Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-06-01

anxious mother.
IL will show you, if you will bring
them," replied.
Mrs. Hyatt fetched a pair of we'll
worn CATERS. | took them in my hand,
and called my dog.
Find her, Pip, old fellow" | said, as
placed the boots before him.
He shifted them, raised his own in
tcliigent eye to my face, wagged his
tail, as it to indicate that he fully un-
derstood what was desired of him, and
walked toward the door.
! followed him out and with his
nose close TO the ground. he led the
way to the Swan diggings. There he
lost the trail for while, and seemed
somewhat confused; but he suddenly
gave vent to shrll bark of satisfac-
ton, and set off on quick trot exactly
in the direction in which Vance had de
c!arcd it YVES useless to search
! had some difficulty in keeping up
with him, for the ground was rugged
and uneven; but, at length, he halted
on the brink of a large sinking, and set
up a most piteous howl.
BY means of cord, lowered the
lantern | carried down into the hole,
and by its dim light was enabled to
discern the object of my search lying
half immerse in water far down at the
bottom of the pit.
Leaving the lantern to serve as
guide to the shaft, | ran as quickly as
possible to the nearest shanty, and
told four miners, who were the occu.
pants Of it, that | required their ser
vices.
Australian 1iggers ere naturally I'M
pulsive and energetic, and those fellows
proved no exception to the rule. They
procured ropes, and started off with me
at once.
The light in the lantern | had left to
mark the sinking had, apparently, gone
out, for it was not visible but Pip, at a
word from me, conducted us to the
hole. and | prepared to descend at
once. | hitchcd a rope under my arms,
and my four companions lowered me
slowly down the shaft.
The water at the bottom was only
about Il foot deep, and the girls head
had fortunately escaped immersion. |
fastened the rope around my waist. and
with my disengaged ann held her firm
ly. She was quite unconscious, and !
hailed the willing hands above to % hoist
away"
AS they lifted us from the muddy
pool, my foot struck against something
lighter than a stone. STOPPING, | picked
out of the water a lantern.
"She's not dead, and, / guess, amt
much hurt, after ALL said a rough
bearded fellow, feeling the pulse of the
inanimate girl.
Mates, there's been some foul play
here. This is the lantern | placed to
mark the sinking, and found it in the
hole. 1t couldn't have blown in, for |
placed it to leeward, and checked it
tight with two pieces of rock. Some
one must have flung it down, so that
We shouldn't find the hole,' | said.
"Thcn ! believe that the gal was
chucked down, and | know Matte
Hyatt well, and she is deal too smart
to have come all this distance from the
right road, which she has passed along
II hundred times, without some one
forced her" chimed in a burly man,
who raised the girl in his .talwart
arms, and carried her toward her
home.
Mrs. Hyatt was too sensible to allow
emotion to paralyze her actions. She
applied restoratives to her daughter,
and in n short time the sufferer regained
consciousness. She was vely pretty
girl, with we'll cut features, dark eyes,
and hair that was black and glossy as Il
ravens wing.
AS soon as she could articu late, she
astonlshed us all by declaring that
Vance had endcayored to murder her.
- | met him near Swan Creek, and we
walked toward home together" she
said. "We got talking about young
Jim Carter, and, when | said | liked
hun, Ned became very angry.
Seeing he was jealous of Jim,
teased him little, when he suddenly
knocked me down with blow of his
list. ga
"'l'll kill you before you shall ever
marry that te!low! he cried, clenching
his threat with terrible oath.
=" The blow was a cruelty severe one.
Smartng with the pain it created, |
called him II coward. and declared
that would never be the wife of any
man who was mean enough to strike a
woman.
"On that, he caught hold of my
shawl, and though struggled, sue
ceeded in tying it over my hand. He
carried me along some distance, and
then hurled me down the sinking,
where you found me.
"The water in the pit saved me from
being much injured 10y the fall, and |
was able to uncover my face; but. after
that, grew dizzy, and don't remem
ber any more"
As Matte finished her recital, the
four miners glanced at each other, and
then ut me. Without saying a word,
we went out together, accompanied by
my dog.
Next morning Ned Vance was found
hanging by the neck from the limb of
II tree. Whether he committed sui
eide, or met a just retribution at the
hands OF some members of the commu
nifty he had outraged, remained mys-
terry, which the authorities did not at
tempt to unravel.
Pip had gool times in Avoca after
that nights work. Mrs. Matte Carter
cared ior hm in his old age; and !,
her uSbands partner, dug his grave,
when sheer inanition terminated his
career.
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