The Ordway new era., 1916-02-11
5eTAI / 9fT 1p
9G[ORG[ RANDOLPH Cd[ST[R-
md LILLIAN CHESTER
ILLUSTRATED &C.D.RHoDES

was much broken glass about Up In
front the three men could be heard
making an opening into the debris
through the forward windows. They
talked great deal. at first. strong.
ing with each other. then helping.
combining their strength to move
heavy stones and the like. then they
were silent, working independently. or
in effective unison.
Tim German was the possessor of
hosphorescent-faced watch, with 22
jewels on the inside and a ruby on
himself timekeeper.
Thirty minutes" he called out Its
our shift"
The men crawled in from outside,
but they stayed in the front compart-
ment. The air was growing tribe
close. and they breathed heavily.
"Good-by, GIRL" called the gayly fu-
nereal voice of Ted Teasdale. ..Hus-
band is going to work"
Another interminable wait, while
the air grew more sitting. There was
no further leyity after Lincoln and the
motorman and Mccarthy had come
back; for the condition was becoming
serious. Some air must undoubtedly
be finding its way to the car through
the loose debris, but the carbonic acid
gas exhaled from a dozen pairs of
lungs was beginning to pocket, and
the opening ahead. though steadily
pushing forward. displayed no signs
of lessening solidity
They established shorter shifts now:
quarter of an hour. The men came
silently in and out. and as silently
worked. and as silently rested. while
the girls carried that heavy burden of
women's hardest labor: waiting!
Gregory was the first to give out,
then the injured motorman. When
their turns came, they had not the
strength nor the air in their lungs.
Strong Mccarthy was the next to Join
them.
The shifts had reduced to two. Of
two men each, by now; Ted and old
Tim, and Allison and the rector; and
these latter two worked double time
Their lips and their tongues were
parched and cracking. and in their
periods OF rest they sat motionlessly
facing each other. with a wheeze in
the drawing of their breath. Their
stentorian breathing could be heard
from the forward end of their little
tunnel clear back into the car, where
the three girls were battling to pre-
serve their senses against the poison
Gus gases which were now all that
they had to breathe. Acting on the
rector's advice. they had stood up in
the car to escape the gradually rising
level of the carbonic gas. stood, as the
time progressed, with their mouths
agape and their breasts heaving and
sharp pains in their lungs at every
breath. Arly dropped. silently crum-
pling to the floor: then, a few minutes
later, Lucille. and. panic-stricken by
the thought that they had gone under.
Gail felt her own senses reeling. when
suddenly. looking ahead through eyes
which were staring. she saw a crack
of blessed light!
There was hoarse cry from ahead!
The crack of light widened Another
one appeared, some four feet to the
right of it. and Gail already fancied
that she could feel freshening of the
air she breathed with such tearing
pain. Against the light of the open.
ings, two figures, the only two which
were left to work, strove, at first with
the slow, limp motions of exhaustion.
and then with the renewed vigor of
triumph. She could dis.
tinguish them clearly now. by the
light which streamed in. the stocky,
strong figure Of Allison and the tail.
sinewy figure of the rector. They were
working franticaIly. Allison with his
coat off. and the rector with his coat
and vest both removed, and one sleeve
torn almost entirely from his shirt, re-
yealing his swelling biceps, and a
long, red scratch Calls senses were
numbed, so that they were reduced to
almost merely optical consciousness,
SO tnat she saw things photograph
,cally; but, even in her numbness. she
that what she had thought
4 trace of weakness In the rector. was
only the grace which had rounded his
strength.
The two figures bent inward toward
each other. There was a moment Of
mighty straining, and then the whole |
center between the two cracks rolled
away. A huge boulder had barred the |
path. and its removal let down a rush
of pure, fresh air from the ground
above. let down. too. a Hood Of das.
Eling light; and in the curving, under.
rim Of the opening, stood the two stall. |
wart men who were the survival Of |
he fttest! The mere instinct Of self.
drove Gail forward, with |
! cry toward the sourne ~ thee tt<.