The Monmouth inquirer., 1911-06-22

Inc silence OF ages past, the silence
Of men who are gone-where? Look
ahead. and what? The silence out Of
which the unborn generations come :
into which you and / go. A good
world2 Say. Jack, you're fool"
i4e scratched a match noisily, lit
hia ripe and started down the path to-
ward the town. Hudson followed,
amazed at the sudden outburst. Silent
ly they followed the winding path
downward. On nearing the foot Of
the path Rayner halted on narrow
ledge, overlooking the bustling little
town below. Hudson paused beside
him and noted that the big man was
listening intently. II was Friday
evening. and there was service IL
the little churcn. Softly out Of the
quiet night the words of song arose,
and Hudson heard the man beside him
catch his breath.
Keep Thou my feet; do not ask to
see
The distant scene: one step enough
for me-"
my mother used to sing that, back
East, once" said the miner, and Hud-
son noticed that his voice trembled a
little. 81 wish l could" he continued.
"Comel" and they hurried downward
into the town.
The work In the mine went forward
next day, with its usual roar OF ma
chinery and shrek of drills. TIE ore
cars were loaded, hurried away. and
returned empty for reloading. Men
were toiling and sweating. and al
ways the shaft was gnawing its way
into the heart of the misty rock Sud-
denly the din ceased, the drills were
withdrawn and Rayner began ram
ming the sticks Of dynamite into the
smooth, round holes, while the rest
of the men sauntered slowly back
along the shaft. Jack Hudson alone
remained to assist him In the tamping
and setting the fuses. This done, the
fuses we're lighted, and the two men
turned toward the entrance Of the
shaft.
Say, Archie, that timbering there
don't look very good to me-" remark
ed Hudson, pointing to place in the
tunnel ahead where the timbers were
sagging menacingly. Some day
there's going to be-
A sudden crash drowned the rest of
the sentence, and the incandescene
lights went out, plunging the slaft
in darkness. Hudson uttered an ex.
clamation Of horror.
My God, Archie" he cried, the
roofs caved in and there's that blast
lighted"
Rayner pulled q small fash light
from his pocket and swept the walls OF
the shaft
Here, Jack. quick" he shouted
Get behind that bit Of ledge" aad ne
showed his companion violently be-
hind a projecting ridge of rock Its
only large enough for one, but II the
blast goes of it may save YOU I'm
going to try and cut that fuse"
But you." gasped Hudson What's
to save you from that flying rock
Nothing" the big man called back,
as he sprang forward into the dark
ness and dashed toward the lighted
blast
Numb with horror, Hudson watched
the little spark Of light as it darted
up to the end Of the shaft, halted and
sought out the fuses. Then the stern,
powerful voice of Rayner rang through
the sepulchral silence:
TOO late, Jack, it's burned into the
rock. Good-by. Tell the boys"
There vas binding fash, thun-
derous roar that seemed to shake the
very foundations of the earth, and
then darkness.
Several hours later the resculng
party broke through the mass OF earth
and timber that had imprisoned the
two miners. Hudson though DadAy
shaken up, was alive and conscious,
but not a trace of his companion
could be found. Solemnly they car
ried the surviving man out into the
sunlight end laid him down upon the
grass.
His glance, in a dazed sort of way
took IN the little group Of men, the
blue sky above, and then turned to
ward the mouth of the shaft
Where's Archie?" he asked, labori-
ously.
Bill Donovan, the foreman, wiped
his eyes on his bandanna.
Hes gone, Jack" said he gently
..He must have got caught in the
Dlast"
And he made me take the only
safe place. He did it to save ne,
murmureG the injured man. Poor
Archie,"
For Hudson knew that the big man
had passed from the world Of the Nv
ing and had entered the Land u
Silence.
What Theatre-Goers Like.
Whatever opinionated critics may
- &n dara0QnCG OF