Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-12-15
CHAPTER ".

was competent to discharge the duties of
experimenting the work of rescue could
hesitate to obey the summons. Blame
was doubly competent. His business du-
ties as mine surveyor had made him ia
miliar with the workings, and in similar
cases he had more than once given proof
of courage and resource. He threw him
self heart and soul into the work, and
even forgot for an hour or two at time
that his sweetheart had that day married
his rival and that her marriage was like
ly to endanger her happiness.
1t was night time, and the roaring
wind had fallen, to be followed by a
thick drizzle. Great cages OF fire burn
ed here and there, and smeared the thick
atmosphere with a murky light. The
scattered crowd looked listless enough
on the surface. The engine painted with
a noise of fear and hurry, and echoes
from the waste of darkness beyond the
circle of the fiaring cressets answered
drearily. Faces shone like hot metal in
the near light of the fires, or took a
ghostly pallor as they stood against the
borders of the darkness. Knots of
shawled women waited motionless round
the novels by the pits mouth; the rest
of the lingerers moved purposelessly hith-
or and thither about the slippery and
uneTen ground.
Ali was being done that could be done
and for the moment there was no more
need of the man who felt most need OF
labor. He stood disconsolate near the
mouth of the mine, with his hands folded
behind him and his eyes upon the ground
The drizzle was growing thicker, and the
crowd, knowing that there was no hope
of rescue, or even Of early tidings, had
begun to fall away, when he felt hand
upon his shoulder, and, turning, found
Hepzibah by his side.
1--WE brought you a change o. clothes
and some victuals, Mister Edward" she
said, rs he turned upon her. You should
ha' sent a message to the missis. Dinner
was kept waitin' for a hour and more
We've only just found out as you was
here, though anybody but a set of thick
heads might ha' guessed it"
He took the things from her half me
chanically, and having bestowed them il
one of the novels, came back into the
rain and stood there looking gloomily
about him.
Hepzibah who could guess something
of her young masters troubles though
she was scarcely competent to calculate
their force, laid hands upon him and in
sisted on his return to the howell, where
she opened her basket.
Whilst Blame forced himself to eat
Hepzibah sat and watched him in ST
lence; but when he pushed the food away
and arose from the stool on which he had
been seated she broke into complaint and
reproach. He paid no heed to her unit
she laid both hands upon his arm, and
in her earnestness gave him just such al
imperative little shake of command al
she had been wont to use for the empha
sis of reproof when he was a child. He
laughed rather forlornly at this, and
turned upon her:
':Well, Hepzibah, what is it?''
''Why, it's just this" responded Hepzi
bah. You've got your mother and the
little uns to think of. There's nobody
else in the whole wide world for them
to look to but you, and It's no part OF
your business here to be doing anything
rash and throwing your life away. You
went down the Aid lump when nobody
else would go. And there wasn't
creetur there as saw you go as ever ex
pected to see you back again. Don't YOU
go playing any of them tricks here. AnC
look here, Edward. you take heart; plucl
up a bit of a sperrit and bethink your
self. There's as good fish in the sea a:
ever come out of it. Now, don't you q
jumpin' at me as if I'd stuck a pair OF
scissors into you. / shan't say no more
least said soonest mended; but a mods
as good as a wink to blind horse Ant
now Pr going away, but not before Nv,
got your promise to get into your dry
clothes If you say you'll do it, l know
you'll do it; but 1 shan't go until you've
promised
He gave the promise and she went
away, leaving him in the howell alone
He opened the door, and, accOsting one
OF the loungers, said:
"If anybody asks for me you can say
I'm here. I'm going to get a change"
The man nodded in response: and
when Ned had exchanged his saturated
garments for the dry ones Hepzibah haC
brought him he sat down and surren
dered himself to his own eomfortless re
Elections After the space of some hal
hour or thereabouts a knock came to tn,
door. aud the man who had accosted hin
outside entered.
Here's Mr.. Hackett asking for you
sir" he said.
"Mr. Hackett!" cried Blame, rising il
surprise and fear. He could think OF
nothing but some sudden misfortune
which could have brought his rival there
at such a time, and he went out to meet
him with the feelings n man may have
who walks 10 the gallows.
"Hillo, Nedr' cried Hackett's voice
as Blame emerged from the howell, and
turning round in the direction of the
voice, the surveyor saw his rival swag
gering, with his feet planted wide apart
and a bottle in his hand.
''rhey told me you were in charge
here" said VIII, land L snatched a min
ute or two to run up and see how thing:
were going on. I've brought drop OF
comfort for the fellows who're at work
here. Pass it round, boys"
Hackett, glisteniug from heel to shoul
der in a long India rubber waterproof
coat, and with felt hat stuck rakishly
at the back of his head. had his fac,
turned away from the glare OF the cres
set so that his old companion could bu
dimly discern his features
Blane's uniformed fears Of half min
ute earlier We're gone. but a terror al
great and more tangible was in its stead
he advanced without a word. and seiz
ing Haekett by the sleeve. turned hin
round gently but firmly and brought hi
face into the light. He knew then wha
he had only guessed before. The bride
groom had been drinking
You have no business here at such {
time as this" he said roughly. "GC
home"
mo business herew said Hackett
why have l got no business here?"
you know as we'll as l do" Blanc
responded with a choking and rapid
voice, why you have no business her,
tonight. Come with me-"
He had kept his hold upon Hackett'.
arm during this brief exchange of words
and now, gripping him harder than b,
knew. he was leading him away. Racket
twisted his arm from the others hold anC
laughed.
ssnanst VOL, fret ahOuf mo Nod Rlaoa