White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1918-05-26
VENGEANCE AnDl THE WOMAN"

were being pursued, spurred with all
speed to their aid.
In the unequal battle at The tun-
mel. one of the engineers had been
killed and the other badly wounded
and Black Jack, believing all danger
passed. sprang into the open only to
| be fired on by the chief engineer and
a number Of his men. The outlaw
leader had no relish for further
fighting with Blake and Bessie fast
escaping and all hands ~retreated
down the mountain.
Blake and his wife had halted 10
| discover. if possible, some way down
the perilous decline. He decided the
descent was too hazardous for her,
and telling her to remain where she
was. continued on alone, picking his
way from rock to rock nearer and
nearer 10 his oncoming friends.
Black Jack and Johnson, safe from
| further molestation by the engineers,
| stopped to get their bearings. The
| former climbed a rock and discover
ed BESSIE standing where her hus-
| band had left her. and Blake, now
one hundred yards beyond.
The outlaw leader at once deter
mined TO stalk and capture the girl
! and waylay and shot Blake when he
| returned to her. He ordered Johnson
and his men to stand fast and fight
of any pursuers, while he and Curly
started after Bessie.
Swearing vengeance on the OUTLAWS
for killing his assistant, the chief en-
gineer returned to his post near the
new tunnel and prepared to let on
the blast that was 10 raise the very
foundations of Big Nose Rock and
open up the entire mountain top by
the discharge of mines with which
the tunnels had been sown.
Black Jack had Bessie almost in
his grasp and Brown had leveled his
rifle at Blake when the electrician
for the second time that day jam
med down his switch. The mountain
crest rose in a great CONFUSION and
fell back a mass of boulders and
splintered trees, which started, like
a restless avalanche. crashing down
the mountain side.
Directly between Blake and Bees
sic rolled the flood, blotting from
his view all sight of her and her pur-
suers. He was knocked down and
partly buried by flying debris as
Haines caught the girl and threw her
to the ground. He then looked for
Blake, but beyond and below. thru
clouds of dust. he could see only the
wreckage caused by the giant blast.
He must be dead" he said and
picking up the struggling Bessie they
headed away around the side of the
mountain.
Johnson and his men being direct
~ above where Bessie had been cap
tured. had escaped the down-pour-
ing rock. but fearful of the fate of
Black Jack had started after him Just
as the electrician let loose a second
avalanche directly behind them.
Caught in a hail of rock and earth.
the outlaws realised they could not
escape. Johnson turned to face his
doom. then fell to his knees and be-
, gan to crawl to apparent safety. He
had made his way almost to the edge
of the death area and it seemed he
might yet escape when a huge bould-
| er became dislodged and came hur-
Ting towards him. He never saw
| the mass of rock which struck him
down and left his lifeless form as 1t
crashed on its way through the dense
woods.
Blake, unframed further by the
second upheaval, staggered to his feet
and In the direction where had last
seen his wife fleeing from Black
Jack.
For the third time earth and air
were shivered by the shock Of dyna-
mite and again the mountain crests
above crumbled and fell away. There
was no escape for Blake, even had
he been his own powerful. active self.
Crippled and weakened as he was, ne
sank down and was caught In the
rush of rock and swept away.
Now for the last big blast. They
can't escape"
With these words, the chief engi-