Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-04-10
CHAPTER xxxIt.
The SPOIL OF the Pelican.

EAvING his task OF searching eos
tie trouble IN the mechanism
OF the motor. Quabba slipped
- around to the back OF Ii and
pushed the little machine. with many
grunr and straining efforts. from the
dangerous spot near the set blast and
its warning sign.
Pushing and painting. he showed the
heavy little machine over tSeswater
rO,crcd tracks a hundred yards or
more down the tunnel. Then lie rush
ei hack under the Sectric li-ht 10y the
sct blast ana. Selling the blast battery
hy it, leather handle and uncoilin- the
loops of Wire. the other ends Of which
We're fastened deep down i'm the blast
holes 10 the dctonator In the dynamite.
euabba slipped back through the dark
ness and called 20 Esther In a tense
whisper 10 come around behind the
shielding bulk Of the motor with him.
From the blast battery BOX he carried
trailed the length Of wire that would
carry the vital spark ~ the forces of
destruction.
Now Blair Stanley and Luke Lowell
had located them by the single light
upon the electric motor. They pressed
Toward with cxultant shouts: then
lust rs they reached the wide space
where the blast was set al The new
heading Quabba. a hundred yards
away and shielded. with Esther. hc-
hind the motor. drove the plunger of
,Ia l....,r. t.,N, gp-,g, AL lnrJ
Thee was a d%eafening boom and
crash. a burst d fire. the sound Of
>howcrinc rocks. a heavy fan Of earth
and debris that seemed 90 hcave out
ana groan and rattle and ScttIe-then
a choking fog of blast smoke and 81
iencc.
Whatever had been the matter with
the motor. the shock and jar Of the tx
ploSion had settled the looSencd wire
back IN place TO q proper contact. for
when. shaking with fright and excite
mcnt. Quahba had dragged Esther
aboard the motor again and turned the
lever the little machine moved forward
like 4 living thing. slowly ut first and
then. gaining speed. glided smoothly
and swiftly ont Of the smoke anu on
and on, swifter. faster. until the bunch
back and the trembling girl felt a
breath of fresh air from outside blow
upon them and saw n CLEAN II day
light and sped on and out from the
dark mouth Of the mine into Gods
good sunlight,
The men called 10 this side Of the
mountain 10 The new workings were
astuunded nj the appearance Of -
strange a pair bursting out from The
tunnel and speeding down the track on
the electric motor that had been left
a. the other and far off portal Of the
tunnel. The trackmcn dropped their
tools. The mine foreman ana lis wife
joined with the throng Of miners that
surged around the motor ana the
strange pair that drove H.
They told their wild story 10 Synpa-
thetic ears. Turning Esther ever to
the ministering attentions 81 the big
hearted sharer OF his joys aud sorrows.
the mine boss and several assistants
reversed the otto and drove back res
olutely into the mine depths 10 find the
men whom Esther and Quabba told Of.
They returned at nightfall. having
cleared away the debris ~ the blast.
but finding no trace Of Luke Lowell
and Blair Stanley. The wicked have
luck alike with the good. AT the edge
~ the blast Blair Stanley had been
struck down and hurt slightly. and
Luke had borne him back through the
choking smoke all the weary way.
whence they had come. until they. too.
reached the daylight and safety. n
Esther and ouabba had reached il. hut
on the far side of the mountain mine.
That night Ivy the fire IN tho office
shack ~ the mine boss Esther and
ouabba told again such parts 30 their