Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-07-19

tHe'N- Nj. MarleS!
iii you are satisfied where You arc,
Miss Stuart, venture to say have had
enough, WAS my reply, with q kind of
shudder.
''Oh, for that matter, am willing to
let you have your own way now,' she re-
joined, with light. careless laugh.
"You hare bravcd the danger so far like
Il gallant soldier, and are now entitled to
your discharge"
~ see that in your thoughtlcss way
you are still disposed to make sport of
my natural caution" replied, u little
severely; ''but would very much like
you to comprehend that reasonable eau
ton is not cowarlice, nor in any degree
allied to it; and to prove it in my own
person, l now throw down the gage to
dare anything that either you or any am
bilious friend of yours may have the cour-
age to try"
Even i'll tie dim light could see that
my sharp words mad sent deep color
into her pretty face, and, after IL momcn-
tary hesitation, she fatcred
81 crave your pardon, MIR. Naples, if
my light, ilippant remarks have wounded
your feelings"
"All is already forgiven" cordially
remarked, extending my hand, which WAS
accepted in token OF amity
An exclamation from one of our two
companions 1T this moment drew our at
tcntion to him. He was looking down
mt the miners through IL field glass, and
his words were:
Ella! what culpablc imprudcncel
One of the miners has struck Il match to
ligh. his pipc!"
(Which one?" demanded his compan-
ioa, in Il quick, excited tone. "Show
me the man and l will have him dis
charged forthwith"
just rs he spoke, and while he was in
the act Of reaching cut his hand for the
glass, binding sheet Of flame was seen
to cnvclop all below; q rush of foul,
heated air threw us down upon the rocks,
and Il crashing explosion, like a thousand
thundcrs, completely stunned lis and
shook down the rocks around us like Il
terrible earthquake.
When / came to my senses all in thc
blnckness of that raylcss abyss ] heard Il
low, wailing moan of terror and despair.
accompanied with the words:
ooh, my God! my God what has
happened and where am l 2"
Il was the plaintive voice Of Sibyl
Stuar,, land l WAS grateful to God that she
was Sill alive.
! knew where We were ana what awful
thing !2d happened, for my recollection
came with my consciousness. Reaching
out my hand | touched her, and in a
soothing lone said:
''Therc has been terrible explosion,
Mss Sibyl, and fear that many lives
have been lost; but, thank God, we still
survive, and hope that you have escaped
injury"
so, merciful hca en-, 7 comprehend all
now.' She moancd. Forgive nc, dear
friend Forgive mc!'
''For what?"
Making light OF your forcbodings,
and bringing you here to your doom"
CAN is forgiven and forgotten, dear
Girl; shall think of nothing now but how
to get you out of this horror alive. The
ioul mir here is almost su!Tocatng Where
are our companions?"
She hurrictlly called them by name, but
received no reply.
| thought they might still he uncon-
scious on the ground, and began to feel
out for them.
They We're only few feet from lis wihen
the explosion occurred; but MS | reached
ont for them now in the darkness my
hands came i'll contact with Il huge rock
on the very spot where they had becn
standing. In moment comprehcndcd
the horrid truth; they had both been
crushed TO death under it.
l hurriedly made known to my fair
companion the startling fact, and added
cit may be that we two, of all within
the mine, are the only ones that Provi-
dence has spared"
go heavcn!" she groaned, "sparcd,
perhaps, for more terrible death For
how can we ever find our way up through
this awful darkness TO the world aboyc?"
"Wc will try, at all events, and while
there is life there is hope" / reioncd.
in Il cheerful tone, though with no cheer
ful feelings, for l thought the chances
were all against our ever seeing the ligh,
OF heaven again.
Taking the hand of my fair companion
that we might not become separated in ne
awful darkness, began to carefully grope
in the direction which I supposed would
retracc our steps. The air was foul with
poisonous gases, and at times it seemed
rs if ii would paralyze our lungs to in
hale it..
We soon came to broad chasm, and
had not been feeling my way inch 5y
inch, so to speak, | should have plunged
headlong into deathpit, and dragged
Miss Stuart down with me
could not tell the width Of the iissurc
in the darkness, but evidently we could
not cross it, for when lay down on the
edge and stretched forth my hands
could not touch the other
"Alasl we are doomed to perish here,
and it is all my wicked doing!" said the
self accusing girl, when l announced to
her the reason that we could advance no
further in that direction.
"Nay, dear Miss Sibyl; will not hear
you blame yourself for our being here
l replied. "You simply did not see tic
danger in the same light that did or per