CHAPTER XXVIII

“AS GOOD AS THE WHEAT” Through the crowd at the mouth of the mine word flashed that the cage was coming up. All night they had waited there, the wives and children of the imprisoned miners, the residents of Piodie who knew one or another of the men caught in the raging inferno below. The women and the little ones had wept themselves dry of tears long since. They stood now with taut nerves, eyes glued to the cage as it swept into sight. Someone started a cheer as the first of the rescued men stepped out to the platf…