The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1908-09-05

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still and thsy fairly spackled as be
said:
by Jove. amt that greato" Then
seeing the surprised look on her face
say. that amt swear. is it,
oh, no, that's not swearing. Blu
What makes you ask"
oh, dad says no gent'man swears
IN the presence of a lady. and tina,
swearin' is useless sort of vice"
Does your father ever swearo"
"Oh. lets. but he says it's only be-
cause when you's in Philistia do as
! Phil'stines do"
This was too much for Miss Bur.
den's gravity, and she laughed long
and loud. the boys high falsetto ioin.
ing in until the rocks rang with the
music
Say" said the boy. suddenly, "'ju
want some zirkins?"
"Zircon crystals"
Il guess So l know where they's
some dandies."
Eyes. | would like to get some"
| AL lA0A SOlllt ldIA ldI.
NOW tell about yourself she
questioned, as they climbed the steep
| hillside. Where do you Iive:"
up there" with a nod up the can
yon.
with your father and mother?"
Mothers dead. Dad an l bach
| it,"
what is your father-a MINER"
she persisted
The boy did not answer. and the
glimpse she caught of his face showed
it hard and set in an ugly, defiant
scowl.
Miss Burden saw she was treading
on dangerous ground. and at once
changed her tactics. Taking a base
Of advantage of her sex. she said:
Don't 60 SO fast; you must remem.
Der can't climb like you can. l
must rest a moment" and she sank
down on the rock apparently COM
pletely exhausted.
In a moment the boy was beside
her, the hard look gone, his face
long win c0ntrltlOn.
"Please forgive me-" he pleaded
IL didn't think"
"Why. certainly. dear" she said.
''But tell me. who named you Per-
icles."
dad did, 'spect.''
"n!d he ever tell you about the
other Pericles?"
"Oh. yes" and his eyes began to
sparkle. 81 know all about him and
all the rest of them old fellers, but
don't like them SO much-they's too
much like fairy stories. Tell you
what I do like, though"
"Yes?"
"It's that story about D'Artagan an
Athos an Porthos an Arannis-wa'nt
that Teller Porthos buster. thought"
"The Three Guardsmen?"
Eyes. them's the fellers. Dad told
me all about them-but this amt
gettin' zirkins If you're rested we'll
try again."
Another long. hard climb and they
stepped on the narrow shelf that
platformed the entrance to what was
evidently an abandoned mine. Fish
ing out short stub of candle. the
boy lighted it and plunged into the
tunnel.
Come on" he called over his
shoulder. Eye can git all the zir-
kins here We can lug"
For half an hour the sound OF
voices and the click. click of steel
on rock came softly from the mine.
Then the voices grew more and more
distinct. and a faint yellow CLEAN
could be seen coming nearer and
nearer. At last the light stopped and
a voice called out
what is it, Miss; found some |
more?"
"No. I'm coming" answered a
voice farther back in the darkness.
AS If the vibration of the voice had
loosened them. with grinding groan
a tremor ran through the rocks and
a few pieces fell Gathering from the
roof For a moment the light wav-
cred. then fell spluttdring on the
damp floor.
Hurry. Miss Burden. hurry! It's
Gavin I'M" and in the dim light that
streaked in through the entrance
Miss Burden saw the boy. his face
against the opposite wall of the mar
row passage. thrust his shoulder
against one of the props" that sup
ported the roof.
Jump right over NEEDN'T stop
she's a-comirg fast" screamed the
boy his little form quivering with