Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1906-01-18
THE WIFE OF
DAVID
By JOSEPH HEATING
lcopyrishi, 1925. BY Isssph D. sswlss.l

OF the morning on the hillside. ano
Shon Ddu met few struggling miners
OF the night.workers coming home.
The sleepy banksman-the Cerberus
Of the pit gates-yawned and stretched
himself a. Shon Ddu stood ready TO de-
scend.
you be early" said the banksman.
Shon made no reply.
II am In time" he thought. mo
one Is In yet"
He reached the bottom Of the pit
and turned into q tunnel.
His light went through the darkness
and the rays here and there touched
the coal which shone out In the gloom
like q genial demon In his lair ready
for any mischief.
He passed slowly along the face.
keeping his light upon It. HIS trained
eye saw the weak parts-the innocent
slips" which an experienced touch
could turn into assassins.
II must be quick" said Shon Ddu.
The others will be In soon."
He stopped at the signs Of recent
work near the right.hand wall.
Hell be cutting here to-day"
The coal when he tested It gave out
q dull sound, which told him that very
little cutting would make It fall out.
Shon Ddu went down on his knees
and dug carefully around the bottom
Of q post. Soon he stopped and test
cd the wood with the tool. The post
sounded without vibration-dull like
o drum with q flaw In the parchment
Any violent shock would knock II out.
and bring down the roof. II 1t fell
upon o man It would crush the life out
Of him-well, hundreds Of accidents Of
that sort happened. and one more or
less would not attract the slightest at
tention.
He suddenly stopped. his head bent
to listen.
A raucous cough came from an
asthmatic chest. and when the noise
Of II passed. there came the slow thnd
-thud Of dragging feet through The
dust Of the roadway.
"Shon Ddu!" came from the light.
II was coming through the face"
said Shon. carelessly. Il saw your
light-so I thought I'd stop and see
how David was getting on"
"Glad to see you" David answered.
You would have thought him very
old, but the light reaching his face
showed you only the wrinkles Of I'll
health, on a kindly, patient face; with
the iron.gray beard and hair Of man
not past 40 years. Still he looked pale
and frail. The same light showed you
the dark. strong face and firm body
of Shon Ddu. You could not doubt
which of these two q woman would
love.
Soon after Shon Ddu reached his own
place, and, stripped to the waist, lookup
mandrel, hitched his lamp to his belt
and set steadily to work, cutting the
coal
The day passed. No news OF any
accident came, and Shon Ddu's frown
grew darker. He had planned this
without care for the consequences. He
feared neither the punishment Of God
nor of man. He had planned 1t be-
cause David's wife must never know
how her freedom came to her. In that
lay the secret Of his action.
Have I failed?" cried he.
That night when quiet fell upon the
workings. when all others had gone
home. when he knew beyond doubt
that nothing had happened" shon
Ddu strobe fiercely down along the
coal to the place of David. He saw
wood.chips among the coal-dust In the
"gob;" he saw signs Of standing
TIMBER" he saw Q new cog" in the
lower side Of the road; he saw the
same tram he had seen In the morn
ing-saw 1t In Its same condition:
only half filled. Not q lump Of coal
had been added.
Shon Ddu laughed bitterly. well"
said he, II would have had It finished
here, but it was not to be ended that
way. II must end with her. She must
leave him for me. We will 60 away
together-leave the valley forever"
The next morning II you had seen
Bronwen-wife to David, slave TO the
strong will of Snon Ddu-as she went
ND the valley road, alone, obeying the
power that dominated her, you might
pity her for the trouble in her face.
but you would hardly think evil Of her.
The woman carried in her hand q
small satchel with the intention Of
making her errand look harmless in
the eyes of the people whom she met
as she passed through the streets, But
the agony Of earnestness In her dark
ewes. the twitching Of her red lips, the
paleness Of her cheek told . more
serious tale; and sometimes her step |
halted and her poor body trembled.
Out Of the bushes Q little way up
the mountain side came Q man. He
nut his hand up TO shade his eyes from |
the sun and looked down toward the
bridge. He caught sight OF the woman |
and came down the road swiftly, cross |
ing the bridge to her side.
81 have been waiting" said shon |
Ddu. "Let us 60"