Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-01-26

lihS. - lhtIt any nDIfF
i looked into her white face. and saw in its
wild anxiety only love for my rival: but at
that supreme mOmen / felt no jealousy
only Supreme pity for her and him. Then |
glanced at his mother, and heard her quick
cry OF supplication:
Save him! Save my sonr'
Daxed and horriied, / turned round and
addressed the men:
us Mr.. Iledruth beIowP'
"Ay, ay, measter!' they Answered in
chorus.
Who saw him lastg'
IL did, said Michael Peumaur. ale were
creeping WI John Pendracon out beyaud the
bottom shaft
i walked 70 the mouth OF the mine. and
threw open the wooden lid. Then. kueeling
down, | held my ear over the mouth. and
listened. A sound like thunder-a horrible
rushing and roafing-camc from below. |
had no doubt now that the worst had hap
pened.
The sea had entered The mine.
There was only one chance for those be-
low, II by any possibility they survived.
Some one must descend and make an lnspec-
ton. even al the risk of his life: and. without
a moments hesitation, ] determined Ia vol
unteer for the task. Strange To say. my
head became quite cool aud clear directly MY
resolve was made.
,rLlstcn, Lads / said. There's hope yet.
Or$m going down
SoA faint cheer, mingled with a terrified
murmur, greeted my announcement
1t be no use, measter".' cried Michael
Yenmaur. The ladders be- clean GAVIN"
II know that, | answered. "but If we can
get safely down to the middle platform. |
can descend from there by a rope. Run down
10 the Office, some OF you, and bring all tie
ropes aud candles you can find.
They rushed OF cheering; and turning to
those who remained, / explained my plan.
Several II them, Michael Penmaur among
the number, agreed to descend with me To
the platform, and 70 lower me thence down
the bottom shaft. In less time than IL takes
10 write these lines. the messengers returned
with several coils OF rope. and candles: |
stuck several OF the latter about my person,
end two or three in my wlde-awakc hat.
Then ! w.s ready.
had set my foot on the first rumg Of tie
ladder. and was about u descend. when
Madeline bent over me
God bless you, size cried, ''aud bring you
safe backr'
Preached up. and taking her hand pressed
II TO my lips.
IF he lives. | said, IN restore hin. TO
you, an f8 his mother. Don't cry, Miss
Graham .r1le.e's a chance YETI
Gthougl urSr tears fes Tor him. and yet
strange to sgrounrNhad my sympathy all nv
wild jealousy seSnsent is I've fallen from me
like a discarde' garneAt. What was my
amaze therefore when bending over me, she
too my face betTSen her two trembling
hands, and kissed me on the forehead.
God VII bring you back She >o55ed,
and turned away.
scarcely realizing the significance of what
hal occurred, | descended rapidly. followed
BY Michael and the volunteers. As | went,
the roar from below increased, amt the solid
rock on which the ladder WAS >ct seemed to
shake as with earthquake. In pitch dark
Hess | reached the FIRST platform.
Here | paused, and striking a light, liz the
candles on ms person. NJ companion, did
the same. The lurid light III up their pale,
anxious faces, and shot faint rays down into
the mine.
Now. then. Lads | cried, descending tie
second stage OF ladders. Some Of these were
very shaky. and | had 10 Use great caution,
but knew the way blindfOld, and all my
Old experience of tie place stood ne in good
stead.
At last. with no harm done 10 any one, we
reached the central platform. Here the roai
was deafening. and the solid rock seemed
splittln. with the sound.
! bent over the abyss, and held down the
light, using my hand as a reflector. Sure
enough, several of the ladders had broken
away, leaving only the PERCEPTIONS shaft,
steep as the sides OF a we'll. | strained my
eyes into the darkness, and fancied | dis
cerned, far beneath, something like the
| gleam OF dashing water. Then | shouted
but mest % was drowned in the subterra-
mean . D.
Or~le central platform was a wlgdiass,
with = portion vi IA Oh disused crane
Round this | passed one of the ropes, IN
structing the men 10 hold one end and grad
ualiy give way or draw in rs should direct.
Then | took the other end, and fastened il
securely under my arm-pitS.
1t be nav use. Measter Hugh cried
Michael ''Dawn't 'ee 20. II be gazing To
your death
But finding that I was not to be persuaded,
the brave fellow wrung my hand. and prom
ised TO do his best 10 help me: nor were the
others les, kindly and sympathetic. As they
lowered me over the platform, | partially
supported myself against the Shiny rocks;
but the next moment | was suspended in air.
Slowly, carefully, they lowered me down,
the candles on my person Hickering and
flaming. and lighting up the damp and oozy
walls. Al last, some twenty yards dow my
foot rested on a ladder, descending which L
reached the lowest platform Of all.
Looking up, | saw far above me, as in a
narrow frame, the faces of the men. 1 shout
ed to them, bat they could not hear: but |
waved q signal 10 them. ami they answered
back. Then | released myself from the rope,
and prepared 20 look around.
Suddenly my foot struck against something
soft, like a body and. STOPPING down, light
in hand, | saw tive OF the miners lying
among the dtbris Of the broken ladder, stone
dead, and dreadfuliy disiigured. One was
Jem Tredgar, a colossal young fellow from
Penzance. six feet high. and weighing over
fifteen stone. The fall had smashed him like
an egg, and death had been instantaneous.
Full OF n new horror, | lcant over the
rlatEarra and Looked dnWn.yp ~ did so. nv