The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-09-08
THE MASTER OF THE MINES !
BY ROBERT BUCHANAN.
looxrrsuED rsox orr LAsr rszuE
CHAPTER XIX.

| time past had been the mainstay of the
] house. saw nothing before her but misery
| and starvation; indeed, she was for going
straight to Redruth House and appealing to
/ the master, but checked her.
| Don't grieve, aunt" | said. 1T will all
be right, BY and by. Say am dismissed
| from the mine-what then? The mine isn't
| all the world shall get something. never
| fear"
| But my aunt shook her head
at be like young folk to make light o.
| things. When you'm bit awlder, Hugh,
| you'll see things as do-trouble ahead. 'Tis
| vary easy to talk, but what is there in the
| village but the miner
But I'm going up to London, aunt"
ITO Lunnonl Lawd save the ladl-and
4 what for should 'un gaw to Lunnon?'
Il am going up to see the company, and
/ tell them what's going on at the mine. Keep
| your mind easy till come back AUNT Twill,
may be, all be right then"
| But my aunt continued to cry quietly, and
/ grieved as bitterly as if she knew of the dark
| clouds which were gathering above.
As for my uncle, he sat and listened, and
made no remark whatever. l concluded he
did not understand, so l made no attempt to
| trouble him at all.
There was no time to be lost, and as soon,
therefore, as had finished my task of COM
| forting my aunt, began to turn over in my
| mind what it would be best for me to do. l
was as fully conscious of the gravity of the
situation as my aunt herself, though l had
thought fit TO make light of it in order to les
/ sen her pain. To be turned from the mine
| meant facing staryatiOn-unless L could find
| a similar situation to the one had lost; the
| only way to facilitate this being TO see the
company, who might consent to place me
over some other mine. Besides it was ne
cessary that | should see them and plead the
cause of the wretched creatures who daily
faced death at George Redruth's command.
Having fully made up my mind that the
! journey must be taken, l resolved to start on
| the following morning and began making
| my preparations accordingly.
During the years that l had been overseer
| of the mine my salary had not been large,
but had been able TO put by a small sum
weekly. My first care was to break into this
! to put into my pocket-book sufficient for my
| journey and give a sum to my aunt
Don't be afraid to use it, 1 said; ''there
Is more yet; and before it's all gone I'll have
| work. please Godr'
My hopefulness, somehow, soon infected
my aunt, and she set about putting my things
together with a brighter face. She dried her
tears, and talked quite cheerfully of my go
| ing
They do say she said, 'that averything's
for the BEST and may be It's saw nav, though
us can't just see it. Mayhap you'll meet our
Annie in London and bring her back to us,
| Hugh"
Its more than likely" returned. 'Our
! black cloud won't last for ever, the silver
lining must be coming round"
When ali was ready, | stepped down to
! heyillage to tell John Rudd to call for me
on the morrow, when he was to start before
| daybreak. Having done my errand, Lit my
| pipe and strolled slowly back to the cottage.
1t was a splendid night All the earth,
| hardened by the keen touch of FROST was
flooded by the brilliant moonrays; and the
sky was thick with stars. All was so quiet
and peaceful, could hear the click clack of
my footsteps on the frosty road.
Ny mind was sorely troubled, l walked up
and down the road until my pipe was finish
| ed then knocked out the burnt ashes upon
the ground and turned to re-enter the cot
tage, when started back with half-sup-
pressed cry. There, not very far from me,
standing in the shadow of one of the laurel
bushes in Annies garden, was the tall figure
of woman. She came quickly toward me,
and laid her hand upon my arm.
"Madeliner' | murmured, for it was In
deed she, dressed in her evening dress, with
her mantle thrown lightly over her head and
shoulders, and her dear face raised wistfully
to mine.
''Mr Trelawney,'' she said, quietly, lis it
true that you have been dismissed from the
mine?"
Yes; it's quite true, Miss Graham"
''Oh, why viii you not be as you were just
now, and call me Madeline" she cried, pas
sionately why have all those years come
loft
so far apart, Mr.. Trelawney. Hugh, let US
be children again! L was your help and so
lace once, let me be so to-nightP'
She had spoken truly-why should few
years separate us? Once before she had Of
fered me her friendship and L had accepted
it; why not now? l took her hand and kiss
ed it.
''You shall be the same to me now as you
were thenr' / answered, NyOu shall be my
friendr'
l think she understood me. She made nc
reply, but for a moment she turned her head
aside; when she looked at me again, she was
as calm as the moonrays which lay all about
her.
Tell me what has happened" she said
''and what you are going to do"
''Very little has happened" | replied. Il
have got the dismissal which have all along
expected, and l am going away"
Mr.. TreIawney, it was more than sympa'
thy which brought me here tonight Iwant
to ask you a question"
'.YeS?''
''If my cousin offers you the post again,
will you take it?'
saw in moment what she meant; that
| she would intercede for me; that the fact OF
my being reinstated would give that villain
George Redruth. a stronger hold over her;
so [ answered, firmly:
mo; the situation will not be offered tt
me, and if it was, should refuse it"
Your uncle and aunt are dependent upoI
you, are they not?''
/ Not entirely Ny uncle is sufficiently re
covered now to resume his work. For the
last week he has been employed at the moutt
of the mine. If my sins are not visited upoI
his head, and he is allowed to remain, they
! will do very well As for myself, / an
: young and strong; there is no fear for me.
She made no answer; and /, looking a
, her, noticed. for the first time, how thinly
she was clad.
Madeline, said, '.you win get you
death; let me take you back"
a Idrew the shawl closer about her shoul
ders. put her hand upon my arm, and led he
, away.
Hugh" she said, presently, you hav,
. not told me the cause of all this trouble
Why have you and my cousin disagreed 81
/, terriblyg''
The very fact that he was her cousin seal
| ed my lips.
g There is nothing l said, but what hat
4 best be kept between man and man."
ssThen you absolutely refuse to make an,
y Il refuse to receive any favor from Georg
r Redruth.'
s.Or from neT
e From you, Madelineg'
Eyes. / am rich, you know-yery rici
. and now that you are in trouble might hel
]. you-''
: Mo- / answered, quickly; don't thin
of it 1t is impossible
:. .Impossibleg' she replied; .sthe wor
: friendship to you means nothing"
1T means that you may give me your syn
Z pathy am grateful for that but cannt
accept money from you
q L walked with her as far as the entrance
the grounds surrounding Redruth Hous
} then / left her.
Her ewes were full OF tears as she sa
: goodbye. and her little hand chung to mil
|. with persistence which welLnigh unmal
e ned me. was too much beside myself
return to the cottage, so for about half mi
i followed the road which led to the min
!. 1t was late, there was not a living so
= abroad it seemed to me; yet as turned
s retrace my steps. came face to face with
!. man who had evidently been following clio
y upon NV heels 1t was johnson
= Nadeline's softening influence was stiIl n
= on me. ct at sight of this evil face It seeI
= ed to fade, and there arose within me all th
y was worst in my soul He paused. bl0ckin
a my way. and sneeringly addressed me:
Ho. 4
e into worse trouble before you're done Je
% rox, lot the vovprnOr see YOU as saw =,