Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-06-21
BURIED In THE MINE

Don't be unreasonable, Lois plead.
ed Dane Bronson, laying his hand
tondly on the bright cmls or the indig,
nant girl by his side Don't be IN
reasonable"
Unreasonable" exclaimed Lois.
with an impatient shrug OF her pretty
shoulders. Fray, sir in what way
have ] proved myself unreasonable. !"
by making charge that you can.
not suhStantate" answered Dane, un-
hesltatingly
And to add insult to injury you
now accuse me of falsehcod," asserted
Lois, quiyering with suppressed iudig-
nation.
No no; ! do not mc8n that. Lois
! do not mean 20 imply that YOU have
not told the truth, but You do not I'm.
dorStand the whole truth ana viii NOT
listen to the explanation 1 have right
TO give insisted Dane.
What | saw with my own eyes
needs no explanation, returned Lois.
coldly. The attention Iayished upon
that little gypsy Natalie Holland, was
such as you have no right to give after
having placed the engagement ring
upon my finger, 1t was very humiliat,
ing TO encounter the inquiring glauces
of my friends"
But, Lois, there was no cause for
humiliation
NO cause for humiliation. when at
n public entertainments | was deserted
for a pretty little brunette, who had
no claims upon your interrupted Lois
You don't know who that pretty
little brunette was, Lois, began Dane
with an amused look
Nor do | want to know" rotorted
Lois, angrily. you take advantage
of my supposed absence to engage In a
Irritation, and now you have my per-
mission to keep it up indefinitely"
Lois, Lois, listen to reason" urged
Dane, soothingly. You don't under
stand everything or you would not
speak in this way"
81 understand enough TO know that
our engagement is at an end, she said
slowly, taking the ring from her fin
ger aud Offering It to him.
You mean what you say, DO you
LoiS| questioned Dane, hoarscly, as
he rose to his feet without even q
glance at the ring she held out to him
There was a look in his dark eye that
helpless IN the tolls of Its foe, and she
determined to test her power to It's
uttcrmoEt; SO, Instead Of rctracting her
words, she said sharply:
81 mean what say, and, what is
more, | am glad that | am free"
For moment Dane stood looking at
her with burning eyes, and then the
answer came low and sorrowful
You have chosen. Lois, for me as
well as for yourself, but / cannot be
joyful in my freedom, as you profess
to be In yours; nevertheless | must ac-
cept it. FAREWELL AMI before Lois
could reply he was gone.
For a moment she sat as one stunned
by an unexpected blow They had
quarrelled before, and In spite Of her
expressed determination not to listen
TO his explanation, she had expected
him to make il and In "A very humble
way sue for her forgiveness, She real
lied now that she had gone too far
and from the white, set face that he
carried away she scarcely hoped that
he would ever again give her a chance
to unsay those cruel words that were
already bearing bitter fruit
AS Dane emerged from the Maberly
grounds he was accosted by his friend,
Jack Daniels, who after rallying him
on his doleful appearance, proposed
visit to the Rendyille mines, half a
mile out from the village
Dane was glad Of any kind Of diver
sion just then, and as he had never
been through the queer underground
chambers where 50 many Of his fellow
beings lived day after day, he consent
ed at once TO accompany Jack, who
was well acquainted with the great
chambers
Dane was a great student Of nature
and, regardless Of the heavy heart he
carried, became much interested in
the wonderful working Of this subter-
ranean home, and If 1t had not been
for an accident, that occurred just as
they were about to leave the mine, he
would have blessed Jack for his deli
cate tact in tlding him over the first
few hours Of his great disappointment.
They had visited the most interesting
parts Of the mine and were nearing
its mouth, when a low, rumbling sound
resembling distant thunder startled
them, and caused them TO quicken
their steps.
THE mine is falling H." shouted one
of the laborers, leaving the car he was
pushing before him, and hurrying
back to give the warning to his com
rades
"You are surely mistaken, Bill
gasped Jack stopping the fellow In
his mad retreat.
would to God / was, but I'm mott
shrieked Bill. There is no chance OF
escape by this route. Go back and try
the tunnel. If it is closed, God pity
usr'
Jack started back and Dane followed
mechanically, but their progress was