uneven with the heaps OF earth
fallen from the root since some long
forgotten p]ruspcctor had carved 1t
out.
Here for a moment they brcathrd
more easily, standing close together.
"a sweating, painting. waiting mass %
humanity. Sandry stood at the mouth
the last to enter. lie looked out ~
hushcd amaze at the unclaimed mad
ness OF the burning world. The great
fire had r,1<hcd its zenith. 1t came
booming and roaring TO the fall and
the trench. Its sound was iudcs,rjb
able. The heat grew until the flesh Oh
Sandry's arms and face rose IN bis
tiers A sheet oi flame shot sheer
across the tunnels mouth. Suoke
rolled into &, and here and there q
gaspiug breath ended tn a moan
There was no air TO breathe. Lihe
trapped animals the men jumped here
aud there, feeling for an opening a
crey,ce TO crawl into. away from the
agony O.! hCa; and s.G0catiUn. A.4
then they lost cyH,.o, OF themselves
My God cried Murphy shr!lly. 'I
cant stand VI. Let me out az III
die an get U; over
lie came cropping to the entrance.
facing the increasing heat. His face
was a mailman 5 his mouth open. his
fingers crooked Ike ta!ons. But a, the
mouth, that was as the gate OF he'll. be
met the Fastener, a straight ng.re
agains, the light beyond.
40" said Saudry s~teru.y, go back
and lie down
What" he shr!ekcd. what? You
damned Johnny, You tender.,o,,
M" And he aunr himself forward
4 smooth black muzzle came forth an!
pushed It's brazen menace Into his
face.
IN shoot the first man that at.
tempts &c pass me-" said SanGry
hoarscly.
Raying and cursing. he backed away.
More than one OF the fourteen
begged to be allowed to pass. and one
OF the lumbcrjacks from Sacramento
muttered deliriously OF calling his
blum. But the awful moments dragged
by and Sandry stood at the
The flames passed all measurement OF
light and heat. He lost sight OF the
figures al his feet. He felt himself go
ing out In the darkness.
'Slctz,' he muttercd. little S1ctz-"
When he came TO himself again. men
were crawling across him. lie could
breathe better and the light had les.
sened. lie sat UP, wincing at the NOV.
Ing OF his scorched skin oyer the
muscles underneath, crawlcd out with
the rest and one by one they rose to
their feet, The great timber OF the
East Belt farther down stood scrried
and green. The effort had not been In
The holocaust was checked. the
Belt was safe.
Back toward the north stretched a
forest OF tall, black spikes. picked out
here and there by heavy spots OF fire