The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-02-27
CONTINUED PROM Nc.serla,l
CHAPTER MINK
The Tunnel

CHAPTER MINK
The Tunnel
Dave knew no rest that night. He
ratrOllcd his line from san Jaclnto
to Cattle and back again. Etopplne
always to lend a hand where the at
tack was most furious. The men OF
his crew were weary TO exhaustion.
eat tho pressure of the fire was $50
great that they dared not leave the
front As soon as ono hlaxo was
beaten out. another started.
Tho dense cloud lifted for n mo.
ment, swept away by an air current.
To The fire-fishtcrs that glimpse OF
tho landscape told an appalling fact.
The demon had escaped below from
san JNcinto Canon and been swept
westward by slant of wind with
\the speed OF an express train. They
trapped by tho hack.fire In
hnyrtnth from which there appeared
NC escape. Every path of exit was
hlecked. The flames had leaped from
hilltop 70 hilltop.
The mon gathercd together TO con.
suit Many Of them were on the
verse % panic.
paNe spoke quietly. We've cot
= chance " w keen our heads
There's an old mining tunnel here
acoa's Follow me. and stay 20.
gether"
Tie plunged into the heavy smoke
that had fallen about them AGAIN.
working his way b. instinct rather
than BY sight. Twice he stopp.d 10
make sure that his men were ali AT
heel Several times he left them. div.
ms into the smoke TO determine
which way they must go.
Dave stopped and gave SHARP.
crisp orders Hts voice was even
and steady. Must be close 10 Il
now. Lie back OF these down trees
with your faces close 20 the ground.
III he hack In a minute. shorty.
you're boss OF the crew while I'm
away"
II could have been only minutes.
but 4 seemed hours before the voice
Of sanders rang out above the fury
u the blast.
AN Up. I've found the tunnel
, lively nowr'
/rhey staggered after their leader.
thorty bringing up the rear TO see
hat none collapsed BY the way.
The tunnel WAS a shallow one in a
hillside. Dave stood aside and count
ed the men as they passed in. Two
we're missing. HE ran along the hack
trail dense with smoke from the
approaching flames. and stumbled
Ento a man. Ii was shorty. tfe was
dragging with him the body % a
man who had tainted. Sanders
seizsd an arm and together they man.
aged to get the unconscious victim
10 tho tunnel
Dave was the last man m. He
harmed from the men In the r~ar
That the tunnel had no drift The
floor was moist and there was a small
seepase spring In Il near the en-.
trance
Already smoke was filling the
cave. The fire had raced to lis
mouth and was licking In with hong.
red. hungry tongues. The tunnel
timbers were smouldering.
lie down and breathe IN. air
close TO the ground" ordered Dave
stay down there. Don't get UP
lie found an old tomato can and
used Il 70 throw water from the
seepspring upon the burning wood.
Dawes eyebrows crisped away. He.
lid scarcely draw a breath thru
his inflArned throat His eyes were
swollen and almost blinded with
smoke. His lungs ached- Whenever
he took step he staggered Bot he
stuck 20 his Job hardly.
So Dave held the tunnel entrance
against the fire and against his own
racksd ana tortured men.
Fire-crisped and exhausted. he
dropped down az last into forEctful
rcSs Of pain. And the flames. which
had fought with such savage fury tn
blot out the little group Of men. fell
hack suiieuly tn defeat. They had
spent themselves and could do no
more.
The line o. fire had passed over
them.
Out OF the prospect hole man
crawied over Dawes PROSTATE body.
lie drew a breath Of sweet, delicious
air. A cool wind lifted the hair from
his forehead He tried TO give a
cowpuncher's yell Of Joy. From out
or his throat came only a cracked
and mucous rumble The man was
shorty.
He crept back into the tunnel and
whispered hoarseiy the good news.
Men came out on all foura over the
bodies Of those who could not move.
shorty dragged Dave into the open.
n6DSn the fresh air the men revived
quickly. They went back into the
cavern and dragged out those OF their
companions not yet able 10 help
themselves. Three out Of the TWEEN.
fy-nlne would never help themselves
again. They had persisted in the
tunnel