Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1920-01-13

i conyalsIyely on the edge Of the tank.
~Oh, my Godl' he groaned involun-
tarily.
Beside him Kerrigan moved uneasily
in the water
.Td like TO get out Of this" he as
serted stolidly.
There was something SO very mat
ter-of-fact In the tones that Reilly
hurst into raucous laughter-the harsh,
grating laughter of a man VINO Is
about to die horribly, and who knows
It.
It seemed to nettle Kerrigan. "There
amt nothin' funny about i" ne saiu.
II mean it. / want to get out Oh TINS )
an, what's more, Il want to get you
out, too. I wouldn't give q Damn -
| get out without you"
"Say, maybe there's way a1.er
ALL" he hazarded hopefully. heiiiy
made no reply.
AUST look at that wire cable up
there" Kerrigan chartered on. III runs
right above the middle OF this TANK,
and see that plank across the top OF
the tank over at the farther side. NOW,
if we could get up on that plank anu
| get hold of that cable"
"Oh, hell" Reilly interrupted dis.
| gustedly.
"Come on" Kerrigan persisted; we
might Just as well make a try"
He began to pull himself along the
edge of the tank, and instinctiveiy
Reilly followed him. They reached the
place where the plank lay across the
| top. Kerrigan scrambled on to this
and helped Reilly up after him.
Kerrigan kicked off his heavy boots
and threw aside his rubber coat.
Hold steady, now" he cautioned
Reilly; 'we'Il make try for 1t"
With the ease Of an acrobat ne
mounted Reilly's shoulders, but reacn-
ing upward at full stretch, the cable
still dangled just beyond his grasp.
Reilly, watching intently, groaned, put
Kerrigan was by no means at the emo
of his resources.
| Once again he mounted Reliiy
shoulders and stood there poised for q
moment, estimating the distance 10 the
| cable.
Hold tight now, will yerT ne
shouted. "rm goin' to jump for IT.
Reilly was aware that the man on
his shoulders had assumed a crouch
ing attitude; then suddenly there was
an upward spring, the recoil of which
nearly sent him staggering into the
tank. He lifted his eyes to see kerrl-
gan clinging triumphantly to the cable.
"All right" the latter called down
to him. Jump for my legs, an when
you get 'em, climb up till you can ger
hold of the ax-belt."
Reilly's leap was successful. he
| caught Kerrigan's dangling legs, and
slowly, painfully, worked his way. up
ward, bit by bit, until his fingers closed
firmly on the heavy belt about kerri-
gan's waist.
"Hang on hard" Kerrigan painted.
.Tf the cable don't bust Wen get
across"
Inch by inch with Reilly's dead
weight dragging at his belt. kerrigan
worked his way out on the cable
toward the roof across the alley. Pain
fully almost imperceptibly they ad-
vanced along the sagging wire.
Once in that racking journey, when
Kerrigan paused for momentary rest,
Reilly voiced his doubts as TO the ulti-
mate success of the venture.
you'll never make it, Kerrigan," he
piped; ''leastways, not with me hang
in on to you. I'd best leave go the
belt an give yer q show. It'll be one
of us that goes out, then, at any rate"
"You hang on an keep your blamed
mouth shut" gasped Kerrigan as the
Journey along the cable began again.
For untold ages-so it seemed to the
two men-they dangled in mid-air, like
some ungainly insect on the thread OF
a spider's web. Kerrigan's arms were
numb and nerveless, the pounding Of
his heart nearly suffocated him, and
a red mist swan before his eyes.
Time and again he was sorely tempt
ed to loose his hold on the wire and
end it all. Yet always he worked his
| way. slowly and with infinite agony
toward that roof across the alley.
At last he heard a great commotion
lust below him. The dragging weight
on the belt suddenly ceased.
His first thought was that Reilly had
dropped to the pavement. and dull
anger pierced the torture, of his mind !;
but looking down, he found that they
had gained the roof. and that Reilly
had dropped into the waiting arms Of
a pair of hosemen.
Three other hosemen caught Kerri-
gan as he fell. He staggered to his
feet and shook them off.
where's. Reilly?" he demanded
feebly, struggling from the restrain
ing arms. 'Iet me ut him, will you?
I got somethin' to settle with him.
Twas for that I brought him out o.
that hell over there. Aw, show me
where he is, can't you? l don't mind
the smash he gave me with the he'll
met, but he kicked me-"
The tears were streaming down his
smoke -blackened face. He babbled pit
eously like an angry child. 'He kick
ed me. He kicked me"
Reilly came pushing his way through
the hosemen, but Kerrigan had sunk
To the roof in huddled bean and lay