New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-15

Neither wyatt nor the guide answered. Inch,
had been some distance away when the ROOF ieIi
in, and il was too evident that they were buried
beneath the ruins
Well, we are all right said Davis. Let us
be thankful for that. at least: don't KnO" NUN IN
OF my own mine yet, but | know we can DC
very low down: we must be quite near the sur
face, in fact. and they know nj the house Wher i
rescued
But even while they spoke they heard other
explosions, one after another, IN different IdItH
Of the NINE and presently one in their M anG
nelgAboshOod followed by rush OF not AR nnI y
then 10y a. stream of water. which quickly coNS'eu
the bottom Of the little space where they st1Ou,
Good heavens, this is seriOus!' eAcHneu
Davis little as | know. know what this meah I
The water keeIs coming in and there Is DO oI'iS c
for II. We are in great danger. Mage ""''e
Madge struggled through the fast:rising water
toward her husbands voice. and clung 10 MIN
desperately ,,or
:" 1om, dear she cried you sneak of dang &c
tell me the truth. Do YOU mean-is IT death'
am afraid II is" III ,,-
She gave a little smothered cry and fell back
into her husbands arms she was not par syna Il
larly courageous woman. and there was T Tinna
wonder if she was terribly frightened now. i"'ie
WAS a long silence, and then Whelan spo<s;
Good God, Davis, can't You say anyInlnE o, 10
comfort her ? To make il seem easier II D So"'
place to help the poor child TO bear IT. "a, &.
She has tainted" said Davis shortly ~ -
best so. she won't feel il so much when the Gnu
comes" 49,.
An awful end" said Whelan shudderins, an
awful end fer her. 1t is maddening. IL one o I
only do something TO save her, something " "e'P
her" l.,
Something in his tone amazed ana even IN
terested Davis, in spite OF his own horror. s,,.
Why. Whelan,' he exclaimed, you you uU vrn, =
mean to say you care for her still? Inat tbose
have been going on caring for her all these
StilI?' repeated whclan. All this time e,
WHY of course I do I should have gone on az
my life and hers however long we had both llved ,
You have made her very happy rom, so IL i JUS.
well as it is. but if I'd known at the time Tn no
it would cost. don't think could have uUId
it. and if you had known don't think you "ouia
have accepted the sacrifice"
1t was Madge who spoke. starting from he Ter
husbands arms and questioning with PASSIONATE
eacerncss. Y,,
VIA; sacrifice? was not fainting; Il had had
been ! think should still have heard such "oruS
as those. What sacriiice?'
Never mind now, Madge.' said her husband
feeling for her in the dark. Z" it is all past now:
We have only few moments left TO live Don't
let us say anything to disturb them
MadGe flung away his hands angrly -,
What sacrifice? J will know. | will under-
stand, before die. What sacrifice? Speak, one
of yon!' 49,, no,.is tro,fuI1v.
using the usual husbandese7 for don't contra
dict me- 1t is a past matter between Whean
and me- ..t %
1T concerns me- too" she said. ~ know NOW, So 2
heard; finish the story, an .ti,,, T
have right to tell her now II is only that we
both loved YOU. Mad-e. as You heard lust now,
hut Tom asked me 10 give you up TO nm Oec I1
he needed YOU most. and did so. II was n h
70 bear al the time-it has been harder since put
as il has turned out so well, | am content
"Contcntl' the word rang sharply, through
the darkness "Content-;ycs. we have both been Gh
content when we might have been haprE, ou
WHY did Won do ito Why did you do it,
She he'd come closely to him now ana sel1eu
his arm fercely.
why did Won do il? What right had YOU 10
sacrifice me that YOU might be generous? Gen,
prous, No you were selfish and cruel you trol
on nv heart that YOU might rise step hsner ~
virtue. Was | a stake ar cards that you NnouI1
let Your friend win me from mere go4u,n 1,H sta
Was | a piece in the world that yon should SEP
aside and resign me TO him Was not heart
and soul. living woman. who surely had a rsht
to voice in her own diS Iyoa r,o,od ~ bor
amer, one word. How could know? If you
had refused Davis .,
Refused hlm-can. you not underS'and lou
both came TO my mothers house, and thought
7 hoped-no matter now what | thought and
hoped. for you left me without q woodland 1t
seemed 10 me that You were hcKle ana he was
true and that | had been foolish ana bllnd 10
have believed in you and to have inspired him.
He was ready 10 love me when you had left me.
What wonder if was touched by his patience,
won by his faithuness -
" But you seemed so fond OF your husband, so
happy, that | was almost glad
Seemed she cried bitterly. Was | 70 let
vou, who | thought had liked me and tired of me.
think that l regretted You So You were glad OF
your work, were you? All, You are very noble,
| know, Chris Whelan very unsellish, very gen
erous; but your unsclfNhneSS has blasted my life
Your generosity has wronged me grcyouslY.
"Madse;;.r cried Davis repro9chffaly, have have
not been good husband to YOU?
L" | can forgive you,' she said quietly that Is
all. You have both wronged me, but you less
than he"
BEFORE either Of the men had time to answer
her another explosion shook the place where they
stood there was a sound of earth and stones fall
ing into the water near them, then the air grew
.uddenly lighter and cool breeze blew IN their
faces.
Davis gave n cry Of relief.
Look there he shouted, " we shan't die this
time. See, there's an opening up above, we are
,vcn nearer 10 the surface than | thought. DO
you see that big boulder that Is uncovered now
We can climb up that, and then Lift each other up
20 rs to struggle through the opening. We arc
saved. Courage, Madge. Whelan, for heavens
sake stop looking so tragic: Don't you see we
are saved man ?"
Whelan's face did not clear.
Come with me moment, Davis he said,
have some thing 10 say 10 YOU.
s eak before me- said Madgc firmly. Let
rs have no more private cOmpactS between you.
Good said Whean quietly. Your husband
SAYS We are Savel. Don't Won see that only two
IF us are saved Who will help up the third p
Good heavens" said Davis, never thought
IF that"
Think Of it now said Chris. still sDeallng
very quietly.
You mean, think which p
Yes. that is what | mean
Perhaps in his heart Whelan felt that it was
lis friends turn 10 be generous. Perhaps he had
ome hope that DAVIS micht feel the same: if so,
Ne was to he disappointed. man does not grow
n unselfshncsS by living for years in the enjoy
al - \
Who will act meanly az fve-and-twcnty is toler
Ibly likely to act still morc meanly at thirty.
Well" said Davis at length. the third OF Us
nay be saved too. We could bring help
Nonsense the water is rising too fast for there
o be any chance Of help coming in time The
me who remains here must die"
Well you know, Chris" said Davis with q
rood deal Of shame in his voice but a good deal
Il Stubbornne.s too. I'm a married man. and |
ave children, and, now that have al this prop
rtv, ! have very heavy responsibilities; and, |