The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1897-09-08
you sect is the GrubstalSe," he

painted, his eyes full of pity and yearn-
ing tenderness as he took both her
nerveless hands in his. They say the
fire saught in the boiler-bouse and
spread TO the shafthouse in an instant.
There were powder and giant caps
stored there in the back room-that was
what we heard. 1t was criminal of Nc
Cready, having such stuff there" He
fingered over the broken sentences,
warding off the question he knew must
come.
And papa" she gasped, withdraw
ing her hands and making as though
she would rush on down the hill to see
without waiting for his answer.
1T is hoped that they are all right"
he reluctantly returned, his eyes en-
treating her to have hope. There are
ten men down the shaft; but if the
air holds good-it must be all right.
There is sure to be time enough to save
them"
They cannot get out?" Her white
lips formed the words, but he guessed
rather than heard them.
THE steam connections and holster,
everything. went to pieces in the eX-
plosion," he slowly explained, his voice
eloquent of compassion. 1T was i'm
possible for anybody TO escape after
the alarm was given. But as soon as
we can get the fire out Oh, darling,
darling, don't look at me like that!
Don't think of giving up until we know.
The men were working in the levels
quite away from the shaft, and the
inference is that your father and Nc
Cready were with them. There is no
reason to believe that they will not be
gotten out all right"
But you do not believe it! / can see
in your face that you do mott" she pas
sionately exclaimed, drawing back
from him with look of horror. HE is
dead, and you know it! And to think
that at the very moment he died was
Oh, go away from me! l never want to
see YOU again!-nevcr, never! To think
that l should have turned against him
for YOU! And he the dearest and best
of fathers-always so good TO me, 20
good! 1t makes me hate you
He looked at her with plying ten
derness as at one distraught. You
do not know what you are saying, dear"
he murmured, soothingly. And you
must not give up. l would not tell you
so if it were not true. Your father IS
probably alive and unframed. Ard in
little while he may be with you 10
laugh at all your fright. Don't give up
yet. sweetheart"
"How dare you call me that-you?'
she bitterly retorted, her eyes flashing
blue fire upon him, her face like stone.
"Do YOU not see that it is Judgment
upon me for caring for you, for being
untrue to him? Caring for you. did
| say? Oh. how could l ever dream OF
such a thing! To care for you, you who
brought him here, who were the cause
Of all this trouble!-you who, if he is
dead, have been the cause Of his death.
l tell you that l hate you-I shall al
ways hate you
As she went on in this growing frenzy
she had been blindly hurrying down
the hill, Neil keeping beside her with
watchful eye upon her needless steps,
but now he stopped, his peremptory look
bidding her also pause. His face was
white and set, his eyes were full OF
sadness beyond words, but still his tone
was very. gentle as he said: You must
not come any farther, Dorothy. 1t is
not fit for YOU" They were now SO
near the fire that burning bits OF wood
Uttered the grass all about them, while
the smoke and heat from the well-nigh
burnt-out shafthouse made the air
stihingly oppressive. Crowds OF men
were hurrying up the hill, many turning
curiously to stare at the colonels daugh'
ter. You must not come farther" Neil
said again, gently authoritative. You
can do no good here. l wish you would
let me take you down TO my cabin
"To your cabin! no." she implacably
returned, CHANGING away from him rs
though her eyes loathed the sight Of his
face. "But l will wait here-if you will
SO away"
lie hesitated, reluctantly regarding
her for an instant, but then, with face
as sad as her own, he walked away, to
send to her woman he had discovered
auong the crowd. 1t was a Mrs. Morri-
son, who kept the Mascot boarding
house, motherly soul, though her ap-
pcarance always promised i'll for the
cleanliness of her cookery. Painting
with good-humored hurry, she came up
the hill to where the girl was standing,
a sort of beaming pity upon her round,
rosy face.
Dear! dear! but we'd ought 10 be
thankful it amt no worse!" she fer
Vcntly exclaimed, energetically stamp
ing out a smoIdering fagot that threat
cncd to set her gown afire.
Dorothy turned upon the intruder
with stony stare; but then, curiousiy
touched by the look of kindly COM
miseration, her expression changed, her
face nervously working in lines of pain
as she replied in strange, choked
voice: but it could not be worse! oh,
il could not"
"Well, now, it might" returned Mrs.
Morrison, in CHEEKY argument. 81 recll-
on there's never anything so bad that
the Lord couldn't "a found a way TO
have it worse IL He'd a had mind
Ii there'd "a been an explosion in the
mine stead Of on top, that would "a