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And then the miracle happened. She saw the door open and limned

in a penumbra of darkness the white comely face of a woman. She

saw the beleaguered men sway back and the door close in the faces

of the horde. She saw bullets go crashing into the door, heard

screams of baffled fury, and presently the crash of axes into the

panels of the barrier that held them back. It seemed to fade away

before her gaze, and instead of it she saw a doorway full of

furious crowding miners.