The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-12-11
oonspicuously fastened in the bosom of

oonspicuously fastened in the bosom of
her daughters dress.
If it was only an awkward hour at
dinner th1t Mrs. Goodwin feared, Fate
was to save her hospitality from, to do
her justice, an unwonted s]ur.
where is Robert!" she said, pet:
tishly, after helping the soup. "Do
you know, Violct?"
Miss Marston did not. Bob was not
won't to be punctual, and she was about
to say SO when the butler, who had been
called from The room entered hastily
and whispered something in the master 3
car. Mr.. Goodwin rose quickly.
my dear, this is bad news. There
has been fell at the lead works."
Glow unfortunate! I nm thankful
the mon were not at work. Or even
worse, We might have been viewing
them, as Robert has been plaguing US
to do. and been all crushed together
like any common laborers! Shocking
But where can Robert be?"
II am afraid, ma'am," put in the but
Ter in q low voice which every one
heard we'll, with preternatural distinct.
ness; "that Master Robert-leastwise
he went that way when he came back
is in there. John has gone to the vii
lage for help"
There YVES dead silence round that
fair show of linen aud glass and gleam-
ing silver, as if the hand which warned
Belshazzar had appeared upon the wall.
Then Gertrude glided to her friends
side, and put her arm round her. The
gentlemen hurried from the room, but
almost as soon as they reached the scene
the women appeared there also. The
poor boys sister could not be restrained,
and Mrs. Goodwin, whose woman's heart
was sound within her, signed to Ger.
trude to let her go. Anything was bet
ter than inaction.
Mr.. Godwin's wad-hole and works
were hardly quarter of mile from
the house, though hidden from it by a
steep shoulder of the hill. He guessed
at once that the boy, anxious to exhibit
to the ladies the wonders of the wad-
hole, had taken the private key, which
generally lay upon the study mantel-
piece, and had gone, it might be, to
make some preparation, whereby his
darling effects would be enhanced. A
servant seeking him when dinner was
ready, discovered the accident, and, af-
ter giving the alarm in the servants
hall, had gone on to the village.
lis there any hope?" said Gertrude,
in a low voice, with Violet Marston's
hand tight clasped in herl. care they
digging?"
The faring light of the pine-knot
fire, just kindled in the little Enclosure
at the mouth of the hole, fell upon a
score or two of Strengthening figures,
chiefly women. Some were moving to
and fro before the blaze, but most of
them stood still and impasslve.. The
shining clothes of the men proclaimed
their trade, as they brushed, all dis
tiDctions forgotten, against the gay
dresses of the house party.
"No," replied her father, with groan.
"!The props at this end are gone, and
the men say the whole hill is coming
down. We must wait for help from
Keswick."
Gertrude was turning to tho group
Indignantly, but one was before her.
"Now, men, I can handle pick,
though am Londoner. Ten pounds
to every man who joins me! Don't let
them say that the Cumberland men left
their masters guest to perish because
they were cowards."
T.. The cold impressive face was aglow
with energy and excitement. Was it
Gertrude's fancy, or was it that word
in his voice really struck her like a
whip.
"The hill is on the move, master, and
he be dead, too," said the foremost
man, but shame-facedly.
Hush, his sister be there!" put in a
woman softly.
There was an instant's hesitation
while all watched the big miner; then,
after glance at their faces:
Were with you, MASTER" cried he,
siezing the tool at his feet like q giant
aroused.
The spell was broken; and who then
so reckless as the Cumberland men?
Losford soon had to check them, and
assist the foreman to compel them to
underpin, and take other proper pre-
cautions as they worked In time,
more aocked from neighboring pits to
the spot, and the task was carried on
by gangs Notwithstanding Mr.. and
Mrs. Goodwin's entreaties, the poor girl
most concerned would not leave; and
hour after hour, while seemingly count
less loads of earth were wheeled or car
ried from the deepening entrance, she
walked to and fro, or lay with Ger
trude's hand in hers on the wraps laid
in corner formed by two walls. How
each shining worker was gazed at as he
came from the darkness into the blaze
of the fire and deposited his load!
Whoever worked by spells, the figure
Gertrude knew best did not appear.
But, when the faint lingering hope was
dying away, one of the other men stay
ing in the house came quickly up to
Violet.
Miss Marston, do not be too san
guine. There is hope yet, however. :,
The fall is only partial, and he may be
in the main workings. Some of the
men fancy that they have heard him
knocking"
Violet made no reply. She was Sob
blng on Gertrude's shoulder.
lis anyone hurt?" asked the latter,
eagerly.
mo, hardly at all. A few cuts from
stones"
Another hour passed, while the
crowd thickened and listened all breath
lessly to the dull, muffled sound of the
tools and the creaking of the barrows..
A fresh gang was at work, and they
came. out more quickly. The sky was
growing gray, and mems faces looked
so, too, as the fire burned with pa1er
light and the hilltops came out in cold
majesty.
Suddenly the tools ceased; barrow
on its way out stopped inside the en-
trance. The crowd outside drew closer
and breathed more quickly, and women
hid their. faces as the sound of low
murmuring voices came from the pas
sage. Then a little crowd of men
pressed out, and in their midst Walter
Losford, stained and ragged, with the
boys form in his arms. He laid him
quickly on the wraps by the women.