Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-08-02

| minen answered the other, keeping az q
/ safe distance from the edge. de was IN
no way discomposed until as he finished,
| his ewes met the girls, full OF contehp0
and anger Stung by the looks he TOOK
q hastr step toward the edge et the ciAl'
and bent down to make the attempt.
| For = moment he remained in that posi-
ton as If entranced. scanning the depth
below. sheer three hundred feet, ana
| then n green ledge, and then, far beneath,
pale blue Crummock Water. with
quick shudder, he passed his hand across
his ewes, and recoiled white to the ups.
Il can't get it for you. he said hoarse-
! II, falling back, while the others looked
at one another in astonishment.
And quite right, too, Mr.. Lostord;
/ don't try any such foolishness, beS,
cried Mrs. Goodwin loudly. Loudly. but
not so that he failed to near the one
word "Cowardr' or to distinguish the
tone of contempt in which 1t fell from
! her daughters lips as she turned away.
| The next instant he was his old calm self
! again; but he knew that he had his dls
missal.
"As for the bit of blue gentian, Bob
| brought it up in twinkling and chat
tered on in such way as to earn every
ones gratitude. Yet it was a dull party
that wendell its way down the hill, and
clear it was to more than one that bud
ding romance had come to an end over
I the little blue flower which nestled so
harmlessly In Gertrude's fair hair. Yet
mothers are sanguine, and Mrs. Goodwin
face grew scarlet with anger when the
spray appeared again at dinner conspic-
uously fastened in the bosom of her
, daughters dress.
II it was only an awkward hour at
dinner that Mr. Goodwin feared. Fate
was to save her hospitality from, to do
her justice, an unwonted slur.
"Where is Robert?" she asked, pet
tishly, after helping the soup. do you
know, Violetl"
Miss Marston did not. Bob was not
wont 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 his masters
ear Mr.. Goodwin rose quickly.
MY dear, this is bad news. There
has been fall at the ead-works.n
How unfortunate! / am thankful the
men were not at work. Or even worse,
we might have been viewing them, as
Robert has been plaguing us 10 do, and
been all crushed together, like any com
mon laborers ShockinGl But where
can Robert be?'
II am afraid, ma'am," put in the but
| Ter, in a low voice, which every one
heard we'll with preternatural distinct
ness, ''that Master Robert-leastwise he
went that way when he came backs
/ in oh n 10 Will
for help"
There was dead silence round that
fair show of linen and glass and CLEAN
I ing silver, as if the hand that warned
Bclshazzar had appeared upon the wall.
i The Gertrude glided to her friends side
/ and put her arm round her. The gentle
men 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
I sound within her, signed to Gertrude to
let her go. Anything was better than
/ inaction.
I 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 70 exhibit to the
4 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 prepa-
rations whereby his darling effects would
be enhanced. A servant seeking him
when dinner was ready discovered the
accident, and after giving the alarm in
the servants hall had gone on to the vii
lage.
'Is there any hope?' said Gertrude, in
low voice, with Violet Marston's hand
tight clasped in hers. ''Are they dig
gingg"
The flaring light of pine-knot fire just
kindled in the little Enclosure at the
mouth of the hole fell upon a score or
two of strange looking figures, chiefly
women. Some were moving to and fro
before the blaze, but most of them stood
still and impassive. The shining clothes
of the men proclaimed their trade as they
brushed, all distinctions forgotten,
against the gay dresses Of the house-par-
ty
NO" replied her father with a
groan :" The props at this end are
gone, and the men say the whole hill is
coming down. We must wait for help
I from Keswick.
Gertrude was turning to the group in
dignantly, but one was before her
:. Now, men, can handle a pick.
! thought am a Londoner Ten pounds
to every man who joins me- Don't let