mine. At the same moment another fearful explosion was heard, worse
than the last. The windows of the house were shattered in a thousand
pieces, the chimneys, the roofs fell in. The pressure of the air
forced Ivan back and threw him against the door of his own house. By
the strong light of the demoniacal pillar he could see his own workmen
all on their knees with a horrified expression upon their ghastly
faces. Women and children were gathered at the doors of the houses,
but the terror was so great that every one was speechless.

The entire valley glowed like the crater of a volcano. It vomited
forth a rain of fire-sparks, as in Gomorrah. The flames reached almost
to the clouds, and heaven sent forth clap upon clap of thunder, the
like of which in the most terrible thunder-storm had never been heard.

Two minutes later the flames were extinguished. The whole valley was
again enveloped in pitch-darkness, only over the company's mine
floated a filmy white cloud.

"The neighboring mine has exploded!" shrieked Ivan. "Help! help!" He
never remembered that it was his enemy's mine; he only thought that
there, in the bowels of the earth, a fearful, indescribably fearful,
calamity had happened. "Help! help!" he cried, and ran to the
alarm-bell, at which he pulled with all the strength of his body.

His own men came rushing in hot haste, all repeating to one another,
as if it were something new, "The neighboring mine has exploded!"

Then followed a significant pause. The men carrying lanterns
surrounded Ivan, and looked at him questioningly, waiting for him to
speak.

How had he guessed their thoughts?

Those who under God's free heavens drew their breath were bound to go
to the rescue of those who lay buried underground, and who perchance
still lived. Here it was no case of friend or foe. They were human
beings; that was enough.

"We must get the ventilators, the well-buckets to work!" called Ivan.
"Let each man bring a thick cloth to tie over his mouth. Bring
crow-bars, cords, ladders, india-rubber tubes, hose-pipes. The women
only are to remain behind. Forward, my men!"

He threw on an old coat, seized a strong iron bar, which he carried on
his shoulder, placed himself at the head of his men, and led the way
to the company's mine.

It was not easy to force an entrance into the works. The proprietors
had set up all manner of barricades in order to prevent Ivan's carts
from making any use of the new road. On the gate