Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-02-11

!
TO be sure. That will ample-two
words, sneered the boy, and led the
way.
! The old mine adit was below the
rocks near the river, and at no great
distance from the old landing-place,
where Jasper had recently constructed
a boathouse. The ground about the
entrance was thickly strewn with
dead leaves, mixed with greenish
shale thrown out of the copper mine,
and so poisonous that no grass had
been able to grow over it, though the
mine had probably not been worked
for century or more. But the
mouth of the adit was now completely
oVergroWn with brambles and fringed
with ferns. The dogwood, now in
flower, had thickIy clambered near the
entrance wherever the earth was not
impregnated with copper and arsenic
Eve shrank from the black en-
trance and hung back, but the boy
caught her by the arm and insisted on
her coming with him. She surmounted
some broken masses of rock that had
fallen before the entrance. and
brushed aside the dogwood and briars.
The air struck chill and damp against
her brow as she passed out of the sun
under the stony arch.
The rock was lichened. Wbite-greeD
fungoid groWths hung down in stream
ers; the floor was dry, though water
dripped from the sides and nourished
beds Of velvet moss as far in as the
light penetrated. So much rubbIe
covered the bottom of the adit. that
the water filtered through it and
pa scd by a subterranean channel to
the river.
After taking a few steps forward,
Eve saw Martin half sitting, half living
on bed of fern heather; the grey
right from the entrance fell on his
face. It was pale and drawn: but he
frightened up when he saw Eve, and
be started to his knee to salute her.
I can not stand upright in this
cur ed hole he said, but at this mo-
ment it matters not. On my knee I do
homage to my queen He seized her
hand and pressed his lips to it.
Here you see me- he said, doomed
to shiVer in this pit, catching my death
Of rheumatism
You will surely soon get away said
Eve. 1 am very sorry for you.
must go home, l may not stay
What! leave me now that you have
appeared as a sunbeam, shining into
this abyss to gIorify it! Oh, no-stay
few minutes, and then I shall remain
and dream of the time you were here.
Look at my companions He pointed
to the room, where curious Jumps like
cOmpacted cObWebs hung down. These
are bats, asleep during the day When
night falls they will begin to stir and
shake their wings, and cream, and fly
out. Shall I have to sleep in this
den, with the hideous creatures cryins
and tapping about my head?'
oh, that will be dreadful! But
surely you will leave this when night
comes On?'
Yes, if you will help me to get
away
I will furnish you with the key to
the bOathOuse. | will hide it some
where, and then your brother can find
It.
That will not satisfy me- You must
bring the key here
Why? [ cannot do that
Indeed you must; cannot live with
out another glimpse of your sweet
face. Peter was released by an an
gel, 1t shall be the same with Mar
tin.
I will bring you the key said Eve
nervou Iy, If you will give me back
my ring
Your ring!' exclaimed Martini
never! Go-call the myrmidons of
justice and deliver me into their
hands,
I would not do that for the world
said Eve with tears IN her eyes; Z
will do everything that l can to help
you. Indeed, last night, I got into
dreadful trouble by dressing up and
playing my tambourine and dancing
to attract the attention of the men,
whilst you were escaping from the
corn-chamber. Papa was very angry
and excited, and Barbara was simply
dreadful. | have been scolded and
made most unhappy. Do, in pity, give
me up the ring. My papa has asked
for it. You have already got me in.
to another trouble, because I had not
the ring. I was obliged to promise to
marry Doctor COyshe just to pacify
papa, he was so excited about the
ring
What. engaged yourself to an
other?'
I was forced into il, today, tell
you-because 1 had not the ring. Give
it me. I want to get out Of my en-
gagement, and l cannot without that
And lit is not enough that l
should be hunted as hare-my heart
must be broken! Walter where are
you? Come here and listen to me.
Never trust woman. Curse the
whole sex for its falseness and its
seIfishness. There is no constancy
in this world And he sighed and
looked reproachfully at Eve. After
all I have endured and sutfered-for
you
Ewes tears flowed. Martins atti-
tude, tone of voice, were pathetic and
moved her. I am very sorry she
said, butt never gave you the ring.
You snatched it from me. You are I'M
known TO me, I am nothing TO you,
and you are-yOu are
Yes. speak the bitter truth. I am
thief, arunaway convict, a murderer.