The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-07-25

He may yet need it if he crosses my
path"
"Jack, hushv" exclaimed the girl (;
"you do not mean those words. Have
| not seen you step aside rather than
tread upon a worm, to crush out life
God-giyen?"
"Aye-but let the serpent rear its
head across my way, and see how quick
ly will grind its venOmOus head be-
meath my heel"
"Yes, Jack, but Tom Wilcox has
never done you wrong"
The man laughed.
"IIe has entered my house and robbed
Inc of the one thing my soul priced
has despoiled me of my all Do we
not punish those who steal from us ?"
"Not if they steal that which is
their own. know you, Jack, better
than you know yourself, and know
the noble heart which you cover to-
night with so false mask. Remember
Jack-yOu say you love me. / love
Tom Wilcox. Whate'er you do to him
you do to me, His is the shrine which
holds my heart, even as his is here"
striking her breast. Then, with low
goodnight, swift touch of her hand,
she left him to his own gloomy
thoughts.
\
Six men busy at work-a little group
apart from the Others-On the new hall
in the mine. 1t was strange sound
which suddenly made each man throw
down his tool and start with white
faces to their feet-lhe sound of a
CHEEKY whistle echOing through the
silent, vault-like place.
"Hush, man! are you mad" said one,
"tO whistle in the mine? Don't you
know it has never yet failed to bring
swift punishment?"
"Nonsense, boys" laughed Tom, the
offender, in answer. "That's an old
superstition, fit for grooming hags by
the fileside. An honest whistle can do
no man harm. Listen!" And once
again the CHEEKY sound rang out-this
time the whistler's feet keeping time.
"Ah, if you were happy as am |, you'd
whistle too, since l've won the prettiest
lass in all the village for my bride"
On one listeners face these words
brought blacklist frOwn; but he sternly
kept his white lips together, and was
mute-nOne noticing the instant start,
the half-clenched hand; but none had
time to answer, for, as though far off,
came dull, heavy sound they knew
too well. One moment they looked
with blanched faces upon each other,
then followed a crash. The wall had
fallen and hemmed them in their living
tomb. In the darkness rose cries of
vengeance and curses upon him who
had brought the curse home to them.
"Let us find him." they cried,
cropping in the darkness-"he who
dared whistle the evil spirits to do their
work !"
".But, singular to say, he, the instru-
ment of their vengeance, was the one
who had fallen helpless and disabled,
and lay half unconscious under heap
of stones.
Jack Howard was the first to find
him. Why, then, did he not denOunce
him? Once more his hand clenched,
his face darkened, but girls white,
pleading face seemed to rise up out of
the darkness, and quietly he took his
stand in front Of the PROSTATE form.
''We will kill him !" shouted the men.
"Perhaps then we can appease the
wrath of the spirits of the mine, and
they will show us some way out, or
keep life in our bodies till they dig for
us, All, here he isl starting forward
rs one stumbled over him for whom they
sought.
"Back, men! Would you do murder?"
shouted voice. "Has not the old wall
threatened danger for many day, that
you should suppose mans whistle
could cause it to come tumbling about
our ears?"
"He put the spirits to workv' said
one. "It's meyer failed yet" Wen
give him to them as one of them,
"Not unless you give me, too" said
Jack his face growing very white, and
the words rushing from his lips as
though he could not repress them.
"He can't defend himself. It's only a
coward who will strike helpless
man."
The men paused, with flush of
shame, while their hands sank quietly
to their sides, and Jack Howard knew
his defence hadproved good. Sothe long,
weary hours dragged themselves along,
each man busy with his own thoughts I;
some thinking of the wife and BARNS
who waited their return; some, the
mother and sweetheart. Occasionally
would sound dull, rumbling noise,
drawing nearer and nearer, and unless
rescue soon reached them, all knew the
wall surrounding them would soon give
way. They knew not whether it were
day or night, or, save by the pangs of
hunger and thirst already a1sailing
them, how long they had been entomb-
ed, when hope rose once more in their
breasts, as, faint and distant, came a
human voice. With one accord they
answered it, and grasping their tools
with new earnestness, fell to work to
meet those digging their slow way
toward them. All, the ecstacy of the
moment when the first ray Of light