Morton Rutherford was not the only one who had observed the
expression on Maverick's face. To Lyle it seemed she had never seen
such venomous malignity as was in the look which he gave her.
Stepping into the dining room a few moments after Morton had left, she
heard imprecations and curses mingled with her own name and that of
Mr. Cameron, and realized at once that their secret was known; then,
as he hastily left the house, she heard a few words of bitter hatred
which would have no special meaning to his wife, but which Lyle,
knowing what Houston and his friends had been anticipating for the
last few days, readily understood.
The wind was now raging down the canyon with terrific force, but Lyle
had but one thought, to warn those whom she loved and save them from
danger. Catching up a light wrap which she threw about her shoulders,
she rushed out of the house, passing Miss Gladden and Ned, who were in
the porch watching the storm, and who tried to detain her.
"Lyle, what is the matter? Where are you going?" they cried.
"To the mines!" Lyle answered, raising her voice above the roar of the
storm; "They are going to fire the mines, and they are all there,
Morton and Everard and Jack. I must warn them if I can!"
"Lyle, come back!" shouted Ned, "let me go!"
She shook her head; "I must go, I know the mines," she cried, and
turning ran down the road, battling with the terrific wind, and was
out of sight, almost before they realized what had happened.
Meanwhile, Morton Rutherford had found Houston without difficulty.
"They are coming, Everard," he announced, in a low tone, "they will
be here to-night. What are the indications here?"
"I judge from Haight's manner, that word of some kind has been
received from headquarters, but just what is to be done, or whether
there is any immediate danger, I cannot yet tell."
"I am going over to Haight's office for a few moments," said
Rutherford, "I may catch some message from the company that will show
us the situation."
"Just what I was intending to suggest," said Houston.
"You will remain here until I come back?"
"Yes, unless I should detect some certain signs of danger; in that
case I shall warn the men, and shall start for tunnel No. 3, that part
of the mine will be safe for a while, in any event."
"Very well, you will probably hear from me within twenty or thirty
minutes," and Rutherford started for the mills.
Haight, on returning to the office from dinner, waited some little
time for the expected dispatch. At last it came:
"Cameron just arrived with Englishman, Lindlay, and attorney;
going out to the mines on evening train. Are at Arlington Hotel,
Van Dorn at same hotel and in telegraphic communication with some
one at the Y. There is a conspiracy somewhere; what do you know?
Answer at once; is everything ready?"
He was still studying the contents of the telegram, wondering just
what the conspiracy might mean, when Minty slyly entered, and by means
of the information she had secured, furnished him the needed key to
the situation. In a few moments the following answer was returned:
"The truth is out; have just discovered Houston is Cameron's
nephew, out here in his interests; Van Dorn et al. working with
him. Cameron coming out to-night for the grand coup. Everything is
ready awaiting your orders."
Just as the message was sent, Maverick passed on his way to his post,
and seeing him, Haight stepped to the door and called him:
"I say, Jim, I've learned the truth at last about that superintendent
of ours, damn him! You seemed so interested in old Cameron this
morning, I thought you'd like to know that it has turned out that this
Houston is his nephew."
"Houston, old man Cameron's nephew!" gasped Maverick, with a terrible
oath, and growing fairly livid, "How'd ye get onto that?"
"No matter how, Jim, but it seems he's been out here all summer
getting onto some of our little business ways and reporting to the old
man, and now he's got the old fellow out here to see the fun. Never
mind, Jim, I guess the fun will be on the other side after all. I'll
attend to my business and you'll attend to yours, but I thought you'd
go at it with a better relish after this little piece of news."
Maverick passed on his way, regardless of the storm, incapable of
coherent speech, muttering oaths and curses intermingled with the
vilest epithets, Haight watching him with a grim smile for a few
moments. Then going back to his office, he had but just reseated
himself at his desk, when Morton Rutherford entered the outer room.
