The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-01-17

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This was too much for Miss Bur-
denis gravity, and she laughed long
and loud, the boys high falsetto join
ing in until the rocks rang with the
music.
Say" said the boy, suddenly, 'iu
want some zirkins? p
.'zircon crystals?"
II guess so. know where they's
some dandies."
Eyes, would like to get some"
''AlT right; come on; faint far"
Nov tell about yourself" she
questioned, as they climbed the steep
hillside. where do you liver
up there. with a nod up the can
yon
with your father and mother?'
Mothers dead. Dad an ! bach
it.,
"what is your father--a minerr"
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 treadlng
on dangerous ground, and at once
changed her tactics. Taking o base
Of advantage of her sex, she said:
Don't go so fast; you must remem-
Der can't climb like you can. l
must rest moment and she sank
down on the rock apparently COM
pletely exhausted.
| In a moment thee boy was beside
her. the hard look gone. his face
! long with contrftion.
"Please forgive me" he pleaded
sI-II didn't think"
why. certainly, DEAR" she said.
but tell me, who named you Per.
| icles..
dad did, 'spect.''
"Did he ever tell you about the
other Pericles?''
"Oh, yes." and his eyes began to
sparkle. II know all about him and
all the rest of them old feIlefs, but
/ don't Hike them SO much they's too
much like fairy stories. Tell you
what I do like, though"
Eyes ?"
"It's that story about D'Artagan an
Athcs an Porthos an Arannis want
that teller Porthos buster. though ??
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"
A,o+to,. le,,v how'd climb and thax
stepped on the narrow shelf that
platformed the entrance to what was
evidently an abandoned mine. Fish
| ing out a 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 faint yellow CLEAN
j 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
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 moment the light wav-
cred, then fell spluttdring on the
| damp floor.
Hurry, Miss Burden, hurry! It's
Gavin int" 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-coming fast!" screamed the
boy, his little form quivering with
4 the strain.
she saw the prop" was bullying out
from the wall, creaking and groaning
with the weight that was slowly
pressing down from above.
1t was hardly second before she
| sprang out of the tunnel, and that
hardly second too soon, for as she
turned to look back there came
louder rumble, splintering of wood.
then with crash that sent the rocks
flying down the mountain side the
earth seemed to close and the tun-
mel was gone.
Decision was one of Miss Burdens
chief characteristics. One look she
gave, then flew down the hill with a
swiftness and vigor that gave the
Flie to her seeming weakness when
climbing up that same path but a
short time before In five minutes
she had reached the county road. an
other minute and she had halted one