The corner part of the
shaft fell in upon the cage and many poor miners who were hoping to
escape by it; but those escaped for the present who obeyed Hope's order
and fled to another part of the mine, and when the stifling vapors
drifted away there stood Hope pale as death, but strong as iron, with the
assassin at his feet, and poor Grace crouching and quivering in her
recess. Their fate now awaited these three, a speedy death by choke-damp,
or a slow death by starvation, or a rescue from the outside under
circumstances of unparalleled difficulty, since there was but one shaft
completed, and that was now closed by a mountain of debris.
CHAPTER XXI.
BURIED ALIVE.
The explosions so tremendously loud below were but muffled sounds at the
pit's mouth; but, alas! these muffled sounds, and one flash of lurid
flame that shot up into the air, told the tale of horror to every
experienced pitman and his wife, and the cry of a whole village went up
to heaven.
The calamity spread like wildfire. It soon found its way to Clifford
Hall, and the deputy ran himself with the news to Mr.
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