The Sunday herald., 1881-02-13

adopted that plan The decree of death had
been passed on me, and II the agent appoint.
ed to kill me saw me leave the mine he would
return TO the surface at once and report that
| had left the works. ! would have had
dozen or twenty men hunting for me, and
would have been murdered before | had
chance TO escape. My only salvation was to
kill the man lurking behind the timbers
below mo. The thunder Of the cars was ON
me. Standing in the gloom of the entrance
to my room, driver after driver passed me,
and neither they nor their mules saw me.
The last train OF cars was drawn by white
mule, and | knew that II was Willie's train.
This mule caught glimpse of blackened
figure standing motionless behind n great
oak post He SHE'D slightly. trusted that
Willie, who was courageous and keen witted,
would notice the movement Of the mule and
divine its cause. sprang from behind the
post. Raising my pick as If about to strike,
I extended my left arm, as though pointing
down the great avenue. Turning my face to
the passing cars, ] stood iaotionlcss. Willie
had noticed the movement of his mule.
Jumping from the last car, where he had
been riding, he swung his lighted lamp into
| the opening thatled TO my room, MS he passed
| 1t. His eyes alone betrayed that they had
seen me. They flew wide open, then almost
closed, and he passed on, not having missed
| n step. saw him blow his light out. He
| knew had had a rupture with Donavan,
and, though he could not know what my
present trouble was, he knew had urgent
| need of help. Greatly relieved, | stepped
behind the post and watched for the reap
pearancc of the phantom-lks figure. The
| coal cars swept around curve. One by one
their lights disappeared, and the grimy ave-
nue. was deserted and silent. The faint,
yellow, sickly flames of the widely separated
permanent lamps only served to reveal the
| intense blackness Of the passageway. With
strained eyes strove to penetrate the gloom.
Soon l saw the spectre-like figure glide out
from behind the timbers and stand
for an instant irresolutely between
the iron rails, apparently examining the
avenue to see If it were unoccupicd. Salts
fed that It was deserted, the figure, bending
low, came slowly toward me. To my horror,
| saw second figure come stealthily out and
| follow the first. The second moved faster
than the first, and gained quickly on it. The
first figure stopped to listen. Instantly the
second disappeared. The dull reports Of
distant blasting made the heavy smoke-laden
| air culver, and the first figure vanished be-
fore the air ceased vibrating. The play of
the two figures began to wear on me. half
believed they were spectres. grew despe
rate and waited greedily for their reappear-
ance and approach. Out stepped the first
one. | decided to rush on him as soon as he
was within eight or ten yards of me and
crush him before the other came up. From
behind the timbers the second figure emerged
and gldcd after the first. The leader stopped
tolisten. Again the hindermost disappeared
then realized that the second figure was
hunting the first who was hunting me.
From that moment | knew that Willie had
slipped into Haskell's room as he passed it
and told him of seeing me standing at the
entrance of my room, and knew the second
figure was Haskell. l knew, too, that the
slayer was TO be slain, that death lurked
close behind him, and waited with absolute
unconcern for it to fall on him. The shadows
glided noiselessly on, coming nearer and
nearer to me and to each other. The air
grew heavy and foul with the smoke of the
exploded powder, almost yelling the figures
from my view. Now could see n part of an
arm or leg then the head of the first would
be visible, and only the body and arms of
the second then, as the smoke floated by,
the whole of their forms would be indistinctly
seen. AT last the first figure stood motion
less in front of my room, peerng into the
impenetrable blackness that was before him
like wall. I raised my sharp pick and
leaned forward to strike him dead. l was
Just about to deliver the blow when Haskell
noiselessly came behind him. l stayed my
hand to let Haskell have the satisfaction OF
sinking pick to the eye in the assassin IS
brain. There was whiz in the air, q sharp
blow, and an indistinct heap of something
lying on the tramway.
"' Are you there, Watson p in whisper,
Yes,' Help me with him. We will
bury him In your goof.' We dragged him
in and buried him deep. Then, putting in
top shot, we knocked fifty tons of slate
down ON his body. Grasping my hand
Haskell said: You will have to get away
from here tonight. He will be missed by
nine o'clock, when the society meets. Go to
the surface as soon as it is dark. Bid Anna
, goodbye, and get away at once. will not be
, suspected. You will be killed tonight i
you remain. Get out of the anthracite re-
gions." / went to the surface in the last
car. fastening from the shaft to the house
saw Anna standing at the gate waiting fol
me. She cheerfully asked What makes
! you SO later feared an accident in the
! mine.' Before could answer she ran into
the house TO prepare supper. | thought
, lessly followed. On my entering the room
) she saw blood ON my hands and clothing
| Anxious, alarmed, she asked if was hurt
, Assuring her that l was nninjured, l Wen
; into my room washed, and put on my holiday
r clothes. Excitedly Anna looked at me whei
, reUntered the kitchen, but said nothing
J until had eaten my supper. Then, stand
l ing in front of me, she clasped my hands
and looking into my eyes, said Tell mi
' the truth. Have you had trouble with tn
Molly Maguires p | told the story briefly
Q Her mother had entered the kitchen, and
standing by Annals side, heard all. Boil
D women said: You must leave here in
e stantly. You will be killed for this befor
, morning if you stay. you escape and cal
e be found you will be brought back and con
t victed of murder by false testimony
I. Gamma kept our money. She went to
t little hole in q slab and drew out roll {
: bills and handed it to. me, saying: 8
! thought we would have this to start in ou
o married life with; but we cannot think
$ that now.' Tears filed her eyes as she sa'
Q our happiness passing away. | divided til
s the money, giving her two-thirds. Then
l thinking heard whispering and light foot
!. steps on the mountain side below the hous'
d passed out the back door. Anna claspe
II her arms around my neck, and whispering
= Do not write, as the postmarks will betra
j. your whereabouts kissed me and said
Ii Make haste, my love- and turning, entere
e the house and closed the door behind her.
d sprang lightly over the vine-clad fence an
o was in the forest. | walked over the moul
y tains, and by daybreak was at the ralroa
nag station. HaSHeu INC HfSt tralH III:
% passed, got on, went to Harrisburg, and frol
l. there direct to Leavenworth. From there
e wrote to Anna, saying that could not te
o her where TO write to me, even if she dared
o but that as soon as the power of the Moll
= Maguires was broken l would return to he
t joined party of miners and went to MOI
tana with them. made fortune in I'll
II Little Blackfoot diggings. My comrade
e mining on this gluch was a Missourian,
d gentleman. V hen he returned East CAV
% him money and letter to deliver to Anni
d He returned the letter and money to me, sa,
:, ing he could not find Anna. | engaged
y quartz mining, and had great success. Yea
st passed by, and drifted up and down tn
sr Rocky Mountains, making money out of ever
le mine | bought. finally drifted into IL
TO San Juan country. While there saw
rs the papers that the Molly Maguires had falle
n into the hands of the law, and that the reig
e of terror was over | started on my retur
y at once. Arriving at the village, / foun
le only few charrcd and blackened ruins
of the house where my happiest days ha