Down the Slope

by James Otis

  CHAPTER IX

  JOE BRACE

  During the first five minutes after he was locked in the short drift,Sam Thorpe gave himself up to unreasoning anger. He threw himself againand again upon the timbers as if believing it would be possible to forcethem apart, and shouted at the full strength of his lungs until he wasliterally unable to speak louder than a whisper.

  Then recognizing the uselessness of such proceedings, he sat down tothink over the matter calmly.

  "If Fred succeeded in giving the alarm, I'm not in very much danger ofbeing drowned out," he said to himself; "but if he was caught I cancount on dying in about two hours."

  With this mental speech came the assurance that he had yet a hundred andtwenty minutes in which to fight for life, and he resolved not to wastea single second.

  The lamp in his cap gave sufficient light for a thorough examination ofhis prison, and it was soon made. A solid wall of earth and slatesurrounded him, the only outlet was through the doors, which were ofplanks and thickly studded with nails that they might be strong enoughto resist a heavy pressure of water.

  His only weapon was a stout pocket knife; but even with a saw he couldnot have cut his way through.

  The hinges were next examined. They were fastened to large joists whichin turn had been set firmly into the strata of slate.

  The only weak point he could find was where the two doors came together,and the flat bolt was exposed. Its entire width and about an inch of itslength could be seen thickly covered with rust, and here Sam decided todirect his efforts.

  "There isn't much chance I can cut it through in two hours," he said;"but it's better to work than lay still thinking of what may happen."

  Breaking the stoutest blade of his knife he began with the jaggedsurface to scratch at the iron. While cutting through the rust hisprogress was reasonable rapid; but on firm metal was very much likefiling a boiler plate with a pin.

  Then the blade of his knife was worn smooth, and he broke off anotherpiece, repeating the operation until the steel had been used to thehilt.

  The bolt was cut nearly half through; but as he judged, two hours musthave passed.

  "If they succeed in flooding the mine I shall still be a prisoner whenthe water comes," he muttered, and at that moment he heard the sound ofapproaching footsteps.

  Two or more had come from the direction of the shaft, and halted nearthe door.

  "It's no use to try and fight our way into the drift through the hole,"he heard one of the new-comers say, and recognized the voice as that ofCale Billings.

  "Are you goin' to give up beat!"

  "Not much. Inside of an hour we'll have fifty men here, and while thefools think we are trying to get in by the slope a tunnel can be madefrom one of the smaller cuttings."

  "What good will that do?"

  "If I ain't mistaken we shall come out on the second level where it'llbe no more than child's play to get the best of both crowds."

  "But suppose Wright has sent for soldiers? I heard he telegraphed to thegovernor."

  "We'll be in possession of the mine, an' I reckon they'll be willin' tomake terms with us, for a regiment couldn' drive us out."

  "Well, what are you stoppin' here for?"

  "I want to see where that boy is. We mustn't lose him yet awhile."

  "He's in here."

  "An' I reckon he'll stay till we want him," Billings replied with alaugh, after apparently examining the bolt.

  Then the two men passed on, and Sam began his slow task again. Hope wasstrong in his breast, for he knew from the conversation that Fred hadsucceeded in warning the miners.

  He used the small blade, and it wore away so quickly that there could beno chance it would last to complete the work.

  "If I could get a purchase on the door it might be broken open now thebolt is cut so much," he said, looking around once more.

  Near the uprights was an extra piece of joist standing on end as ifforming a portion of the side.

  The floor of the cutting was full of irregularities where the slate hadbeen broken or taken out, and this gave him the opportunity to get therequired purchase.

  With one end of the joist pressed firmly against a slight elevation, andthe other on the doors just over the bolt, he clambered up until nearthe top, when all his weight and strength were brought into play.

  Once, twice, he swayed up and down, and then inch by inch the metalyielded until the heavy timbers swung outward, and he was free so far asliberty of movement in the drift was concerned.

  At the moment when he emerged there was no one in the passage, and hehurriedly re-closed the doors that his escape might not be discovered bythose who should pass.