"Damn him! what is he sneaking around here for?" Haight soliloquized,
at the same time hastily transferring a revolver from his desk to his
pocket, "I'll spoil that mug of his if he attempts any funny business
here."
This movement was seen by Rutherford, who was watching him closely,
but he appeared to take no notice of it and entered the office as
usual, with a civil greeting to Haight. The latter sprang to his feet,
taking his position close by the shaded window, his right hand
grasping the revolver in his pocket.
Rutherford's lips curled with scorn and contempt as he looked at
Haight; he saw there could be no semblance of civility between them,
it was to be open war.
"You are a coward!" he said.
"And you are a sneak," Haight hissed in reply, "prying around here
when you had better be minding your own business."
"Let me tell you that I am attending to my own business, and you will
find before you are much older, that I have more right here than
you."
For a moment Haight hesitated, astonished by Rutherford's words and
manner, then was about to make some reply, when the click of the
instrument attracted his attention. Keeping his eye on Rutherford, he
gave the answering signal with his left hand, then listened intently
for the message. It came, containing the final orders and the farewell
words of the Silver City office:
"Send the mines to hell, and Houston and his crowd with them. Look
out for yourself. Good-bye."
In his interest in the message, Haight seemed, for an instant, to have
partially forgotten Rutherford's presence, his eyes dropped toward the
instrument, and in that instant, Rutherford cleared the space between
them at a bound, gripping Haight firmly with one hand, while with the
other he knocked the revolver which Haight had hastily drawn, half way
across the room. With a single blow he knocked Haight to the floor,
partially stunning him, but as he regained his senses, he rolled over
towards the window, and with a strength born of desperation, struggled
to his knees, and before Rutherford realized what he was trying to do,
the shade flew upward to the top of the window. Even then, Rutherford
would have thought little of it, had not Haight betrayed himself by a
leer of fiendish triumph. In an instant Rutherford understood that it
had been some pre-arranged signal.
"You cowardly villain!" he exclaimed, and pausing only long enough to
give him a blow which left him unconscious on the floor, he rushed
forth into the darkness and fury of the storm, in the direction of the
mines.
As he did so, he stumbled against a small boy, running even more
swiftly in the same direction.
"Mister, Mister Houston! is that you?" rang out Bull-dog's voice,
above the storm.
"No, my boy, I am going to find Mr. Houston, to save him if I can."
"Oh, sir, let me go! I know about it, they're goin' to fire the mines,
I heerd Jake say so, and I was a goin' to find Mister Houston myself;
I'll get there quicker, 'n I know the mine better 'n you."
"But, my boy, you risk your own life," said Rutherford.
"Never mind that, sir; Mister Houston, he's been my friend, 'n his
life's worth more'n mine anyhow; I'll risk it," and he was already
rushing on ahead, shouting back to Rutherford, "You go to the tunnels,
sir, you can help him there."
"Tell him the signal has been given!" called Rutherford, and Bull-dog,
swinging his ragged hat in reply, sped swiftly on through the raging
wind.
Rutherford paused for a moment, then started in the direction of the
tunnels. At that instant, Lyle, still struggling against the fury of
the wind, had just reached the ground surrounding the mines; in a few
seconds more she would have been within the fatal boundary line, but
Bull-dog's voice, as he rushed past, warned her back.
"Go back, go back, Miss Lyle! they've given the signal to fire the
mines, I'm goin' to warn 'em; don't be afraid, I'll save 'em, Mister
Houston and Jack," and with these words, he rushed on, disappearing
through the incline shaft.
Lyle retreated a few steps, and then paused, looking wildly about her,
dreading, expecting, she scarcely knew what.
Suddenly the darkness seemed divided by a blinding flash, which spread
into a sheet of flame, enveloping her within its lurid folds, while
peal after peal of deafening thunder crashed and roared about her, and
the lightning flashed and gleamed till it seemed as if earth and sky
were commingled in one mass of flaming combat.
