The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-07-25

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NUMBER 81.
in no way discomposed until he met the
girls look, full Of contempt and anger.
Stung by the look he took hssty step
towards the edge Of the cliff and bent
down to make the attempt. For .
moment he remained in that position as
ii entfanced, scanning the depths be-
low, sheer three hundred feet, and
then green ledge, and then, far, be.
meath, pale-blue Crummock water.
With q quick shudder he passed his
hand across his eyes and recoiled, white
to the lips. :.
II can't get it for you," he said
hoarsely, falling back, while the others
looked at one another in astonishment.
And quite right, too, Mr.. Losford; /;
don't try any such foolhardiness, I beg,
cried Mrs. Goodwin loudly. Loudly,
but not so that he failed to hear the one
word "Coward!" or to distinguish the
tone OF contempt in which it fell from
her daughters lips, AZ she turned away.
The next instant he was his old calm
self again, but he knew that he had his
dismissal.
As for the bit of blue gentian, Bob
brought it up in twinkling, and chat
tered on IN such way as ts e.! ssER. slE.g. eyarx
clear il was to more than one that q
budding romance had como to an end
over the little blue flower which nestled
SO hsrmlessly in Gertrude's fair hair.
Yet mothers are sanguine and Mrs. God
wins face grew scarlet with anger when
the spray appeared again at dinner con-
spicuously fastened in the bosom of her
daughters dress.
II il was only an awkward hour at
dinner that Mrs. Goodwin feared. Fate
was to save her hospitality from, to do
her Justice, an unwonted slur.
"Where is Roberto" she asked pet
tishly, after helping the soup. "Do
you know, Violet?'
Miss Marsdon did not. Bob was not
wont to he 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 mas
ter's ear. Mr.. Goodwin rose quickly.
MY dear. this is bad news. There
has been . fall at the lead works."
How unfortunate! I am thankful
the men were not at work. Or, even
worse, we might have been viewing
them, as Robert has been plaguing us
to do, and then all crushed together,
like any common laborersl Shocking
But where can Robert boz"
II am afraid, ma'am," put in the but
Ter in q low voice which every one heard
we'll. with preternstural distinctness,
"that Master Robert-leastwise he went
that way when he came backs In
there. John has gone to the village
for help"
There was dead silence round that
fair show Of linen and 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 around 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 re-
strained, and Mrs. Goodwin, whose
woman's heart was sound within her.
signed to Gertrude to let her go. Any
thing was better than inaction.
Mr.. Godwin's wad-hole and works
were hardly quarter of o mile from
the house, though hidden from it by q
steep shoulder of the hill. He guessed
at once that the boy, anxious to exhib-
it to tho ladies the wonders of the wsd-
hole, had taken the private key, which
generally lay upon the study mantel.
piece, and had gone, il might be, to
make some preparations. 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.
u lis there any hope? ?" said Gertrude
in low voice, with Violet Marston'a
hand tight clasped in hers. care they
digging?"
| The aaring light Of the pine. knot fire,
just kindled in the little enclosure si
the mouth of the hole fell upon a score
or two of Strengthening figures, chief.
" 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 theii
trade, as they brushed, all distinctions
forgotten, against the gay dresses of the
house-party. mo, 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 70,
help from Keswick."
Gertrude was turning to the group
Indignantly but one was before her.
"Now, men can handle pick though
l am Londoner. Ten pounds to every
man who joins me! Don't let them say
that the Cumberland men left theil
masters guest to perish because they
were cowatds."
The cold impassive face was aglov
with energy and excitement. Was il
Gertrude's fancy, or was it that thai
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 shamefacedly.
a woman softly.
1 There was an instants hesitation
while all watched the big miner, then
after glance at their faces:
Were with you master" cried he
seizing the tool at his feet like 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
men focked from neighboring pits to
the spot, and the task was carried on
by gangs. Notwithstanding Mr.. and
Mrs Godwin's entreaties, the poor girl
most concerned would not leave; and
hour after hour, while seemingly count.
less loads of earth were wheeled OF
carried 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 tho 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 qickly up to Vic.
let.
miss Marston, do not be too san.