Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-09-29
Master OF the Mine.
ny ROBERT BUCHANAN.

nation. i read every book on the subject that
1 could buy or borrow. and in q short time 1
could have passed a pretty stiff examination
as an engineer.
must now pass over, at one swift bound.
q lapse of eight Years. During That time, l
had exchanged the duties OF clerk for that OF
assistant oyerseer. and then. on the death OF
Mr.. Radruth. for those Of oycrseer-in-chief.
Behold me, then, 1T twenty-five years OF
age, the mainstay of the Pendragon house
hold; changed somewhat. for
Mature doth subdnc itself
To what IL works ON. like the dyer's hand:"
rough, robust. full Of strength and It's rude
pride. In my twenty-second year occurred
and event which was destined to exercise no
little Influenced ever my whole future life.
As 4 approach the chroniciinY Of this event,
my heart beats and my hani trembles. and
the fitfnl passion of those far-of days awak-
ems uoublously again.
j was standing one day on the cliffs. close
to the mouth OF the mine. when | saw two
figures coming from the direction of the viii
rage. One was my cousin Annie, now a
comeiy young woman; the other was young
GeOri.e Redrlth wlOm | had scarcely set
eyes upon since the time of his fathers
death.
They were talking earnestly, and did not
seem al first 10 notice me; but presently |
saw Annie give q startled look in my direc-
ton, and afterward they approached togeth-
or. Now. | don't know how 1t happened-
II was Instinct. | suppose, or something Of
that soIt-but never, from the moment OF our
first meeting ~ l,oys. had I been able To IT.
gaTd George R@iruth with amy feeling but
one oil excessive irritation and dislike. His
h.ppant. p1trOn!ziug manner had something
to do with IL: SO. perhaps. had his good looks,
TOR his worst enemy couid not have denied
that ie was super5ly handsome. As |
glanced nj his pale, beautifully formed face,
~ his slight graceful figure. at his elegant
dress. ! was plainly conscious OF my own
physical inferiority. Though | was strongly
built and not iii-fayorcg, wind and weather
had worked their will on me. and | was
rough, | knew, as my daily occupation.
He strollcd mp carelessly. swinging his
cane, and smoking a cigar.
"Ah. 1~rclawnry," he said, with a nod,
"yonr cousin Annie has been telling ne that
there are complaints. again, about the out
lying shafts OF the mine. So I'm going down
81 have a look round
"Very we'll, sir, l replied, wondering in
my own mind why Annie had chosen TO
make herself the mOuth-piece OF the men.
al suppose is safe enough he SAID, after
a moment. You know, though | am a
mlne-owner, | don't know much about the
business; | used TO leave all that 10 the gov
ernor.''
ut is only right" was my reply, that you
should Judge It's safety tor yourself. If any
thing happened. you would be responsible"
II don know about that" he said. sharp
ly; Il pay you for experimenting the work,
and II there's danger
There isr' / interposed.
'Well. then. / pay yot for facing ii and
reporting upon it. One cant be both EN-.
ployer and servant toO!'
| was about TO rcto.i somewhat angrily,
for the manner of his speech Vas even more
insuffemble than its matter. when | met
Armies enireating eyes. and RETAINED.
"Mr. George She said, quickly. lis anx.
ious that nothing should go wrong
'Of course | am cried the young man,
with a curious laugh. Il know what foot
ing tie mine means--any amount OF expense,
perhaps min; for If the sea once got fairly
in-whew it would be a bad Job for me-"
"And for tie men," | said, irowning.
"And for the men, of course; but it is their
living and Do doubt they know how To look
after themselves. Be good enough To make
all ready, Trelawney, Ior I'm going down a,
once. ] suppose there is a dress handyy'
4 answered IN the affirmative, and walked
of toward the office. Looking back over my
| shoulder. | saw him giaucs after me-, and
then. with a coriemptuous laugh, say some
thing to Annie. My blood boiled angrily,
and my cheeks grew crimson. could have
turned back and struck him in the face.
Close to the Office. | found my uncle, whC
had Just come up from underground, anc
who was covered with tn, rust Of the cop
peras earth. 1 told him the young master
was going down, and he was delighted.
He's q brave lad. Master large be cried
"a tine brave lad! III gaw vi 'un, and shaw
'un where tie wall be breaking down.
Presently. Rsdruth came along, and 70.
lowed me into the Office, where several wool
en- costumes were hanging. He laughed
gayly rs he transformed himself into a minep
When the transformation was complete, he
still looked the gentleman; and, In spite oil
myself. / still felt the irritating sense of my
own inferioriiy.
nv mcIe led the way down the trap, show
ing infinite care and tenderness for the young
master. who followed him, while / came last
The earth soon swallowed Us, and the only
light We had was the light OF the candles
stuck upon our persons and IN our hats.
From ladder TO ladder we went, till we
reached the central platform, where We
paused 10 take BREATH Then down we crep'
again. I'LL we reached the lowest galleries,
and became conscious of the gnome-like hg
urcs at work in the submarine darkness. MY
uncle still led the way, stopping from time
70 time 10 pilot Redruth over awkward stones
and dangerous ~trapholes. Our progress was
now very slow. Walking, STOPPING, crawl
Ing, climbing, descending, we proceeded;
now crossing black abySses. thinly covered
with Quaking planks; past wild figures kneel-
ing or lying. aud laboring with short pick
axes at the ore; and as we went, the roai
which had been in our ears from the begin
ming ~eepened, while the solid rocks above
Us seemed q~uaking in the act to fall.
At last my uncle paused and wiped his
brow. We were all three now completely
disfigured-with earth, mud, tallow, rust
and iron drippings.
Where the deuce are we nowy' asked the
young master.
.Whar, Master Jarge?' repeated my uncle
with a friendly grin. Right dawn unde'
sax"
Redruth glanced at me.
.How far down, T~relawneyg
Twenty fathoms under the sea level, sir
and three hundred feet, or more, out beyont
low-water mark"
"weu. whcre's tho damages II all seems
snug enough
He was certainly very cool, though he had
not been underground more than once o.
! in his lie: and Wondered TO myself
whether his ins0ucidncc came from brayadt
or sheer stupidity.
.coine this way. Master larger said my
uncle, crawling forward, until we reached
narrow space with just room for two OF us Il
stand abreast Suddenly, we found ourselves
ankle deep In water. and at the same tint
thick drops like heavy rain fell from thu
rocks above us.
Ny uncle reached up with his hands, and
tou:hed the roof: which was partially forth
hez with wood and cement.
Fl plugged this yar last night Master
large" he explained, 1.-The salt water were
streaming In like a fall.
As he spoke, the roar deepened to . crash,
and we could distinctly hear the sea grind
ing on the pebbles, right above our heads Il
seemed m~omentarily as IL the whole fabric Of
the rock would break in. under the iux and
renux Of the rolling waves.
Dolx,.sl. cfawk hack and Ulonoo 20