  After some difficulty he succeeded in pushing the broken piece of ironinto the sockets in such a manner that a casual observer would hardlynotice anything wrong, and then, extinguishing the light in his cap, hewent swiftly toward the shaft, arriving there just as half a dozen menwere on the point of descending.

  Crouching against the wall at one corner the new-comers failed to noticehim; but it was impossible to ascend the rope ladder which had been letdown, without attracting attention, because of the numbers who continuedto arrive at irregular intervals.

  During an hour he waited, shrouded from view by the gloom, and then camethe desired opportunity.

  Two men returned from the further end of the drift, and ascended theladder.

  "I'll follow them and run the risk of being recognized," he said tohimself, and suiting the action to the words he climbed the network ofrope immediately behind the second rioter.

  It was twilight when he arrived at the surface, and Billings' forceswere building a row of fires directly in front of the slope.

  To start toward the village immediately would be to take too manychances of detection, and Sam loitered on the outskirts of the crowdwatching for the desired opportunity, which came when Fred left theslope to carry Donovan's message to Mr. Wright.

  Instantly the alarm was given Sam started in pursuit, accompanied by adozen others, and only by outstripping the rioters could he hope to makehis escape.

  Fred ran as he had never done before, with the howling mob at his heels,and foremost among them was Sam. Two men were in advance of the escapingprisoner; but by an apparent misstep while he ran alongside the second,the rioter was overturned, and but one remained; the others being so farin the rear as not to count in the chase.

  Fred glanced over his shoulder now and then; but the darkness preventedhim from recognizing his friend until the latter deliberately threwhimself in front of the pursuer, and a tumble was the result.

  "Keep on it's me--Sam!" the butty boy shouted, as he scrambled to hisfeet before the man had fully recovered his senses, and with a cry ofglad surprise, Fred asked:

  "How did you get away?"

  "It's too long a story to tell now when we need all our breath. Are youtrying to reach home?"

  "No; the store."

  "Then you know what Billings' crowd are intendin' to do."

  "Yes, and help is needed at once."

  Sam made no reply. Both the men he had over-thrown were on their feetagain, and, with a dozen others, were close in the rear, making everyeffort to overtake the fugitives.

  The race was virtually won, however, unless other rioters were met onthe road. The boys yet had thirty or forty yards the advantage, andbefore this could be overcome they were within sight of the store, fromwhich, attracted by the shouts, came Mr. Wright and a number ofemployees.

  All of these latter were armed, and the pursuers halted at a respectfuldistance, while the boys dashed into the building breathless and nearlyexhausted.

  It was several moments before Fred could repeat the message Donovan hadsent, and this was hardly done when a message from the governor arrived,stating that no troops could be sent until the following day.

  "I'm afraid those at the mine will have to take care of themselves," Mr.Wright said, when he learned of the condition of affairs there. "If weshould leave here, o
r even divide our force, the store as well as theoffices might be sacked."

  "But the mine will be flooded if Billings succeeds with the tunnel."

  "It can't be helped now. We should need, at least, fifty men to effectan entrance, and eighteen is the full number who can be trusted."

  "Those who are there may be drowned."

  "There is no danger of that since all hands are on the alert for thefirst signs of trouble."

  "Then Sam and I may as well go home."

  "It would be a good idea to tell Brace that he must try to get hereunobserved. The men already believe he is in town, and I am afraid theymay discover his hiding place, when there's bound to be mischief done."

  Disheartened, because after incurring all the danger no real good hadbeen done, Fred motioned to Sam, and left the store.

  The streets of the village presented an unusual appearance. Nearly everyhouse was open and lighted as if for a general illumination, while thesidewalks were crowded with throngs of excited women and children.

  "This would be a good time for Skip to pay you off," Sam said, as theywalked swiftly along. "While so much is goin' on they could do prettynear as they pleased without fear of being stopped."

