Omaha daily bee., 1885-09-19

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Then still going on he contiuued:
"See here, 10 that the way that should
be done. You economics timber to econo
mize time. understand that the timber
costs us great deal, and, If that would
stand 1t would be all right. But 1t Il
bound to break, and then the company
Is forced to employ an army of repairers
Just look there; why, it Is TERRIBLE. u
Chsval wished to speak, but he ma de
him keep silent.
mo, / know what you are going tc
say. That we should pay you more,
Well, l warn you that you will force ut
to make a change. Yes, we will pay you
in part for the timberlng, and we will
reducs the price of the cars In proportion.
We shall see II you win. In the mean
time, prop that mp at once. will pass
here tomorrow.
And With that threat he moved off.
Dansaert, so humble before him, re-
msined behind o second, saying to the
men:
"You've made me catch 1t. I'll fine
you more than three francs, II you don't
look out.
Then, when he had gone, Mahon broke
out:
"Great God that Is not Just. l be-
lleve In being calm, but they would make
any one violent. Have you heardl the
cars cut down and percentage for the
timberipg 1t Is only another plan to
pay us less, i"
He WAS looking for some one on whom
to vent his anger, when hs perceived
Catherine and Anton swinging their
arme.
"Are you going to give me some tim
bei2 l suppose this has amused you."
Anton went after load, 80 furious at
the chiefs, that he did not notice the
rage of the miner.
Levsque and Chaval swore roundly,
even Zicharis had savsgely gone to work
at the tImbering. For nearly half hour
nothing was heard but theScrscking of
wood, wedged In with blows of maliet.
Not word was exchanged; they were
breathing heavily, exasperated at the
rock, which they would have torn out
and raised higher with their shoulders
bad they been able to lift the extra
weight.
"That's enough" said Mahon at last,
worn out with rage and fatigue. "One
hour and half. Ali this has bean a
good day; we've not made fifty SOUS; Pm
dircours gsd."
There was only half hour for work
left; he dressed himself, the others doing
the same. The very sight of the drift
irritated them. When the wheeler went
on with her work they called her back,
angry at her zeal; they were through for
that day, and all six, their tools under their
arms, started out, on their return to the
shaft, through the same openings which
they had followed In the morning.
In the passage Catherine and Anton
paused, meeting little Lydic, who had
stopped In the opening to let them pass.
She told them of the disappearance of
Moquette, who an hour before had been
taken with bleeding at the nose; she
had gone somewhere to battle her face,
and they could not tell what had become
of her. When they left her, the child,
tired out, with aching back, again began
pushing her car, her insect-lke arms and
limbs reminding one of thin, black ant
moving burden too large for its aize.
The lower gallery was deserted. In
the distance red lights were disappearing
on one side of the road. They were no
longer cheerful; they walked with the
heavy step of fatigue, she In front, he
following. The lights were growing dim;
he could scarcely distinguish her, envel-
oped as abe was In kind of smoky fog.
Thinking of ber he was vsxed. Why
had she lied to him? That man was her
lover. They were both stopping In or.
der to avoid the projections above them.
Without cause he felt angry at her. But
every little while she, turning around,
warned him of an obstacle, ss though
asking him to be amiAbe. They were
alone; why should they not be good
friend.? Finally, when they came out
upon the main gallery, for him 1t wss
relief from the indecision which he suf-
ferred; while she gave one last sad look,
regret for happiness which they could
never recover.
Now, around them the underground
road resounded with the continual psss-
Ing of the people, and the going and COM
Ing Of the cars, carried along by the
trotting horses. Lamps shone out like
stars at night. They were obliged to
shrink back against the rock, leaving the
road to the seeming shadows of men and
bessts, whose breath they felt in passing.
j Johnnie, with bare feet. Running behind
his train, cried something to his sister,
which they did not hear In the thunder
Ing of the wheels. They still went On
She had become silent, while he, not re-
memberlng the crossroads, imagined she
was m'sleading him more and more; now
he suffered from the cold, chill which
made him shiver the harder as he sp-
pro sohed the shaft. Between the mar
row walls the air blew violently. He was
In dlspair of ever arriving, when, sud
denly, they pulled themselves mp ty their
hands into the main room of the floor.
Chaval threw on them sidelong
glance of distrust. The others were
there, still psrspirlng In the cold draft,
silent, restraining their low nutterings
They had arrived too soon, and were IN.
able to go up for a half hour, perhaps
longer, because of the arrangements for
the descent of hoiss. The leaders
were still filing their cara with deafen.
Ing noise, and the cages were swallowed
up, disappearing In the beating shower
which fell into the black hole. Below,
the Hump, q water aump of thirty feet
filled by this falling sire Am, also sent to-
wards him thick dsmpness. Some men
were ceaselessly moving around the shaft
pulling the signal cords, pressing hard
upon the levers, amidst, that ream of
water by which theirclothing was soaked.
A reddening light, revealing great NOV