The Lehi sun. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 1922-01-19

had been. While l fancied could see
dim figures stealing down the road
that led to the bench below, heard
Daddy say: Nov, what In the name
o. Jeholachlm--"
He had turned away from his peep.
hole and l could sense, rather than see,
that he was rubbing his eyes. Then |
realized that upon me, also, n sudden
blindness had fallen; the interior OF
the shaftheuse had become as dark
as the inside OF a pocket. The effect
was so Supplying that Il took both
OF US minute or so to understand
that some change as yet undefnable
had been wrought either In us OF In
our surroundings during the noisy In
terlude.
"Great Jehup exclaimed the old
man-though he was within arms
reach could make him out only as a
dim shadow-"Great Jehui IL b'lleve
I'm goln' blind. Stanniei II can't
see nothln' a-tallw
"Don't worry" l FASTENED TO say /;
'Tm In the same boat. We've been
looking too long and steadily through
those auger-holes. Itn pass In min.
ute"
But II didn't pass and presently the
voice of my old side partner came
again out OF the darkness.
"P'raps it's cloudin' up some" he
suggested in half-whisper. II can't
see no stars through them windows"
At this l looked toward the window
openings, but the interior blackness
had blotted them out completely. AL
most instlnctively l turned back TO the
door and put an eve to a loophole.
One glance was enough. The trouble,
whatever II might be, was with us and
not with the sky. The stars were
shining as brightly as ever.
Don't move, Daddy" I cautioned.
and then CROPPED my way along the
wall and climbed to the top OF our
earth-sack breastwork at n point which
/ guessed to be under the nearest OF
the two windows.
When drew myself up and tried TO
thrust hand through the opening
the mysterious darkness was ex-
planned. The window embrasures were
stopped up. both Of them. on the out
side by something that felt like a
heavy canvas curtain, though how the
curtain WAS held in place l could not
determine. But II was firmly braced
In some way. With all the purchase
l could get--which wasn't much--I
couldn't dislodge II or push II aside.
Making my way back TO the door
/ told Daddy what had found.
Huh" he said; shat old tarpaulIn
that was out yonder In the ore shed.
How dye reckon they got II there
Stannle7"
tits hoisted on framework OF
some kind. and they did II while we
were rubbering and trying to find out
what all that noise was about"
We were not kept very long In doubt
as TO what the next enemy move was
to be. With the cessation o. the tom
tom clatter the collie had grown curl
ously restless. We couldn't see him,
bat we could hear him running from
post to pillar snlfiing at the cracks
and occasionally giving n whining
growi. Presently he began 20 cough
and sneeBe then he came racing back
to us, fiattenIng himself 10 hold his
nose TO the crack under the door and
taking long breaths ~ II he were half
stifed. l stopped to pat him and Inn
medlately imagined was smelling
burning sulphur matches.
Get down here. Daddy, and smell
this dOgr' whispered. as II old.
fashioned matches, or whatf"
one sniff was all that the old man
needed.
"GOsh-to-R ee-whiz--brlmstOne I" he
chOked them devils are smokln' us
out ! That's why they stopped up them
wiAGOw holes; so we couldn't get any
air"
There appeared 10 be little enough
time for any defensive move. The as
phyxiating gas was coming stronger
every moment, and any search for It's
source seemed utterly hopeless Yet
we went at II, coughing and choking,
and stumbling over everything In the
darkness. as matter Of course.
After all II was Barney who q honor
him with the human pronoun because
he certainly deserved l) II was Bar
ney who showed us the devils door
way. The red glow was now sending
enough Hight through cracks and crew
ices and the bullet rlppings overhead
to make our inner darkness degree
or so less than Styginn. Missing the
dog for moment at our common
breathing hole, we saw him circlng
particular spot In the floor and snarl-
ing at II as II II were something alive.
AZ that we both remembered that
the shafthouse floor was raised a foot
or so from the rocky ledge on the
down-mOuntain slfe, and that the
space underneath was partly open.
Daddy pointed to the cirellng dog.
"Barney's got NJ he painted.
They've run their chimney up under
the floorw Then; where in Sam
HUI did you leave that axT'
The AK was near at hand and ran
for II. Holding my breath / began to
chop madly at the floor planklng. BY