Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1922-03-16

be more to follow. This is only the
curtain-raiser."
But my guess appeared to be no
good. For quite some little time we
croucled, guns at the ready, prepared
to repel the assault which we natural
~ supposed would be made under
cover of the distracting racket. But
there was no assault. though the mean
ingless clamor kept up without abate-
ment.
BY the time we were beginning to
grow trifle hardened to it the clamor
stopped as abruptly as 1t had begun
and the silence which succeeded was
even more deafening than the noise,
had been. While 1 fancied could see
dim figures stealing down the road
that led to the bench below, I heard
Daddy say: "Now, what in the name.
o Jehoiachim-"
He had turned away from his peep
hole and I could sense, rather than see,
that he was rubbing his eyes. Then I
realized that upon me, also, sudden
blindness had fallen; the interior Of
the shafthouse had become as dark
as the inside of a pocket. The effect
was SO stupefying that 1t took both
of us a minute or SO to understand
that some change as yet undefinable
had been wrought either In us or In
our surroundings during the noisy in
terlude.
Great Jehu!" exclaimed the old
man-though he was within arms
reach I,could make him out only as
dim shadow Great Jehu! I-Ib'lieve
I'm goin' blind, Stannie! IL can't
gee nothin' a-tall!''
Don't worry" hastened to say;
I'm In the same boat. We've been
looking too long and steadily through
those auger-holes. It'll pass in min
ute."
But 1t 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 I looked toward the window
openings, hut the interior blackness
had blotted them out completely. Al
most insttnctively turned back to the
door and put an eye to loophole.
One glance was enough. The trouble,
whatever 1t might he, was with us and
not with the sky. The stars were
shining as brightly as ever.
.Don't move. Daddy" cautioned.
aid then .groped my way along the
wall and climbed to the top Of our
earth-sack breastwork at point which
] guessed to be under the nearest Of
the two windows.
When drew myself up and tried to
thrust q 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 could not
determine. But It was firmly braced
in some way. With all the purchase
l could get-which wasn't much-I
couldn't dislodge 1t or push It aside.
Making my way back to the door
] told Daddy what I had found.
Hunt" he said; @that old tarpaulin
that was out yonder in the ore shed.
How dye reckon they got 1t there,
Stannie7" s.
TITS hoisted on framework Of
some kind, and they did it 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 Of the tom
tom clatter the collie had grown curl
ously restless. We couldn't see him,
but we could hear him running from
post to pillar. smiling at the cracks
and occasionally giving a whining
growl. Presently he began to cough
and sneeze; then he came racing back
to Us. dattening himself to hold his
nose to the crack under the door and
taking long breaths az II he were half
stifed. ! stopped to pat him and i'm.
mediately imagined was smelling
burning sulphur matches.
"Get down here, Daddy. and smell
this dogl", whispered. els it cid.
fashioned matches, or what7's ~ 3:
One sniff was all that the old man
needed.
Observation-Disclosures" he
choked; them devils are smokin' ~
out! That's why they stopped up them
window holes: 90 we couldn't get any
air I"
There appeared to be little enough
time for any defensive move. The Az
phyxiating gas was coming stronger
every moment, and any search for it's
source seemed utterly hopeless. Yet
we went at it, coughing and choking,
and stumbling over everything in the
darkness. as q matter Of course.
After all 1t was Barney who Il honor.
him with the human pronoun because
he certainly deserved it) 1t was Bar
ney who showed us the devils door.
way. The. red glow was now sending
enough light through cracks and crew
ynNN = 4 n. ~