The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1896-04-09

waiting for some one else.
The cage was let down again. Some
anxious minutes followed, that seemed
like hours. Once more 1t appeared
with its load of men. Jessie pressed
eagerly forward. Great heavens! He
whom she sought was not there! Sew
eral voices asked after him-Jessle
dared not trust herself to do so-an
then came the appalling answer:
"Choke-damp ha' taken him, and bit
wall fallen over him.
He gave his life for n o We.
Aren't ye men? Arc non o ye goin' to
save un? Then will"
She pressed forward toward the pit,
but q dozen strong arms restrained
her, and ono old fellow said:
keep back, lass. It'll be death to
90 down there for nigh an hour yet.
This be no place for women fowk.'
She needed not and, breaking away
from them, entered the cage. Two or
three men followed her, ashamed to
think that a girl should he Drawer than
they; and down they went, from the
light into darkness; down among the
noxious. deadly gases-down to the un-
known!
A long, long time now elapsed, or SC
1t seemed TO the anxious watchers.
Two or three cages full Of miners came
up, but they were not among them.
Great heavens! was It possible that all
had persisted In that heroic attempt?
The news that Jessie had gone down
below reached her mother; and Mrs.
MacDavitt--with her sleeves tucked
up, fresh from the washtub, her
cheeks pale as death, her eyes stream
ing-rushed wildly to the spot.
Even at that very moment the cage
was coming mp again. A deafening
cheer rang out, loud and long, upon
the murky air. 1t was they-they. at
last; thank God! But were they alive?
Two inanimate forms were laid down
upon the black, dusty bank-the forms
Of Jessie MacDavitt and Steve Arm
strong.
Jessie Mazda witt sat alone at work
In the front parlor of her mothers cot
tage. She was quite well again, now,
but her recovery from the effects of
her adventure In the mine had been
slow and painful.
There was a knock at the door.
Come in" in sweet, CHEEKY tones. 1t
was Steven Armstrong who entered
the apartment. She looked up. sur
prised, and colored up to her very
brow as she o to greet him. She
had not seen him since that fearful
day; perhaps this was the reason Of
her confusion. He didn't wear his
working, nor yet his ''shiftin' "
clothes, but was habited In a tweed
suit and wide-awake. How brave and
noble he looked, albeit a trife pale
now.
"Mr. Armstrong; she said, II am SO
glad to see you fettle again. l haven't
seen you since"
Not since then-nO; it wur churlish
O me not to COON an thank thee
only-only there be nae thanks posi-
bic for sic things as that. Oh, Jessie,
why didst do it? why didst risk tina
life?"
Because you gave your chance O.
life to him." she answered. simply; but
with an unsteady tremor in her voice.
"Now I ha' coom to bid thee good
bye" Armstrong said, like a man who
has an unpleasant duty to perform,
and wants to get V e il quickly. "a
be goin' away"
Coin away?" she echoed. "Wheer
to?'
Rect away-for liver. To America
OF Australy-a' hardly know wheer
yet. A be tired O. life here. But re-
member, if there be liver onything l
cor do for thee. a wull. Tha shalt
know wheer l go to, an If tina should
liver want a friend OF a helpin hond.
all COON to thee, If It We're half across
t world! If a han't siad mooch. re-
member a now that a can nivver
hipe to pay my debt to thee.."
ooh, dunnOt talk about that: please,
dunDot talk about It'll hadn't an
idea you were thinkin' o goin away
it's-ye've took MI so sudden LIKE
l dunnot know what to say"
Say. Jess, ma lass. Just say good
bye and God bless thee, Steve Arm
strong or some sic words as all be
able to tax wi me. an cherish i men,
Dry O. thee when a be far away
"IIl say God bless thee, Steve Arm,
bye: Jessie said, in a voice that was
than before.
"Ah, dunnot-it nun be, l say-tha
would not torture me?"
wouldn't tina stay, Steve, if a were
to ask ye?"
! hCiC . huCtIlh L NouIuiI l W. lld
you bid me-eXcep' ~that-excep' that,
why. a be goin' away fro thee"
'FrO' me!!'
Surely a medina tell thee all ower
again. A wish thee an tha' husband
we'll, Wi all ma heart-but a Gamma
stay"
You said, just now, you'd do any.
thing for me-" Jessie answered, clasp.
ing her hands, and the bright color
mantled in her cheek, hotter and red.
der than ever-such a coy. pretty
blush. They We're hard words for d
girl to speak, but she made up hcl
mind all at once, and she felt impelled
to go on. Eye said ye niyver could
ca N
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