The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-04-07
CHAPTER VIII.
Engulfing Waters.

Engulfing Waters.
Upon arriving at Argyle House
Jensen found the place in confu-
sion. The half dozen Chinese SER
wants were beset with a panic of
fear.
Stephen Mallabee ragged among
them, trying to direct the gather
ing of his personal effects in or
der that they might be transport
ed to the cliffs before the dam
burst and Black DEVILS Bed was
flooded
Jensen told Mallabee of what
had happened at the power house.
This drove the old man off into
another fit of wild rage against
the miners. Finally he became
calmer, and Jensen assisted him
in gathering his things together,
while Peter Saint, with the threat
ening aid of a dog whip, man
aged to produce a more rational
effort from the Chinese.
At last everything Mallabee de-
sired most to preserve was gath
cred and prepared for transporta-
ton. Then he began shouting
about the house for his daughter.
Kerry Mallabee's first question
when she came in, was for brave
Dick Evans, and she could not
hold back the tears when Jensen
told her of his gallant conduct
and untimely end at the hands of
the drink-craZed miners.
After a moment of racking sobs,
Kerry Mallabee pulled herself to-
gether.
Come" she said to the Chinese
servants, who were punched to-
gether, shivering with terror, in a
corner, 1--WE must lose no time, but
get to the cliff at once"
The hurried preparations for at
tanning the cliff had taken but a
short time, and Jensen considered
1t would be at least half an hour
yet before the miners could ex-
plode their dynamite at the dam.
The uphill climb was hard, and
the three people had paused to
rest a moment, silently gazing
down into the depths of Black
DEVILS Bed, when suddenly their
ear drums we're smitten with a
terrific explosion, and the ground
beneath them heaved and swayed
SO violently that they staggered
and fell.
They've done it," groaned
Stepen Mallabee, as he recovered
from the shock and arose to his
feet.
Within a space of less than 60
seconds what had been a perfect
ly equipped mining camp became a
whirlpool of tumbling water, rae
ing madly toward the outlet.
Black DEVILS Bed was now a lake,
the tiny falls a laundering tor
rent 200 feet across.
The three people stood silent
with staring eyes. Stephen NAL
labee was the first to speak.
you see," said Mallabee, point
ing to the floating objects racing
past, 81 doubt if single miner
has escaped. In decorating their
own dynamite they exploded ev-
cry one of my mines with the
shock"
For a moment they stood there
watching the water bear its bur-
den of MANNED forms past them
toward the outlet. Judging by
the number of bodies, it did not
look as If any of the miners had
missed death in the explosion
Sickened with the sight, they fl
nally went toward the cliff top.
Gaining the cliff, Jensen walked
beside Stepen Mallabee toward
the two tall wireless masts that
could be seen sharply silhouetted
against the sky short distance
ahead.
The old mans face was scanned
with sorrow, his head sunk for
ward as he walked.
Its a terrible thing for the
lives of men to be snuffed out SC
suddenly" he said, even such
stubborn, brainless brutes as those
miners were. In my anger
thought l was ready to send them
to their death myself, but
couldn't have done it. To think
of such purposeless death affects
me deeply"
AS they came nearer to the
wireless masts Jensen saw that
they were supported entirely by
guy wires, and that each rested
with a ball and socket joint upon
an insulated base sunk in a solid
cement foundation.
! They found Peter Saint, the
dogs and the Chinese house ser.
wants already at the wireless sta.
ton, and Stephen Mallabee
showed Jensen through a cleverly
constructed underground home
that, though much smaller, was
not far behind Argyle House in
the comforts it afforded. Huge
storage batteries produced ample
current for the wireless, for light
and for culinary purposes.
II was always prepared to aban'
don Argyle House, you see." said
Mallabee, pointing to the storage
batteries.
1--WE shall remain here but 9
short time" continued Mallabee
my yacht is Away cruising IL
the vicinity of Ungava bay durinl