The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-10-05

word a lew cursed hit coYaydif
;r-Eiore wondered II his tight.
Bernard Wtispe cred 10 AIMEE Az
yellow, you aee..s But she did
not hear him, apparently she gave
him no answer. She was thinking
hard. Citrate Lee knew the outer
face OF the workings as did no ons
else. He loved outdoors with /.
passion-and the coal country we
9 magic land TO his lowland soJt
He had spent all his scant le.Euse
ranging it-what might he mott
have found? She asked herseIf
the question over and over as she
went among the women csorching
here and there with childfenSat the
breast or clingIng tight 10 their
skirts. She soothed them-hut to
those hereft she dared mot even
breathe a shadowy hope, only
pressed their hands and stroksdi
the heads Of their children-what5
timG she could spare from making
them comfortable in thetshade: i'll
was. high noon, blazing hot but
somehow she did not feel It, rel
was left to Bernard to supply FAM,
ice water. milk and fruit. He had
forgotten himself and his enmities,
letting his fine realities come 10
the surface. Anne was dimIy con.
scio1s Of the change, but It seemed
tuile and trivial, Here In the face
OF death air, clean, fresh and sweet.
was all that mattered.
There was a constant road Of
arriyals-tralns, motors ,appara-
tus from the nearest collierles, al.
manned wi:a the pick Of their 'pru.
tesslon and every man eager only
10 succor the doomed prisoners. Il
was a-tlme for doing not hoping.
they went at II with will il
massed arraS, The major wantec
to lead them-these were his own
Pen|he must take the greateSt.
risks. They would not let hinl,
these eager volunteers. He had
brought back from the big war
less than half his man strength.
He should not give It uselessly Il
was clearly forlorn hope, With
heavy odds against winning,
Blasting would make an end OF
the barrier-yet might bring
down 80 much a greater fall as To-
crush all within range. If al
crawlway could be cleared at the
top OF the massed earth and rock,
air could be sent in through n
hose-maybe even food and water
then rescue would be certain Il,
laggard.
So they set about maxim git
these men Of might and muscle.
BY late afternoon they had got in
ten feet-and there were above a
hundred to pass. Moreover, the
roof was none too solid-shoring
1t meant still slower progress. The
major. watching with straining
eyes the snalllike progress, pray
ed stlently-he was past speech
And suddenly there smote upon
his ears wild hubbub OF yells, OF
cheers-the maddest ewes heard.
He turned to face. Bernard, who
leaped from the descending cage
crying: Major, major! Come up
They're. all safe-all out-eyefy
man. Observation-Disclosures to
see you"
"Why-it was nothlng-lese
than nothing. indeed" Cruate Lee
explained, somewhat haltingly and
reddenicg at what everybody was!
saying. You see, had notiooJ
the cave In North Hollow ran al;
most to the mine-I had meant a
Ion gtime to find out-so it came
to me-this was a good time for
It..
But he was dripping from d
plunge in subterranean pool, his
clothes in rags, his hands bleeding
from clingtng TO jagged rocks.
\Also; the men who had follow
ed him the perilous way, to safety
had much to say.
Hearing It Bernard said defect
eddy to Anne: "of course it is all
up with me now" To which she,
retorted: "GooseT you're ridicu-t
lous. You need a caretaker. Sandy
Lee does not-and never, never
wIll-Besldes he has girl back
home"
Copyright. 1922. by the Nc
Clure Newspaper Syndicatel