The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-10-14

:,
q husbands or sons-perhaps both-in tht
9 mine; children, who cluHg to their mother
. in terror for something inside NE mine hao
/, taken fire, interposlng between nose below
Il the only way of escape. wall Oh uurnlnA
v coal, that would burn for days
The little handinl of men who were saved
+ stood beside their wives and children, lhl
- hovs beside their motheIs, all thankful to have
, escaped with what few burns they had got
!. but all thinking sorrowiully OF their comrade'
@ within the burning nine.
g Then suddenly VIII CorllanC' MT. Dayeh
= try and his son, young Allen appeared in
r their midst They heard me whoie story
and Mr. Dayen,ry said, turning to those who
had ESCAPED Boys, Ill make the one who
y will try TO save those in the mine rich for
Y life. v no will go:'
r No one answered
a Then. with a scream, woman huiSt
a through the crowd, catching hold OF Will
! Cortlands arm; MY child, Pansey!' where
4 is sheE'
{ Another woman, young and pretty, carry
/ ing an infant in her arms, came forward
a She was the wife of John Hale, and the babe
was their only one.
, John is down in the mine, Mrs. Winner
she soDbed "and he has your child with
, him.
wv III no one TPSCuC HCI tliNu matt VIVA
ly. "I'll give the man who will bring her
to me anylhing-everylhlng have anything
he asks me for. VIII no one go DOWN."
at is death to attempt it, answered the
miners.
Il Will Cortland stepped forward.
I'm going down." he said determinedly
81 took the child down, and | will bring her
back"
mo, now cried miner, holding him back.
There is death in the mlne!'
From out of the crowd man strobe. \
man of brawny strength, dark of feature, with
piercing, lefty eyes-a man they all knew
Wild Dan
There was an utter silence while he spoke.
"My life is of no USE" he said grimly. "1f
die no one will care, if 1--we"
A wilder look than ever shot from his rest
less, black eyes, IF | live" he went on
slowly, "she will give me whatever ask for;
| will 90 down for the child.'
! He dashed into the nearest house, returning
wrapped in blankets. 81 am ready" he said,
with one long look at Kate Wilmer.
Then he turned and descended tae shaft.
4
The miners. the women and children were
utterly SILENT pin might have been heard
to drop anywhere. They knew, all OF them,
to minute, how long he would be traversing
the old corridors Of the mine where the min
ers had most likely taken refuge.
As the time drew near when he should
give the signal to be drawn up. the crowd be.
gan to grow uneasy, and to whisper among
themselves. Foremost among them all stood
Kate Wilmer, her hands clasped, her eyes
fixed on the place where she had last seen
Wild Dan.
The signal! Some one was ascending the
shaft! And then Wild Dan, burnt, scorched
blstered, appeared, carrying a bundle of
blankets; and wrapped in blanket that lit
orally dropped apart like finder, il was so
scorchtd as he sank exhausted at Kate viii.
mer's feet. Take herr he gasped. holding
up the child, who looked out of her nest of
blankets, as black as SCOT, but all unhurt; and
the mother laughed and cried over her recOv-
cred treasure.
But Wild Dan?
The miners gathered around him as he lay
on the ground, and besought OF him informa
ton of those in the mine, and of the fire.
"The fire will burn itself out tomorrow"
said Dan, frown of pain crossing his face.
"Those who are strong enough to stand the
smoke will see daylight again. But where
Is the doCtor?"
One OF the miners, who was the doctor of
Diamond Pit, stepped forward and bent over
MIN, tnc MS NOuuuo
had received in the fire.
III shall die?' questioned Wild Dan. The
doctor nodded "Well, well, perhaps it's bet
ter so. But Kate" and he looked wislfully
at her.
=, Kate knelt down beside him. 1t was a
strange scene The brOiling sunlight every
where, the whole village deserted by all lis
inhabitants, gathered around the dying man,
who looked so eagerly up at the woman
kneeling beside him, with one arm clasped
round the child he had rescued
Kate" he said slowly, "if had lived
would you have given me whatever / asked
for y"
Anything, everything, Dan"
Would you have given me yourself? Would
you, if had asked you, have married me!'
moments pause, and then Kate bowed
her head Wild Dan smiled family.
"Oh. well" he said, softly, "it can never be
now. Where is Mr.. Daventry," he added,
abruptly.
The old man came forward, the miners |
drew nearer To them Wild Dan spoke
"Ive not done much good in my time," he
said, "and | have done much harm. I've
been reckless and wicked. I've broken al.
most every law, whether of God or man. But
if could have lived | should have tried
again | came here to see you once more
father, father, don't you know me?"
Old Mr., Daven,ry sank down beside him,
and clasplng the poor, burnt hand in his own, |
cried out
"My SONNY son.
Again wild Dan smiled, but hc turned his |
face to Kate.
1t was not | who attacked you on that
night long ago, Kate. II was -" His eyes
left her face, and, wandering over the crowd,
they rested at last or young Allen Daventry
Il did not know who 1t was then now |
know it was Allen Daventry.'
II know it," murmercd Kate.
His voice had grown fainter and fainter
When he spoke again it was mere whisper.
Good bye, Kate, goodbye. It's not likely
We shall meet again, for don't think heaven
can be for such rs me-" He paused for
breath, then taking her soft hands in his burnt
and blscred ones-burnt and blistered for
h.r "a p--hu