In Paul's home a crowd of wailing women surrounded Mrs. Evert, whose
many children clung sobbing to her skirts.

Suddenly two sharp strokes of a gong rang out, loud and clear, above the
roar of the flames and the crash of falling timbers. The crowd of
anxious spectators heard the sound, and from them arose a mighty, joyous
shout. "They're alive! They're alive! They're at the top of the slope!"

But what could be done? The trestle was already blazing, and the upper
end of the slope was hidden from the view of those below by dense
volumes of ink-black smoke.

Again the gong rang out, "one, two," and one man of all that throng
thought he knew what it meant. Springing to the mine entrance, the old
breaker boss threw over the switch bar, and set the vertical switch for
the dump.

Then came a crash of falling walls, and out of the accompanying burst of
fire and smoke, down along the shining track of the slope, shot a
thunder-bolt.

It seemed like a thunder-bolt to the awe-stricken spectators, as it
rushed out of the flames, leaving a long trail of smoke behind it. In
reality it was a coal-car, bearing in one end a crouching figure and a
crutch. At the other end stood Derrick Sterling, bareheaded, with rigid
form and strained muscles, and with one hand on the brake handle.

With a frightful velocity the car crossed the vertical switch and shot
out over the level surface of the dump. Derrick felt the strength of a
young giant as he tugged at that brake handle. The wood smoked from the
friction as it ground against the wheel; but it did its duty. On the
very edge of the dump, half a mile from the vertical switch, the car
stopped, and Derrick sat down beside it, sick and exhausted from the
terrible nervous strain of the few minutes just past.

It seemed hours since the machinery had stopped in the breaker and the
rush of boys had been made for the door-way; but it was barely ten
minutes since the first alarm had been given. From the time he stood
face to face with death at the top of the slope, and started that car on
its downward rush through the flame and smoke, less than two minutes had
passed, but they spanned the space between life and death.

As yet Derrick could not realize that they had escaped nor did he until
he felt a pair of arms thrown about his neck and heard Paul's voice
saying,

"Derrick, dear Derrick! you have saved my life, and as long as it lasts
I shall love you. If ever I have a chance to show it,