Scarcely had the blinding flashes died in darkness, and the
reverberations of the thunder still echoed and re-echoed among the
surrounding mountains, when the earth began to rock and vibrate
beneath her feet; there was the sound of a terrific explosion, she
felt for an instant a strange sensation as if floating through the
air,--then she knew nothing more; she had been thrown to the ground,
unconscious, by the shock.
Meanwhile, down the rough, narrow road, leading to the mines, Leslie
Gladden and Ned Rutherford were making their way, having started
immediately after Lyle, but unaccustomed to the furious mountain
storms and unfamiliar with the road, they made slow progress in the
darkness and tempest.
"Miss Gladden, this is too hard for you," said Ned, as they paused
once, gasping for breath, "I don't believe it is safe either, you
ought never to have come."
"What do I care for difficulty or danger?" she replied, "Think of Lyle
going through this storm alone; I only pray she may not have been too
late!"
Scarcely had she finished speaking, when, without an instant's
warning, the timber through which they were passing suddenly seemed
one mass of blinding flame, while almost simultaneously came the
deafening crash of the thunder.
"Great Heavens! that must have struck awfully near us!" exclaimed Ned,
but no cry escaped from Leslie's lips, as, shuddering, she clasped his
arm more closely and struggled bravely on.
It was not until a few seconds later, when there came the sound of the
terrible explosion, followed by the bursting and crashing of the
rocks, while the ground quivered and trembled as though shaken by an
earthquake, that, for an instant, her courage failed, and with a low
cry, she sank to the ground, shivering with horror. But only for an
instant, and then she rose to her feet, dizzy and trembling from the
shock, but brave and determined as ever.
"Come," she said hoarsely, "we must hasten; perhaps we can help them
in some way, even if we are too late to save them."
Speechless from a horrible, sickening realization of all which that
terrible shock might mean to those whom they were striving to save,
Ned silently helped her forward. They had gone but a few steps, when
there suddenly burst upon the dark and stormy heavens a dull, red
glare, which grew brighter moment by moment, and on emerging from the
timber into the open ground, a frightful scene met their gaze.
Dense clouds of smoke were pouring from the shafts of the nearest
mine, while, at a little distance, could be seen the mills, their
whole interior already ablaze with light. In that end of the buildings
containing the sorting rooms and Haight's office, the fire was raging,
having come in contact with quantities of chemicals which had
increased its fury.
"Great Cæsar!" ejaculated Ned, "the mills were struck, and are on
fire."
But Leslie uttered a sharp cry, and ran swiftly down the path to where
Lyle lay unconscious, followed quickly by Ned.
"Poor child, poor child!" she moaned, "oh, merciful heaven, she came
too late, and they are all lost!"
Then, as she knelt beside the unconscious form, there came another
terrific explosion, which seemed to jar even the rocks about them to
their very foundations, while from the already smoking shafts, the
flames now issued, towering higher and higher, and adding new terror
to the scene.
Men were seen running from all directions, from the distant groups of
mines, rushing to the burning mills, where the little fire corps
belonging to the camp, were already engaged in a futile battle with
the flames; but around the Yankee Boy mine there was no sign of life.
The rain now began to descend in torrents, and the first dash of the
storm seemed to revive Lyle, whom Leslie and Ned had raised to a
sitting posture in their efforts to restore her to consciousness.
Slowly she opened her eyes with a bewildered look, then springing to
her feet, still weak and trembling, but resolute and determined, she
gazed about her at the flaming shafts and burning mills, and suddenly
cried,
"Oh, I can remember now! I remember it all, it has come back to
me,--the terrible wreck, the burning cars all around us, and my mother
crushed in the wreck; then the people carried us out and they put me
down beside her, lying so white and still, and then,--then that
villain came and took me away,--I can see it all," and she
shuddered.
