The mirror., 1919-05-22
Inside the Stack
fContinued from mage II

lift himself out of his overalls. Instantly
he slipped the suspenders off his shoulders.
Then came serious obstacle: the two turns
of stout line passed round his waist and
tied behind his back in two half bitches.
until he had cast those off he could do
nothing.
1t was bitter fight in that contracted
space. With both hands behind him.
Duncan picked at the hemp with frantic
fingers. He broke his nails and scraped
the skin from the backs of his hands. Dark
er and darker became the stack, and hotter
and hotter. Blazing wads of excelsior
swept out of the breeching and down upon
him. The smoke and gas was coming
densely now; he could breath only with
difficulty.
One half hitch was united. Duncan
tore at the other, but the hard strand
Knocked his clutching fingers. The stack
was filled with toiling tumbling smoke.
Duncan coughed and choked. He dared
not look up, but toiled on with bowed
head. At last the line loosened. One OF
two mad twitches, and it came clear.
Wrenching his hands from behind hi.
back, Duncan caught at the rope high
above his head. How hot it was up there
And his only road to life lay past tha
deadly opening.
Lifting his heels and pointing his toe
downward, he jerked himself off the bas,
plate. For second he feared that his fee
would catch in the ovefalls. If they did
there was no hope for him. But fortunately
they pulled smoothly through. Up hi
went.
His fingers were in the hot current rush
ing out from the frebox. He drew ont
long choking breath of that fearful air ane
climbed frantically upward. His head came
opposite the mouth of the breeching, out oi
which belched pitchy cloud, shot wit!
sparks. The scorching blast came straigh
against his unprotected face, and singed hi
hair and eyebrows:
He wrenched himself past the opening
Up, up, up, with eyes and mouth CLOSED
tight, he dragged himself with furious
haste. The smoke eddied round him, ane
under his fingers the rope was almos
burning hot.
How much farther was ii to the top? II
few seconds he must breath; but he fearee
to take another inhalation of those fearfu
fumes; his only course was to hold hi
breath and to climb madly on. But thu
last second had come; happen what might
even though it meant falling back to hor
ible death in the bottom of the stack, h,
could no longer keep from breathing.
Suddenly his fingers struck a knot, ane
he opened his eyes; he had reached the top
Breathing in great mouthful of air, HI
clutched the rim and swung himself upor
it. He could not have gone five feet far.
ther.
He pulled up the rope; it was shoulder.
ing in two or three places. Reversing the
hook, he fastened on boatswain's chair,
and was soon on-the ground. A minute
later he was drenching his face in pail o.
water in the engine room and relating hi!
experience to the Mortified fireman.
Duncan did not take the express tha,
night. The next noon when the fire wa.
entirely out, and when the fireman wa.
present, he descended into the stack agair
with pair of blacksmith tongs and flash.
light. With the tongs he got his wallet
The outside was little scorched; but the
seventy dollars within were uninjured.
That night he took the train for Morde-
cal, and finished his job there one day late;
but that was far better than not doing it a,