The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-01-28

'Whers is Robert?" she asked pettishly,
after helping the soup. "Do you know,
Violet?"
Miss Marston did not Bob was not
wont to be punctual, aud she was about IL
say SO, when the butler entered hastily aud
whispered something in his masters eur.
Mr.. Goodwin rose quickly, saying:
my dear, this is bad news. There has
been fall at the lead works"
"How unfortunate. / am thankful the
men were not ut work Or, even worse, we
might have been viewing them, as Robert
has been plaguing us TO do. and been all
crushed together, like any common laborers.
But where can Robert be-"
| Here the butler spoke:
IL fear, ma'arn, that Master Robert-least-
wise he went that way when he came back
lis in there, and John has gone to the vii
lage for help
| The gentlemen rose and hurried from the
room; but almost as soon as they reached
| the scene the women were there too. The
boys sister could not be restrained, and
Mrs. Goodwin signed to Gertrude to let her
go. Anything was better than inaction.
Mr.. Godwin's wad-hole and works were
hardly quarter of a mile from the house,
though hidden by q shoulder of the hill. He
guessed at once that the boy had taken the
key that he might exhibit to the ladies the
wonders of the wad- hole. and probably had
gone to make his preparations. A servant
seeking him when dinner was ready had dis.
covered the accident and alarmed the viii
lage.
''Is there any hope?" asked Gertrude, in
trembling voice.
'No," replied her father, with groan.
''The props at this end are gone, and the
men say the hill is coming down. We must
wait for help from Keswick."
Gertrude was turning to the group indig-
nantly, but one was before her.
Now, men, / can handle pick, though
/ am Londoner. Ten pounds to every
man who joins me. Don't let them say that
the Cumberland men left their masters
guest to perish because they were all cow
ards"
The cold, impassive face was aglow with
energy and excitement. Was it Gertrude's
fancy, or was il that that word in his voice,
struck her like a whip?
1.-The hill is on the move, master, and he
be dead, too" said the foremost man.
Hush, his sister be there!' put in
woman, in a low voice.
There was an instants hesitation while
the whole crowd watched the big miner.
1--WE be with you, master!' cried he, seiz-
ing 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 fore
man to underpin and take other precautions.
as they worked. In time more men fiockedl
from neighboring pits to the spot, aud the
work was carried on in gangs. Notwith-,
standing Mr.. and Mrs. Godwn's entreaties
Violet would not leave, and hour after hour,
while the countless loads of earth were be-.
ing wheeled away, she walked to and fro
with Gertrude's hand in hers. How each
workman was gazed mt as he came from the
darkness into the blaze of the fire and de-
posted his load. Whoever worked by
spells, the figure Gertrude knew best did
not appear But, when the faint inger-
ing hope was dying out. one of the men
staying in the house came quickly up to
Violet.
There is hope vet however. The fall is
only partial. and he may be in the main
workings. The men fancy they heard him
knocking.
Violet made no reply. She was sobbing
on Gertrude's shoulder.
SIS any one hurt?" asked the latter,
eagerly.
Hardly. Only few cuts from stones"
Another hour passed. while the crowd
thickened, and listened breathlessly to the
dull sound of the tools and the creaking of
the balTows. A fresh gang was at work,
and they came out more quickly. The sky
was growing gray, and the hill-tops came
out III cold majesty.
Suddenly the work ceased; a barrow on
its way out stopped inside the entrance.
The crowd outside drew close and breathed
more quickly, and women hid their faces as
the sound of voices came from the pit
Then a crowd of men pressed out, and in
their midst Walter Losford, stained and
ragged, with the boy i'll his arms. He laid
him on the wraps by the women. The blood
was trickling from cut in his own forehead.
and his face. where it was not lead grimed,
was pallid with fatigue.
"He has only tainted, he said to the doc
tor.
Just so; he only wanted glass of
whisky" said the latter, cheerily.
Gertrude rose from the boy to thank his
bearer, but he had turned away.
"The worst time was just before they
broke in, Gerry. / thought the earth must
fall again. or something happen to prevent
them reaching me-" Bob said to her, when
she visited him in his room next day. "But
that Losford is no end of n trump. He's
been up to say good-by, and / told him
what an ass I'd made myself about him. /
heard his voice first, and Mrs. Goodwin says
they would not have got me out but for
him."
The likelihood of this alternative APP
peared to give him unmixed satisfaction.
Il don't think they would, said Gertrude,
presenting him with large bunch of
grapes. I'll get you some more, Bob"
"You bet your boots they wouldn't. It's
pity he can't climb. Fancy a fellow like
that with what the doctor calls constitu-
tional vertigo, / can't make it out"
And Bob fell into brown study which
passed into doZe; and thus refreshed, he
was enabled to chatter all dinner time.
Gertrude stole out of the room, and, run
ming down stairs, found him in the hall.
He had mislaid favorite stick.
"Mr. Losford, she began, standing be-
fore him in she knew not what attitude of
pretty humility, 81 said something yesterday
the memory of which is burning me with
shame. L cannot forgive myself, but will
you say that you do? Bob has made
amends. Let me do so. What foolish
girl said cannot have hurt youw she pleaded,
as he made no answer.
Rather should not have hurt me, he re-
piled, gravely: wet it did, cruelty Miss