Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1895-06-18

with gang in the Old Mine, an I
lnowed as that New York company
left off just as they was strikin' 1t rich,
an then out with the chart an showed
him the very spot where 1 seed the
mouth o. the pocket"
"And he believed your"
II should say so. 1t 'ud make a sick
mule smile to see him suck it all in. "
"And then?"
"Then said he'd make it all right if
he found the pocket, an he's gone now,
poor devil, to look for it,"
your preparations in the mine were
all properly made?"
"You bet; sawed half through seven
slaves o. that last ladder an if he
hasn't got wings, he's lynn this mint
seventy-five feet below the third gal
lery."
"You saw him enter?"
''Not an hour ago. He might stay
awhile nosing around the gallery, but
it's odds he made bee line for the big
strike"
Good, indeed. Well, here's your
money"
"An' I've arn'd it too, mister; blest if
I wasn't THROWN the hull business up
oncet; for, you see, he'd woman he
called Mile as was a sweet-spoken
lass, an little kid as JUS worshiped
him. want allus SIGH brute as
am now an those two kin o. touched
soft spot in me somehow"
"Pshaw! man, go and get some
strong drink and don't forget you can't
afford to indulge in sentiments if you
continue to deal with me-"
"All right, boss. I'll light out O.
these diggins, and if you know what's
good for your health you'll make
tracks, too, before long for this job
means murder, jist nothin' else"
Dodd watched the departing figure of
his accomplice till it was lost in the
pine forest, then muttering, savagely:
elbow for blow, an eye for an eye-ah!
that's good Bible teaching, Master
Wilders,' he slowly took his way back
towards Oretown.
Half petrifed with terror, Elsie had
drunk in every syllable uttered during
this terrible interview With quick
perception. aided by her knowledge of
local habits, she pieced the fragments
of the conversation and read the story
like a book. These villains, by we'll
concocted tale, had induced Jack Wild
ers 70 descend the disused mine and
there prepared his death.
Never for moment did the brave
girl hesitate. Her one burning hope
was TO reach the third gallery before
Wilders had descended to the lowest
floor.
To appreciate the daring of her un-
dertal<ing one must be familiar with
the character of her surroundings. The
mine descends in several stories, each
called by the hardy workmen a gallery,
and each descent is from fifty to seven
ty-five feet in depth, reached by long
ladders, placed nearly perpendicularly,
and in some instances with the top bare
ly reaching to the surface.
Withshying steps she ran to the dark,
yawning chasm, which was the shaft
of the old mine. Brave as she was her
heart beat as she gazed down the
gulf of blackness.
But she was resolved. Flinging her
self for one moment on her knees she
poured forth her soul in prayer; then,
binding her shawl around her waist,
she set about her perilous task.
Feeling her way, step by step, for be-
ing without a lantern added tenfold to
her peril, she reached in safety the first
floor, where greater danger awaited
her. The second ladder must be APP
prosched In light so dim, just the
fsw fsint aashes that reached her from