Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-03-17

North?'' he said. 'What do you ex-
 pect to gain by it?"
 Blinded by his enmity, the miner mistook his temperate mood fer intim- idation. What are you doing here?" he growled. "Go home, if you value your fine clothes and your girls con- plexion, for there are those here anx- ious to spoil both for you"
 Your cause must be indeed weak one if a vulgar threat is its only de- fcnse, '' was Monckton s answer.
 II am making no defense to you, !" rctorted North; don't think it. But don t want your blood on my conscience, so I warn you to get away from here. " T shall not go until my errand is ac complished," replied the mine owner. II know that part of the mines is un- safe, and I shall send the carpenters down to put up a bulkhead in order that the men who wish to return to their work may do so in safety.
 II will allow no bulkhead put up until you have agreed to my demands. said North If the men are fools enough to risk their lives down there, they may"
 A spot of red appeared in the pro prietor's pale cheek. He stepped up to the refractory miner and gazed steadily into his contracting eye.
 You will not allow it" he repeated. And who do you take yourself to be!'
 Your master." retorted North, los ing all control of himself-'yOur mas ter, do you hear? Your master, who i,,f ,1 nd your kind have done me and mine for centuries!''
 Whether North in his frenzy or Monckton, enraged beyond endurance, made the first attack, it was impossible to say, but in an instant the two men were locked in desperate struggle, while North's friends rushed forward with execrations and Joyce skipped about the combatants, waiving his arms in complete imbecility of terror.
 North was naturally by far the stronger, but his recent mode of life had shattered his vast muscular power, while, on the other hand, Monckton, a trained fencer and boxer, possessed re- sources of skill and agility, for which, with his slight figure and habitually languid air, he would never have been given credit. Howbeit, there was but seconds space of fierce panting and straining, when North was flung heav- fly upon the earth, and Monckton drew back, erect, gloomy and with dilating nostrils.
 For a moment there was dead, mo- tionless, amazed silence; then large stone, thrown from the midst of the crowd, struck the proprietor upon the chest. He staggered, put his hand to the spot, but did not fall. Then followed among the men did their best to restrain their lawless companions, but they were the minority, and in the ferOcious tenn per of the mob the mine owners fate seemed certain. Joyce, in a state of semiparalysis and shrieking like an h. dian with sheer rage and terror, at tempted to force revolver into his masters hand, but the young man pushed it aside and continued to ward off the bludgeons aimed at his head as best he might with the light cane he carried. He was already wounded in several places, and the blood was flow ing over his forehead and face. In an. other instant he must have gone down and been battered to death by the fren- Zied miners, when there was a chatter of hCofs, a shrill cry in a woman's voice, and ImOgene Duke spurred her horse recklessly through the crowd and flung herself off the saddle and to Monckton s idle at bound.
 With one of those involuntary i'm pulses of respect for womanhood of which the lowest and toughest Amer ican is susceptible, the strikers at once drew back, leaving Monckton, Miss Duke and North who had recovered his feet, in the midst of clear space.
 The girl s low, thrilling tones reached to the outermost listener in the throng.
 II have seen it all, she said, fixing her burning eyes on NOrth's ghastly face. Shame, shame on you, Mat thew North.
 North recovered himself with an ef- fort. This is no place for you, he ejaculated hoarsely.
 No, " she retorted "the place where a cowardly murder is about to be com mitted is indeed no place for woman. Matthew North, what name do you give the man who leads 50 against 1, and he unarmed and defenseless:'
 The miner ragged like maniac. "Go, go!" he exclaimed, ''or I will not an- swer for myself"
 And leave you to complete the crime you and your companions have begun? No, will stay, and you shall kill me too.''
 North gazed at her as if lost to all sense of his surroundings. II knew it," his voice sounded as if torn up from the depths of his chest. You love him.
 It Is doubtful if in her agitation she understood his words. But Monckton,