The Ely miner., 1914-09-25
CHAPTER K.
Wounded on the Field,

CHAP Elk \.
Wounded on the Field.
The accident was one that happened
often. Occasionally, after tap, water
would be turned into the cinder pit
that the cooling Stag might harden and
be broken without delay. Not seldom
the water would be conveyed under
the crust, come into contact with the
still molten Stag and be converted sud-
denly into steam. Then there would
be an explosion. Men might be seri-
ously injured, or even killed, which
was very sad-but one of the hazards
of the employment 1t happened when
Mark had been following his straight
road ahead for more than five years.
Five years during which he had won
success, substantial If not brilliant!
The lack of brilliancy might have been
disputed by those few who knew that
sundry labor-saving devices installed
in the Quinby mills during this period
were of his invention.
When Henley heard of the acci-
dent he frowned: Henley detested ac-
cidents, which spoke of inefficiency
somewhere But when the informa-
ton was added that the foreman Of
the open-hearth battery was among
the injured. he said: "Damn!" and
in person at once called the hospital
and his own physician by telephone
and through these agencies command.
eered the best surgical skill and care
for that valuable workman.
The doctors gathered In solemn
conclave and did various things to
Marks shattered body. They dogged
his steps into the very shadow Of
death and would not let him die. They
did that. knowing they condemned him
to life of pain, and having the Sc
curity of Thomas Henley's word that
their bills should each and every one
Of them be paid.
While Mark still fingered in the vale
OF mystery that leads to full knowl-
edge, two men began their daily-and
nightly-watches. One was q thin
faded man who wore the rusty black
OF the country preacher. The other
was an awkward. gray little man
who would sit motionless by the hour.
never taking his eyes from the still
form under the white sheet.
Mark did not die. His broken body
began slowly to mend. He passed out
of immediate danger; he was even al
lowed to talk and to be talked to a lit
tie. But in the manner of the nurses,
of his visitors from Bethel, even of the
calloused doctors, were a grave gen.
tleness, an absence of the exultation to
be expected after triumph over death.
He felt it.
He put his question to his father
What are they keeping back from
me?"
Simon's glance did not waver, nor
did he try to evade with a soothing
lie. Yell never walk easy again
Yell have to use a crutch, leastways
a cane. always"
Its my hip?"
Yes"
rs that all?"
"Ye were hurt innardly. Ye'n have
to be careful always. No more work
in the mills"
Mark closed his eyes. uttering no
complaint. But within was q turmoil
OF protest and rebellion. A cripple,
a partial invalid for life! Half a
man! So had ended the dreamed cam
paign of conquest. Tears of futile rage
seeped out through his closed eyelids.
His recovery was slow and very
painful: six years of driving ahead at
top speed had left him but little re-
serve vitality for the emergency. The
mood of rebellion died down from
sheer exhaustion. He accepted his
misfortune; but sullenly. with no swell.
ing heroic resolve to defy untoward
circumstance.
There was no conscious desire to
return to the mills from which he had
been banished. They were too much
the object of his smoldering resent
ment just then. He felt toward them
as the betrayed toward the traitor.
Il think" he said once to Simon and
Richard Courtney. who had not yet
left the city. "I'll go back to Bethel"
1T will be q good place to recuper
ate," said the preacher.
But mean to stay"
I'VE shall be glad to have you back. :"
Thoughts of Bethel naturally revived
Che memory of Unity Martin. Mark
found q certain grim humor in the
recollection.
He had had his period Of tragic re-
morse for Kazia. He had not, how
ever. let conscience push to the ex-
treme of disturbing the fixed destiny
just mentioned. Nor was he long In
attaining comparative peace Of mind
In which he could congratulate himself
on having avoided q serious blunder.
NOT many months Letter he by chance
met Piotr. who conveyed the news that
kazia had married Whiting. Piotr's
manner OF narration implied that.
though Whiting was a poor refuge,
,kazia had been fortunate to escape
Mark. He seemed disappointed that
his auditor showed no deep emotion.
Marks letters to Unity had contin-
'ued. at erratic intervals. Soon her re-
plies. too, began to dwindle In number
and In length; they had never had
much to lose In the way Of intensity.
And then he sent a letter that she
failed to answer at all. leaving their
love affair suspended. SO to speak. In