  "What he might do seems to be of little consequence compared with thedanger which threatens the poor fellows at the mine. If the lower levelshould be flooded while they were guarding the drift there's everychance all would be drowned."

  "It don't do to think of such things when there's nothing which can bedone to help them. It might be worse, an' there's some comfort inthat."

  "I fail to see anything very cheering in such an idea," Fred replied,and then the two were at Mrs. Byram's home.

  The door was locked; but the lightest of taps sufficed to attract thewidow's attention, and the visitor received no less warm a receptionthan did the son.

  Brace was so impatient to learn what had been done by the rioters thathe descended the stairs immediately upon hearing the boys' voices, andwhile Mrs. Byram prepared supper, Fred and Sam gave an account of theirown adventures, as well as all which was known concerning the mob.

  "So I'm to sneak over to the store, eh?" the miner asked, as the recitalwas concluded.

  "That was what Mr. Wright said."

  "I'll do nothin' of the kind."

  "Why not?"

  "Because I've had enough of hidin' like a fellow who had done somethin'wrong."

  "But it isn't safe to show yourself."

  "I'll take the chances, an' see what Billings' gang can do."

  "Don't think of such a thing," Mrs. Byram cried in alarm. "You might bekilled."

  "A fellow who has worked a matter of half a dozen years at Farley'scan't be knocked out so easy."

  "Are you going into the street?"

  "Yes, an' to the mine if I take the notion."

  "What could you do alone against two or three hundred men?"

  "Show that there is one fellow who ain't afraid of the whole murderin'gang."

  "That would be the height of foolishness."

  "I can't help it," was the dogged reply, and Brace rose to his feet asif to leave the house.

  Both Sam and Fred sprang up to detain him; but before a word could bespoken by either, angry shouts and cries were heard in the distance.

  "They are up to fresh mischief," Sam exclaimed, as he cautiously pulledback the curtains to look out.

  "There are a dozen of the rioters on the sidewalk," he cried, "and theyare evidently watching us."

  Brace ran to Sam's side, and the instant he showed himself some of themen shouted:

  "Here's the traitor! We've got him caged!"

  "String him up!"

  "Yank him out so's the bosses can see how we treat spies!"

  These cries were echoed by the body of men who were approaching on arun, and Mrs. Byram said, as she drew Brace from the window:

  "They have learned you are here, and in their mad excitement murder maybe committed."

  Then came from the street as if to give emphasis to her words:

  "Hang him! Hang him! He's worse than the bosses!"

  "You must go to the store now," Sam cried.

  "What's the good? They will get in there as easily as here."

  "Mr. Wright and his men are well armed and can protect you."

  "There has been no shootin' done yet, an' I'll not be the cause of thefirst bullet. It is better to give myself up at once."

  "You shall not," and Sam clasped the miner around the waist. "Try theback door; it will be possible to give them the slip if you hurry."

  Brace hesitated a moment as if unwilling to display anything which mightbe mistaken for cowardice, and then Fred and Sam literally forced himtoward the door.

  "While you run I will attract the attention of the men," Mrs. Byramsaid, as she showed herself at the window, and the miner sprang out atthe very instant when half a dozen of the rioters entered the gate.

  "Tryin' to give us the slip, eh?" one of the party cried, as all rushedforward.

  It was too late for Brace to return; in a twinkling the men hadsurrounded him. Fred and Sam saw a short but sharp struggle, and beforethey could so much as make a move toward going to his assistance he wasoverpowered.

  Attracted by the cries of their companions, those at the front of thehouse came around swiftly, and Brace was half carried, half forced intothe street.

  Mrs. Byram tried to plead with the mob; but they pushed her asidewithout ceremony as they shouted:

  "We'll show them at the store how we deal with spies and traitors."

  "We've got the rope and the sneak, now we only need two or three of thebosses to fix the thing up brown."

  "Do you suppose they really mean to hang him?" Fred asked in a tone ofawe, and Sam replied sadly:

  "I'm afraid they will. Billings always was down on him, and the men areso excited as to hardly know what they are about, so anything ispossible."