The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-03-06

MOI Without q rope, ne
calmly; Eve will bring n up to-mor-
row."
Tomorrow" cried Gertrude, with
sudden heat, II want it now. Bob
would get it for me in a moment if l
asked him, Mr.. Losford."
"Bob's head is perhaps, steadier than
mine" answered the other, keeping at
a safe distance from the edge. He was
in no way discomposed until, as he fin
ished, his eyes met the girls, full Of
contempt and anger. Stung by the
look, he took a hasty step toward the
edge of the cliff and bent down 20 make
the attempt. For a moment he re-
NAMED in that position as if ~entranced,
scanning the depth below, a sheer three
hundred feet, and then a green hedge,
and then, far beneath, pale-blue Crum-
mock Water. With a quick shudder
he passed his hands across his eyes and
recoiled, white to the lips.
II can't get it for you, he said hoarse-
ly, falling back, while the others looked
at one another in establishment.
"And quite right, too, Mr.. LosfOrd;
don't try any such foolhardiness, [ 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 as 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 a twinkli1g, and chat
tered on in such a way as to earn every
ones gratitude. Yet it was a dull party
that wended It's way down the hill, and
clear it was to more than one that a
budding romance had come to an end
over the little blue flower which nestled
so harmlessly in Gertrude's fair hair.
Yet mothers are sanguine, and Mrs.
Godwin's face grew scarlet with anger
when the spray appeared again at dinner
conspicuOusly fastened in the bosom Of
her daughters dress.
If it 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 Robert!" she said, pet
tishly, after helping the soup. '"Do
you know, Violet?"
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 the masters
ear. Mr.. Goodwin rose quickly.
any dear, this is bad news. There
has been a fall at the lead-works."
HII1-. r-,E-k-~ckoI oo kIn~1F,I
the men were not at work. Or ven
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 well, with p~reternatural 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 was a 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 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 q quarter of a 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.
as there any hope?" said Gertrude,
in a low voice, with Violet Marston's
hand tight clasped in hers Are they
diggingT
The fiaring 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 strange-looking figures,
chiefly women. Some were moving to
and fro before the blaze, but most Of
them stood still and impressive. The
shining clcshhss 81 tthe men proclaimed
their trade, as they brushed, all dis
tiDctions forgotten. against the gay
dresses of the house party.
@No," replied her father, with o groan.
eThe props at this end are gone, and
the men say the whole hill is coming
down. We must wait for help from
Keswick." :