"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 stood in the door of the engine-room giving orders. 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. The men who had brought the invalid were gone, and Mrs. Maloney was sitting by him alone.