Gilpin observer., 1916-06-22
THE GUTTER
By Arnold Dunstone
Concluded from last week. }

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lily, not because he was willing. oh
no. Several times he tried to quit
but was prevented by Joe thru force.
At noon his back and arms ached
he had to be put in the bucket and
taken out. He walked to the board
ing house. slowly and was so stiff
and lame he could hardly get there.
After dinner, which he himself had
to admit was the best one he had
ever eaten, he went to Big Bob and
told him that he was thru work,
that he would stay at the boarding
house.
20, you are, are you?" said Big
Bob, We'll see about that. You be
at the mine with the rest of the boys
when the whistle blows. Do you
hear?"
"Yes hear but I won't go there.
1t is too hard work, especially for
me-" Art replied.
20, it is? You be at the mine at
carry you"
Art decided it would be more pleas
ant walking and therefore went pain
fully up the path to the mine. Again
he had to be put in and taken out
of the bucket All afternoon he work
ed. The minutes seemed like hours
and the hours like eternities. When
he at last reached the top at quit
ting time he was taken out of the
bucket asleep. That night the path
to the boarding house seemed to Art
to be without end. When he finally
reached the boarding house he went
straight to his bunk and threw him-
self into it fully dressed. He was
awakened at supper time but fell
asleep again before the man who
woke him was out of the room. He
slept all might without a dream and
when they woke him in the morn
ing he still wanted to sleep but was
not allowed.
Every day was a repetition of this
one, although perhaps little moder
ated for as Art became more accus-
toned to work he was not so tired
and sore. The weeks went by with
amazing rapidity. Art still had to be
put in and taken out of the bucket
and was still the same quitter. At
Last the Fourth of July came and with
1t a holiday for the boys at the mine
All the men went to town but the
cook, the engineer and helper, who
were splicirg the cable which had
broken the day before, Joe McDon.
Hald and Art who warted TO take
down a huge boulder where they
worked. They lad to go down the
ladderway and Art had to be forced
down.
They were making things safe so
they could take tie boulder down
without accident when in some un-
known way it became dislodged and
bringing with it shower of smaller
rocks 1t fell full upon Joe crushing
him to the ground and almost cov-
ering him. Art who was out of the
Ganger zone at the time, looked hor-
rif,ed at the spectacle. Joe's head
and one arm were the only parts Wis
ible from under the pile Of rocks and
dirt. One rock had struck him on
the head, cutting the scalp terribly
and stunning him. The blood was
running over his face and making him
more awful to lcok upon. Art ran
to the bell rope. but being excited
re put his whole weight on 1T and
1t parted. TIE men on top heard
the gong ring once and thought that
Joe had made a mistake and had
rung for the bucket SO they did moth
ing.
Art thought of going on top and
telling the men. but what wonld hap
pen to Joe all tt is time with such
a weight on his body? Again he re.
membered his fstl er's words. you
are quitter." No. he could not
leave Joe in this fix. he must get
the rock off some way. He ran back
to where Joe was. He cleared away
the finer debris and tried to lift the
rock with his hands. He tugged and
pulled but found that he could not
move II. 'Looking around in des.
pair he saw long drill. Seizing this
he used 1t as crowbar but could
not make much headway He decld-
ed to give it up. when he remember
ed his fathers words. II went quit"
he cried, "Hll die before I'll quit"
With this he agsin began his fran
tic efforts with tire drill. There, 1t
moyed IA 10 mainly off Tuo ,,oro