The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-11-21

"Come, lass!"
He was off down the hill, Kath-
leen hard put to keep pace with
him; across the barrier line to the
Macdonald walk and down the
walk. The Arthur car was Just
backing out Jane Arthur at the
"Baimy, Balmy,a the woman
screamed. @My Jocks on Shift.
Kathleen slid in beside her. Get
back with him. I'll drive"
Faster. Cleo. Jocks on shift.
fast" -.
Her shriIl voice went up in a
crescendo, but Kathleen could 60
no faster. An of Neutrality was
pouring down that road. They
swept out of the town in steady
black stream of cars and footrun-
ners, barriers forgotten. Gregory
miners, pulling their mine clothes
on. as they ran. sped across the
white line and down the MacDon-
aid road for the first time IN their
lives. Gregory women raced after
them, pIucked Macdonald chill
dren from the arms Of MacD Donald
women so they could be free to
run their race.
It was useless to try to drive
with this mass Of humanity under
the wheels, unconscious OF danger.
unaware of warning horns.
leave it at the side OF the road.
lass"
Kathleen edged the car over and
when she was ready to step out
she found she was alone. Balmy
and Jane Arthur had melted into
the crowd.
She was carried along with the
crowd. They set the pace. Below
and ahead they could see the mine
bathed in q white flood light, the
superstructuTe rearing Like q
bleached skeleton.
Alive Or Dead?
THE Macdonald miners had
i thrown Gordon about the
mouth of the mine to hold back
the mass Of people: frenZied peo-
pie. Into this barren circle stepped
Old Balmy. He held up his hand
d44Q q hASA AC1As
Kathleen thought she had never
sensed such silence. wondered 9
moment at its portent, then looked
UP. The great cables which swung
on the derrick were notionless:
the steady thrum Of engines pour
| ing iife-saving air into the mine
were silent: the steady thuEnp Of
the pumps was missing. That
silence was deathly silence.
There's q fire in the shaft on the
two thousand foot level. It burned
| through the cable. The inspector
| going down on his nine O'clock trip
ran into the flames and signaled
UP. You win stay where you are
until we call for volunteers.
"Kathleenl"
His voice rang with quiet author
| ity. Kathleen pushed through the
crowd.
Men were coming from the mine
Office with queer apparatus, a
bulky suit, an oxygen mask. One
man was protesting.
"Let a younger man do IL,
Balmy. let some strong"
"prn strong and ] have nothing
to lose. They have their life ahead.
mine lies behind
In q low voice the old man
talked to Kathleen and she felt
every nerve attuned to his mes
sage. SIN taking an AIRLINE down
the winch shaft, by ladder. I'll
make the working drift. take the
shift 10 the far end OF the level.
Well drop the fire door behind
us. That means they can turn on
the sprinklers and check the FIRE
from reaching that level without
danger Of drowning Us. We can
last for thirty-six hours. We can't
be saved from this side. Our only
chance lies in penetrating through
from The Golden Girl. Eight hum
bred feet OF rock lie between.
They can blast through the first
few hundred without risking q
cave-in over US, After that il must
be by drill, It's up 10 you lass,
whether we come out alive or
dead.
'Morganis
A young Macdonald mining
engineer stepped UP. take over,
lad. You run the show It'll young
Donald returns
Balnay waited one more moment
before he donned his helmet.
Again his hand was appraised and
the babble Of voices which, had
started rs he had stopped address,
ing them. stopped again.
Follow the orders OF this lass
as you would follow mine" he de-
handed.
Kathleen caught at the sleeve
OF the asbestos suit.
~B0lmy,s she whispered and
tears streamed down her cheeks.
She could smell the smoke now,
see the curling fronds arise like
incense from the shaft.
This splendid old fellow was
going down into that inferno. He
was risking life precious to every
man, woman and child In Neu-
trality. He was doing this because
he knew he was the only man who
could keep those entombed men
from the frenzy which would bring
on certain death. And so he could
bring them the message Of hope.
During the long wait he could
hearten them with INSTALLATION
Of the rescuers. fighting TO reach
them. And. more vital than al
else, he was carrying that long
metal tube down the side that was
still free from fire and would give