Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-03-02

along the fall and the trench. Long
streamers Of flame were licking across
it. The half-looked-for had happened.
The little bunch OF fighters were
hemmed in, ringed around by fire.
Death faced them on every side,
Then. as the owner sent searching
look to every quarter, he sprang for
ward
"Here!" he cried. here! Into It'll
Every man of you. In. sayl'
At the crest Of the sheer ridge an
old. abandoned tunnel CAPPED In the
gloom. dim haven of refuge It's
mouth was overhung by vines It's re-
cess mysterious In the blackness. San
dry sprang to it's edge and turned back
for the men to pass. They stood, a
small. silent bunch. gazing in wordless
CONSERVATION at the red canopy.
Now how in hell did 1t get across
the fall?" said Collins hoarsely.
But one by one they stopped and
entered the small black hole In the
earth. 1t ran backward into the ridge.
scarce the height of tall man. its
floor uneven with the heaps of earth
fallen from the roof since some long
forgotten prospector had carved 1t
out
Here for moment they breathed
more easily, standing close together.
a sweating, painting, waiting mass OF
humanity. Sandry stood at the mouth.
q not To r,I stx,
hushed amaze at the unclaimed mad
ness of the burning world The great
fire had reached it's zenith 1t came
booming and roaring to the fall and
the trench. Its sound was indescrib
able. The heat grew until the flesh on
Sandry's arms and face rose in bills
tiers. A sheet of fame shot sheer
across the tunnels mouth Smoke
rolled into 1t and here and there a
gasping breath ended in moan
There was no air to breathe. Like
trapped animals the men jumped here
and there, feeling for an opening.
crevice to crawl into. away from the
agony Of heat and suffocation And
then they lost control of themselves
My God" cried Murphy shrilly, Il
can't stand ut! Let me out an I'll
die an get ut overt"
He came cropping to the entrance,
facing the increasing heat. His face
was a madman's, his mouth open. his
fingers crooked like talons. But at the
mouth, that was as the gate OF hell, he
met the fastener, straight figure
against the light beyond.
NO" said Sandry sternly. go back
and lie down"
"What?" he shrieked, what? You
damned Johnny! You tenderfoot!
I'll" And he flung himself forward.
A smooth. black muzzle came forth and
pushed its brazen menace into his
face.
I'm shoot the first man that at
tempts to pass me-" said Sandry
hoarsely.
Raving and cursing he backed away.
More than one Of the fourteen
begged to be allowed to pass. and one
OF the lumberjacks from Sacramento
muttered deliriously of calling his
bluff. But the awful moments dragged
by and Sandry stood at the entrance.
The flames passed all measurement OF
light and heat. He lost sight of the
figures at his feet. He felt himself 60
ing out in the darkness.
"S'letz," he muttered. little S'letz-"
When he came to himself again. men
We're crawling across him He could
breathe better and the light had les
sened. He sat up. wincing at the NOV
ing of his scorched skin over the
muscles underneath, crawled out with
the rest and one by one they rose to
their feet. The great timber of the
East Belt farther down stood serried
and green. The effort had not been in
vain. The holocaust was checked. the
Belt was safe
Back toward the north stretched
forest of tall, black spikes, picked out
here and there by heavy spots of fire