Evening star., 1901-11-02

| Gently he took her hands In his and drew
| her close.
stay here until he understands. could not
rob him of his ALL and some day we VIII
be together with his consent. Now .weii,
he does not wish you even to see me-
| rebellion. Then she looked into the calm.
clear eyes Of the man who loved her. and
yet, for that love. would not break his
word. and brave smile came TO aer lips.
The next morning John Seeger. superin-
tendent of the Cross Cut Company's mines.
glanced up from his desk to face Arthur
Marvin. He had heard of the scene at
Zion Church, and he wondered If the young
fellow was ready to start anew In an hum
bier way, perhaps by asking the privilege
of holding noon prayer meetings In the
works.
What can I do for you, Mr.. Marvin
he inquired, politely.
You can give me job" Mr.. seeger.
The superintendent whistled softly and
leaned back In his chair. Then he surveyed
the little form rather superciiiously.
WELL really, Mr.. Marvin. 1 don't believe
can accommodate you. Everything In the
office is filled, but if there's a clerllship
Thank you. but I prefer the mines If
there's any chance In No. z. I'd like to be
with Caughey.
again, then drew himself up stiffiy. as be-
comes one of his position when dealing
with a common miner.
Il think the matter can be arranged
Good morning
So after this fashion was the name of
Arthur Marvin, graduate of the Frances
Allen Seminary, added to the payroll of
Tom Caughey, boss of No. Z. Not only
did he work under Caughey, but he board
ed at the boss simple home where Mrs
Caughey loved him for his own sake-and
Tins. Wymore Gap gossiped over the af-
fair for time, then arose fresher and more
exciting tODicS and Arthur Maryin'S future
was left to his own determining.
He. went down into the bowels of the
earth day after day, not only to dig, but to
study. BY and by he changed to other
of other veins. drifts and formations, and
far into the night he talked with Tom
Caughey. who knew the Cross Cut proper
ty as good Mahometan knows his Koran.
Every Sunday morning Arthur went to
Zion Church to study something else-the
unyielding features of his father and the
pathetic little lines which were beginning
to show in Lucy's face.
He worked on day shifts and on night
shifts, but it was always night down there.
The summer waxed sitting hot, and au-
tumn swept on, cool and refreshing, but
the temperature in the mines did not vary.
Then day when the first snow was on
the ground, and the men, coming from be-
low, looked like gnOmes against the glisten-
ing hillside, Arthur Marvin again presented
himself before Superintendent Seeger. The
latter looked up impatiently What did this
son of preacher want now? Promotion
before his turn?
well, Marvin, you must be taking
day Off"
Perhaps in the tone was just suggestion
that men who were above their work were
given to taking frequent lay-offs. Arthur
made no reply to the thrust, but plunged
at once into the object of his call
There's nasty bit of fire damp in No
7, and the fans don't seem to carry it off"
Most miners expect to contend with only
lre damp. They don't anticipate picnic
down there
Arthur flushed, but his tone was resnect-
full.
This is not an ordinary amount nor an
ordinary kind 1t means-trouble"
Seeger whirled round in his chair impa-
tienty.
Our foremen are supposed to look after
these matters, Mr.. Marvin and [ believe
Standish, our inside man, is perfectly COM
petent.
Arthur did not mention that Standisb had
been too intoxicated for three days to dis
!lhSulsh between fire damp and illuminat-
ing gas. He lowered his voice trine.
'Mr. Seeger, unless something Ia dona
there II be an explosion within five hours
Inc superintendent rose, flushing angrily
Permit me to remind you, Marvin, that
you asked me for job in the mines, not
as my adviser
Verberat1ng detonation, which shook the
very foundations of the long, narrow office
building oiii'e
The two men looked each other silently
IN IN the race NO need for explanations now
FROM adjacent rooms peered frightened
races, and the next instant from the dis
tance came the sound of many feet hurry
ing toward the top of the shaft White 10
the lips, but with a great determinat tion
burning IN his eyes, Marvin reached the
piace even before the startled superint en-
gent. YES 1t was No. land Caughey was
The old hearfrapdipo eoo,o. -
acted Arthur had witnessed them before
Inc anguished faces of women hoyer;ng
near the shaft and about the carriage, ths
p,aig maiiting stretchers that first awful load of
manned and blackened forms, the instant
cries-"Firev' u
Caughey and half dozen of his men
were entombed in one of the chamhars far-
thest from the shaft, with the fire craening
slowly toward them,
seeger had been directing the efforts of
the rescners, but now there was more i'm
ms employers was endangered 1t couid ba
saved only by flooding the mines He had
started toward the long distance telephone
INF eR seeeer MarR.n hs saia saspped da In his path
cant be more than five feet between The
Workings of Nos. and @, and Caughey and
5ne n others must be at the far end Of the
eSery inc IN n tnf Ill, they're alive know
OF dynamite would break the wall. They'i
have fighting, chance. At least, 1 could
get in and see." N'o'"
seeger listened impatiently. He was not
thinking now of few imprisoned 1ninsrs
put OF the result to his company and him
self II that fire was not controlled He did
not realize the brutality of his next words
heyd better drown than burn. The
mines must be flooded"
Arthurs eyes were steely as he watched
seeser disappear. Then he turned swiftiv
ana dashed toward the mouth Of No !;
smart The carriage swayed sulIenIy ovsr
the yawning hole. He turned to face I,ncV
ON, Arthur. this is awful Can't fhsv
DO something? Mrs. Caughey is nearly
crazed. What" 'S
Arthur clasped her trembling hands
fhere's not second to waste I've got to
peat Seeger When he comes back he'll
flood the mines. unless you tell him to wait
I'll he hears from me-"
"You-"
Yes; I'm going to break through into No
q, Or He bent over and kissed her
Send some men here. I'll need them
after the explosion
She would have held him. bat already he
had stepped on the carriage, and with the
rattle and clank Of cable drums he shot
out OF sight. When Seeger came back from
the telephone, with determination written
ON his face, he met an equally determine
Dut pale-faced girl. When he heard her