Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-09-08

went IOWA INTO tne 01Us1o ~ 49,
his prey. The crowd wGtchsd him
40 small and apparently fragile =
man should be allowed to 80 down.
Then they decided that he was some
expert or other. But Phillipa, who
had seen = certain Sieam In the de-
tecttye's eyes when he heard what
Dogger Tandys wife had to say.
formed her own conclusions A. to the
reasons OF Inspector Cortelyou'S ex-
pedition underground. He wanted
to find Marshall Stead, dead or alive.
believing that where Stead was
found the diamonds would also be
found.
Then began the most heart -sicken-
ing episode OF all colliery disasters-
the nrst waiting for news. the
teiephonic apparatus had been de-
news had come from below. 1t was
not at first known II the cage could
descend, but presently. It was made
evident that the shaft was clear. and
the cage fell and rose and fell
and rose again, until all the
reacuins party had gone below.
Then suddsaly 1t can.e UP again
ana out OF It sprang the I'M
der manager. hts face working
with excitement. He sprang on q
wagon that stood close at hand. and
lifted his arms amid dead silence.
1.-THE explosions not been In the
present Workings" he shouted.
there's a lot Of men, safe and un-
harmed. at the bottom OF the SHAFT,
and others are coming In every min
ute from the galleries. We're going
to start sending them up at once.
Then he shot down into the black
depths again, and the crowd. shout-
ing in Its easerness, drew nearer tne
pit mouth. and made lane. every
face looking for the hrst signs OF
soma face known to 1t.
Phi1lipa, who stood near the open =
Ing to the shaft with some OF the
off1cials and the old vicar. who had
hurried down to the scene tmnled-
lately on hearing the news. felt him :
self deeply affected as the cage rose
from time to time and brought up
the temporarily imprisoned men. The
anxious faces around her eagerly
watching for a familiar figure were
pathetic in the extreme--if that fg-
ure appeared out of the gloom the
anxiety turned to n delight that was
almost childish. Women sobbed and
laughed In the same breath; grown
men. stolid enough at all other
times, almost danced In their ex-
ritement az they clasped hands with
the rescued: everywhere there was
tumult. a babel Of voices. But amid
the rejoicing there were still white
faces and anNouA eyes OF those
whose men had not yet come UP, ind
the rescued were always having their
sleeves pulled by women thirseins
for news.
"Eh. Bill. hast thou seen ou'
TOM"
"Jim-were ausht seen o my
lads?"
Phillipa and the old clergyman
made their way to whore big miner
one Of the first to come up-was
evidently explaining the state OF
things below to = group Of his ac-
quaintenances. The men made way
for them.
Tell Miss Mannersley here what
has happened, Jack" said one.
The big miner who had dotted his
cap at Phillipa's approach, scratch
ed his head.
"why, miss, It's hard to say what
did happen down there. Me and my
motty-"
IIS ElVduS DSb e1A"Aest
interjected one Of the crowd.
my mate. then" continued the big
miner. 1--WE were working. dye see,
miss. happen half a mile from the
bottom O. the shaft. peaceful like
All Of A sudden comes this tremend-
Gus clap--thunder wasn't in 1t. Ben
snith--he hasn't come up yet. hasn't
Rem, but he's safe--he says to me.
A~n1nalnn and hiV I'm
he says. Wed best be shiftin'. So
We makes for the shaft. and comes
across lots q chaps making there
too from all directions: and they was
al asking the same question. Where
was H.? Cause It were certain sure,
dye see. miss. II wasn't in our part
a. the mine. There was cert'Ely
some smoke and such like come
along a. We got nearer the shaft. but
II were nausht to sienify. or course,
ne did tho rigiD Thing in aiming to
get out. miss. cause there's oft a
second hurst up when there's been
one At all. But In my opinion every
man jack down there's alive and
safe, cause the explosion were no!
in our part O. the mine at all-not
IT,"
"Oh. am 40 thankful" exclaimd
Philiipa. But whore was the explo-
sion. then, do YOU Think
"why. miss" answered the bis
miner. "in my opinion. seeing which
way the smoke was coming. believe
II were in that working what hasn't
been used for some time-what we
cali the wellington. Now. that there
working, miss, II fair under Man
nersley main street: me and Ben
Smith once calculated that Robin
sons shop II right over 1t. You can
get into It from one Of the galleries
in our working. That's where It's
been. miss. sure as fate. But it's
Queer-it's uncommon queer"
what is queer?" inquired Phillipa
~why, miss. that there sheuld hA'
been an explosion at all" replied the
man. "Explosions doesn't come
without cause. Somebody must hA'
gone into that working; but what
call had anybody to 70 there? And
whoever II were must ha' opened q
lamp or struck 4 light.
Now this here colliery's always
been sinsularly free from gas. miss
a. every man here can tell you: but
still. there is gas. and there may hA'
been 4 storage in that working. But
somebody's been there ~ didn't
ought to ha' been there. and that
somebody's had 4 liRht-and this Is
the result. That's what cay. miss
as was on the spot and thankful "a
be saved"
,PhiliipA's thoughts had gone hacl,
70 the dreadful Tandy woman. whose
husband was down below, ana with
him Marshall Stead. Could It b
that--khat StaAd had ham hiAin1 IN