rk cloud rising slowly above the horizon, and said
to Andy Gilgallon, his assistant, that he hoped it would not go away
without leaving some rain behind it.

Looking at it again, a few minutes later, he told Andy that he felt
sure there would be water enough to lay the dust, at any rate.

The cloud increased rapidly in size, rolling up the sky in dark
volumes, and emitting flashes of forked lightning in quick succession.

By and by the face of the sun was covered, and the deep rumbling of
the thunder was almost continuous.

There was a dead calm. Not even at the head of the shaft could a
particle of moving air be felt.

"Faith! I don't like the looks o' it, Billy," said Andy Gilgallon,
as a sharp flash cut the cloud surface from zenith to horizon, and a
burst of thunder followed that made the breaker tremble.

"No more do I," replied Bachelor Billy; "but we'll no' git scart afoor
we're hurt. It's no' likely the buildin' 'll be washit awa'."

"Thrue for ye! but this bit o' a steeple ud be a foine risting-place
for the lightnin's fut, an' a moighty hot fut it has, too--bad 'cess
to it!"

The man had been interrupted by another vivid flash and a sharp crack
of thunder.

The mountains to the north and west were now entirely hidden, and the
near hills were disappearing rapidly behind the on-coming storm of
rain. Already the first drops were rattling sharply on the breaker's
roof, and warning puffs of wind were beating gently against the side
of the shaft-tower.

"I'm glad Ralph's no' workin' i' the screen-room," said Bachelor
Billy, as he put up his hand to shield his eyes from the blinding
glare. "It'd be a fearfu' thing to ha' the breaker hit."

The fury of the storm was on them at last. It was as though the
heavens were shattered.

Billy looked out upon the dreadful onslaught of the elements with awe
and wonder on his face. His companion crouched against the timbers of
the shaft in terror.

Then--lightning struck the breaker.

People who sat in their houses a mile away started up in sudden fright
at the fierce flash and terrible report.

A man who was running toward the engine-room for shelter was blinded
and stunned by the glare and crash, and fell to his knees.

When he rose again and could use his eyes, he saw men and boys
crowding from the building out into the pouring rain. But the breaker
was on fire. Already the shaft-tower was wrapped in smoke and lighted
with flame. Some one in authority stoo