The carriage was descending the shaft. When it came up it was loaded with men. It went down again, almost with the rapidity of lightning itself.
The engineer was crowding his servant of iron and steel to the utmost. The men of the next load that came up had hardly time to push each other from the carriage before it darted down again into the blackness.
The flames were creeping lower on the shaft timbers, and were rioting among the screens.
The engine-room was hot and stifling. The engineer said he was hoisting the last load that could be brought out.
When it reached the surface Conway leaped from among the men and stood in the door of the engine-room.
"Let it down again!" he shouted. "Ralph is below yet, the boy. I'll go down myself an' git 'im."
He heard a crash behind him, and he turned in time to see the iron roof of the carriage disappear into the mouth of the shaft.
The burning frame-work at the head had ceased to support it, and it had fallen down, dragging a mass of flaming timbers with it.
Conway went out into the rain and sat down and cried like a child.
Afterward, when the storm had partially subsided, a wagon was stopped at the door of the office near the burning breaker, the limp body of Bachelor Billy was brought out and placed in it, and it was driven rapidly away. They had found him lying on the track at the head with the flames creeping dangerously near. He was unconscious when they came to him, he was unconscious still. They took him to his room at Mrs. Maloney's cottage, and put him in his bed. The doctor came soon, and under his vigorous treatment the man lost that deathly pallor about his face, but he did not yet recover consciousness. The doctor said he would come out of it in time, and went away to see to the others who had been injured.