White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1918-05-05


elf. Blake again rescues her ano
they escape in a canoe, but are over
taken by Black Jack. Blake fights
him off and they take refuge in a
mine tunnel. The outlaws start &c
burn them out with a huge fire.
Urged by Black Jack. the outlaws
threw armsfull of green wood on
he fire sending great volumes o.
dense smoke pouring into the tun-
mel mouth. driving the outlaws back,
where. circled about the entrance,
they watched for signs of life with
In. Johnson questioned Haines as
to how long they could last and the
latter replied with a savage grin:
If they don't come out, they'll
choke to DEATH
Behind the barricade OF rocks, the
situation of Blake and Bessie was
indeed desperate. The girl, with
her lace closely covered with a piece
of linen. had partially recovered
consciousness, but the increasing
smoke and heat told Blake that TO
remain where they we're many min
utes meant death for both.
CHANGING up at the walls of their
prison. Blake noticed the smoke
passing rapidly into the tunnel
depths beyond. He turned to his
wife and exclaimed:
Where smoke goes. we can go.
Helping her to her feet, he pick
ed up the axe and rifle and they
made their way back 10 where an
other tunnel crossed at right angles.
Down this, the smoke was travelling
to some escape further on. Press
ing on for perhaps fifty yards, they
halted at the foot of a shaft enter
ing the tunnel diagonally from above
and forming a chimney up which the
smoke was pouring.
An avenue of escape it appeared
to the imprisoned pair, but checked
with old shorings and timbers cling
ing to crumbling sides which offer
ed slight foothold. There was no
alternative. however, and Blake at
once started to clear away the debris,
Bessie helping with her bare hands.
Working for their lives, they soon
had constructed a platform which
closed three quarters of the shaft
opening and from which they began
their upward fight along the treach-
erous sides of the shaft.
Out of the top of the mountain
peak. there issued a tiny trail of
smoke which increased in volume
until ii was noticed by Black Jack
and his fellow outlaws. Curiosity az
they watched changed to concern as
the smoke trail lessened and became
jerky. indicating interference with
the shaft. Shortly. the smoke stop
ncd issuing altogether and a glance
at the entrance of the tunnel showed
that it no longer passed the barricade
of rocks. Black Jack realized that
his prisoners must have made their
way back into the tunnel and turn
ing to johnson, said:
THE shaft is blocked. They are
trapped Then after a second
thought:
blake can die, but | want the
woman
He then ordered his men TO clear
the tunnel mouth into which they
plunged with drawn pistols. The
outlaws made their way quickly to
the platform which explained to
them the ~ceasing of the smoke trail.
Part of the outlaws ~savagely attack
ed the platform which was soon
torn away, while the others were
dispatched to climb up the mountain
side to intercept the captives.
Blake and Bessie had by this time
climbed half way to the top of the
shaft, the opening to which could be
seen through a network OF debris.
Pausing a moment to rest, they look
ed down TO see Black Jack thrust
his head through the partially de-
molished platform. They ~redoubled
their efforts to reach the open, but
were halted by a shower of bullets,
as the bandits swarmed after them
up the shaft.
Turning now and then to return
a shot or hurl a plank or rock down
on their p%ursuers, Blake desperately
fought his way upwards with Bessie
always within reach, until at last
they emerged into the sunshine, ex-
hausted but unframed.
1t was a close race, for hardly had
they gained their feet when two oil
TIL