Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-12-29

which there was no earthly hope.
MAY be, lad, may BE-; but lookce. / be an
avid man nav, and Almost lone wi life.
There be summat here / my heart, gnawing
like, and feel like TINT chap + the Bible as
were ate mp by worms. But mun wait and bear,
wait and bear; only promise me again, lad,
20 look arter the avid woman and our little
lass"
] promised with all my heart. lie still
gripped my hand, and seemed about 20 say
more. but with a moan. he blessed me AMI
turned away. Greatly moved and troubled,
i left him, and walked away across tie open
moor.
The day was bright ard still; one Of those
calm days early in the year, when the chill
OF winter h st!!! a5og. tie dark bones OK tho
earth, but when there aTe q%uickening mo-
tons in the mir. and mesmeric adinonitions
ota vernal resurrection. The dew spark led
upon the heath, and strung is silver threads
upon tie bare branches OF goyse and broom,
A lark was rising from tie ground and sing.
ing he0ycnward, as if il were spring indeed.
The sun was setting when sighted Tor
borne. the inland village where ! had ar
ranged TO sleep, which was close on fifty
miles from my old hume by the sea. Ii was
~ minus y As'iH'iit dlb W dplibd'fltN Il
found myself abreast OF a rough tram-road
communicating with the mines. A busy
sound of Gathering and clanking, clashing
and rushing, broke upon my ear; great wheels
suddenly appeared, revolving In the air
above my head, together with a lofty chin
ney, skeleton platforms, and iron chains
clanking over iron pnlleys. flOcks OF wo-
men and children soon appeared, busy on the
onYFana Tl.na No., tl,.,. So, I....lt..
stream, co,percolored by the refuse Of the
mine.
They greeted ne merrily, as | paused to
look at them. ! noticed that they spoke a
dialec. somewhat different from that of the
district where ! had lived so long.
slept at TOrbone, and at daybreak next
morning proceeded on my way. Soon after
midday. | reached my destination, another
mining settlement OH the very borders of two
counties, Cornwall and Devon. ! found it
TO be, as ruInor had Informed me, a lone
some place situated on the banks Of a small
river, aud surrounded On every side by the
Wild blocks and tors of The moor. The mines
OF which | had been engaged belonged 10
Lord, who had a residential castle close
by, and whose representative, "A solicitor.
resided In the Village. ! reported myself In
due course, and was forthwith installed in
my position.
Before the day was ont. I quite understood
the motives which led to the engagement Of
a man with q rift In his character. The
miners were n wild, goddess lot, and the last
oyerseer, an elderly mla, had more than
once gone In danger OF his life. Asa per-
r~son still suspected Of violent proclivities. I
had bet2-esasen to tiae his place. The
truth was. the pare bare the worst Of names,
aud few men would have accepted the situa-
ton, at any price.
The agent, during orr first interview,
limited that the miners needed an iron hand
% rule them; and | was rather glad than
otherwise OF the information, for | wanted
work, the more desperate the better. That
very afternoon | inspected the place, and
found myself inspected in turn by rs villain
Gus a set of faces As I had ever encountered.
There was much muttering and murmuring,
for the fellows wanted Ia be under the di-
rection OF one OF their own number, ono
Michael Looe, a fed-haired giant, who had
this one advantage over his comrades-that
he could read and write.
The very next day. the first after my in
stallation. | found out the sort OF opposition
with which | bad To reckon. As stood by
the open mine, giving SOM directions. that
same LOoe ran up against me-, with q pickax
on his shoulder. snd almost capsiLed me. A
hoarse laugh crested this performance.
Cant zee look where you'm gaun, meas
teT?' cred the fellow, %grinning savagely, to
the huge delighto OF the ~throng-men, women,
and children.
! looked him steadily in the face, as one
looks in the eye of n furious bull. What
saw there did not daunt me. The fellow was
a bully, and | had dealt with DULLES before.
IL | was to retain my authority in the place,
must bring him 10 his senses.
whats your name?' / said, quietly.
my namey' he repeated. leering round N
the Others. "Mike Looe, IL yc maun know.
As good a name rs yourn. III wager"
Another laugh greeted this touch of primi-
tive-hum0r.
my name is Hugh T%relawney; and as l
am master here, I'll trouble you to remem-
Der IL. If you don't my man, I'll find a way
TO impress II on your me nory."
"You viii, will 'eeg' said the giant. "And
so YOU be measter? Mates" he added. look
ing round, dye hear I'm? Take oil your
hats TO 'un! This tine gentry pup be meas
ter i the mine. Take of your hats to 'un, /
sayr'
And suiting the action to the word, he
bowed mockingly before me. Ny blood wa
now up, and / faced him rcsolutely. .GC
back to your work." said. No more words
DO rs / bid you."
His manner changed from mockery to saw
age determination.
who'll make me?' he said. brandishine
his plckax.
Before he knew what | was about, ]
wrenched the weapon from his hand, and
flung IL on the ground. He clinched his fist
and made rush at ME. l waited for him,
and landed him q blow which made him
stagger back dazed. The men focked round
US, murmuriDg and threatening.
But Michael Looe had confidence In his
own powers. He weighed fifteen stone, and
had the fists OF Anak: so that i. though &
tall, strong man, looked no mattel! for such {
giant. He uttered a fierce oath, and bads
the men stand back.
Fair play, lads. ~ he cried, %grinning again
Lea the new chap TO me. Don't 'ee see h,
means fighthin'g'
With that the men made q ring. while thei
champion stripped oil his wslstcoat n be
gan quietly turning up his sleeves. snowins
an arm with muscles like iron bands. Fer
moment l shrunk back, not that | feared tll;
rufiian, but because | felt ashamed TO talk
part In such a brawl.
The men saw my hesitation, and uttered q
derislve cry:
look at 'un! He be afeer'd! Hit 'un In
the 'eev'
At this juncture. an ot!nian, one OF their
number, but superloria manner to the rest,
whispered In my Ear:
You'd best bolt, measter. He'll smash
re Ikea egg. as he did chap afore eel
fly answer was decisive. on went my
coat, down went my hat on the ground, aud,
clinching my fists, | faced the giant This
rather turned the tide OF feeling in my favor;
at any rate, 1t elected a feeble cheer. The
men prepared themselves for enjoyment; a
rea! stand-up fight was imminent.
Were | acquainted with the beautiful
vocabulary OF the ring, Knight compose q
prose poem on this episode; but alas! / I'M
4 - n..A .ss.tnsta...fAl ..l fsn. al A l. 49,.