Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-01-29
M,ss Burden saw She WAS treadine

4 H. =
Don't go 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 with contrition.
please forgive me-" he pleaded
I'll 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?"
ooh, yes" and his eyes began to
sparkle. 81 know all about him and
all the rest of them old fellers, but
l don't like them SO much-they's too
much like fairy stories. Tell you
what do like, though"
"Yes?"
Its that story about D'Artagan an
| Athos an Porthos an Arannis-wa'nt
that Teller Porthos buster, thought"
"The Three Guardsmen?"
yes, 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
tunnel.
Come on" he called over his
shoulder. aye 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
could be seen coming nearer and
nearer. At last the light stopped and
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
tremor ran through the rocks ana
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 in!" and in the dim light that
2 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
the strain.
AS Miss Burden sprang over him
she saw the prop was bullying Out
from the wall, creaking and grooming
4 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 a
louder rumble, a splintering of wood
then with a 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
Il ohinf 81, ~
gave, then, flew down the hill with a
swiftness and vigor that gave the
lie. 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
of the hacks" that now usurp the
functions of the obsolete stage be.
tween Gelorow and the Greek" BY
an apparently special act of Provi
dence. the hack" held for passeng-
ers four miners on their way to the
diggings of Beaver Dam.
A few words explained the situa
ticn, and in quarter of an hour
y from the time of the cavern five
men were at work removing the rock
and debris that hid the entrance OF
the tunnel.
! Even Miss Burden was lifting and
dragging at rocks she had never
dreamed 1t possible to move.
Soon an opening was made and
the workers began to move more
carefully and to speak in hover tones
"Reckcn there amt much left Of
TIL poor leetle DEVIL whispered this
driver, peering into the cavern.
Don't We gamble on that, mister
remarked a faint voice from within
IF yell jest lift this timber BIZ
I'll show We how much there's left
mister drew back with a grin.
EFF he'd know'd 1t war Finerty's
brat I'd know'd jest a little thins
like a caye-in 'ud never killed him.
Then. with his head in the opening
Look out, lid, I'm coming" and hi
) disappeared through the hole, fol
lowed by one Of the others.
For few minutes from inside
came sharp commands and the sound
of men laboring. Outside the others
lifted and pulled in response to the
commands. Then a joyful shout o.
There you are!' and a slight figure
an almost undistinguishable mass o
mud and dirt, one leg dangling, was
handed out and laid carefully on the
ground.
Miss Burden took the soiled heai
with its golden curls in her lap, while
one of the men, with dizziness which
showed practice. slit the stocking
; from the injured limb and proceeded
} to set the broken bone, improvisine
splints from a cracker box brought
I up from the "hack."
"There!" said the self-constitutee
surgeon. as he finished his task. ar
two months time you'll be able IL
get out and break the other leg"
Throughout the operation the DO,
: had hardly WINGED, only now and ther
8 "A fGh 10, tv,rr LII