Then looking at Leslie and Ned, who were watching her with startled
faces, she seemed trying to recall the present situation. Before
either of them could speak, however, there came the report of another
explosion, more distant and deeper underground than any that had yet
occurred, and the sound seemed to bring back to Lyle the memory of her
last moments of consciousness before the first terrible shock, while
the faces of her companions were blanched with terror.
"I know now," she exclaimed quickly, "I was too late, but Bull-dog
warned them, and they are probably safe; we must go to the tunnels,
they will make their escape there, and we may help them."
She ran swiftly down the path leading the way, while they followed
only too gladly, their hearts filled with new hope.
The men, finding it impossible to check the flames at the mills, were
flocking in the direction of the Yankee group of mines. Fearing,
however, to approach very near the scene of danger, they gathered in
groups here and there, while a company of wretched women, the wives
and daughters of the few married men who worked in the fated mines,
ran hither and thither, sobbing and wringing their hands in their
agony of fear and suspense for their own loved ones. Seeing Lyle
leading the way to the tunnels, they all, men and women, followed in
the same direction.
The fury of the storm had passed; a heavy rain was still falling, but
the wind had subsided, and the clouds had lifted and were already
breaking away.
Arriving at the tunnels, they found a crowd of men, among them a
number who had made their escape from the mines. The hearts of Ned
Rutherford and Lyle throbbed with joy as they descried Morton standing
among the crowd, but Lyle's heart sank again with sickening dread as
she saw no signs of Everard Houston or of Jack, while Leslie Gladden
moaned in despair. Morton Rutherford was unhurt, except for a few
bruises from flying rocks, and he was pleading with some of the men,
and offering large sums of money to any one or two who would go with
him into the tunnel in search of Houston and some of the missing men.
"Mr. Houston told me that this part of the mine would be safe for some
time," he shouted, "and I will pay a thousand dollars to any one who
will go with me as guide."
For a moment no one responded, then one of the men who had escaped,
spoke,
"No sir, I wouldn't go back in that there mine for five thousand
dollars, I'm out, an' I stays out," while another added, "'Twouldn't
be of no use, sir; mos' likely he was catched in some o' them
cave-ins; he stopped to give us all warnin' an' he was about the last
one to start."
"Cowards!" exclaimed Lyle, stepping forth among them with blazing
eyes, "he risked his life to save yours, and you will not even try to
save him. Morton," she added, turning toward her lover, "I know every
step of the tunnels, and I will go with you."
The men slunk back like whipped curs, but made no response. The miners
employed by the company throughout this group of mines were of the
lowest class, and they were none too friendly to Houston, while the
better class of men employed in the other mines were not familiar with
these workings.
Morton Rutherford advanced to meet Lyle; "My darling," he said, in low
tones, "I cannot allow you to subject yourself to danger."
"I would rather share the danger with you," she replied proudly,
"besides we must save them."
"I will go, too," said Ned eagerly, "I surely can help."
Lyle was about to suggest that he remain with Miss Gladden, but Leslie
herself interposed.
"No, no, I do not need him," she said earnestly, "I would suffer no
more waiting alone, and he may do much good."
At that instant, two young men from another group of mines stepped
forward; "If you please, sir," said one of them, "we don't want no
money, and we can't act as guides, not being acquainted with the lay
of things around here, but we'd like to help you, for we like Mr.
Houston, and we're his friends."
Their offer was gladly accepted, and preparations were hastily and
silently made by the little party. Wet cloths and sponges were
fastened across the lower portion of their faces, to prevent their
inhaling the smoke and gases, while ropes were securely tied about
their waists, the ends of which were to be held by persons on the
outside. A frequent jerking of the rope would assure those outside
that all was right in the tunnel, but a suspension of the jerking
would indicate that that person had been overcome by the gases, and he
would be immediately drawn out to the fresh air, by those at the outer
end of the line.
Pausing only for a bright smile of encouragement to Leslie, Lyle led
the way into the tunnel, followed by Morton and Ned, the two miners
bringing up the rear, and all disappeared in the subterranean
darkness.