Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-12-30

placing his feet on the window-silI, "after a
good nights rest we set out afresh, and soon ap-
preached the pass. There was a carriage road
i cunning through 1t, and narrow foot-path
fell sheer down nearly q thousand feet to where
torrent rushed amid tumbled rocks, which had
evidently been detached from the cliff, as gaps
every here and there showed. The scenery was
magnificent, of course. but it was rather giddy
and dangerous walking, as, / dare say, YOU
know, since You have been through 1t. Well,
a saddled horse tied to the road side nearly OBJ
posite to part Of the cliff whence a large frag-
ment had recently been detached. There was
the horse, but the rider was nowhere to be seen"
"Seized by sudden misgiving. stepped to
the edge Of the cliff and looked over. The sight
mat met my eyes was such as Is not seen twice
In a lifetime. The fragment, starting on its
headlong descent to the bottom, had Been ar
rested nearly at the outset, and almost miracu-
lousy brought to a stand-still by narrow ledge
Jutting out about thirty feet below, out OF which
sprouted two stout Hr tree. These, though af-
fording temporary support, were momentarily
giving way, and 1t was evident that the fragment
would in a few moments continue on its DOWN
ward course"
"But 1t was not the boulder, but the object
clinging to it, that made my blood run cold
the figure Of a man, half sitting, half lying,
grasping the rock desperately, with both hands,
and qnivering all over in an agony Of fear. Ever
and anon small fragments, detached from the
piece TO which he chung, fell plunging down,
bounding from the precipitous sides, and at last
a
Then would the doomed man utter a low, tremu-
lous moan, and his shaking hands almost I'M
clasped their hold. If he were not rescued with
in a few minutes, his humiliation was sure"
GAS was about hailing him a low laugh
from Muggins startled me. He was lying at full
length, his head over the edge, and his custo-
mary broSd grin on his face. He pointed to the
"Black man scared at last! He, he, he!"
chuckled he.
" 1t was true, though the horror of his posi-
a 6ot Tod
him: The shivering wretch who lay there in
deadly peril was none other than the man who,
could he have had his will, would have shot or
run me through the heart twenty. four hours be-
fore. And now 1, his intended victim, alone
could save his life. For an instant a dreadful
impulse possessed me-to be revenged on him
naming an inactive spectator Of the death he
had brought on himself. The next / shouted to
him with all the power, of my lungs; doubly was
| bound to save him, since he was my enemy"
hardly recognized the handsome, elegant fea-
lures i knew so well. His eyes were blood shot,
and protuded from the sockets; dark circles
showed arOuId them, and the scar of nv blow
was on his check. His black hair was matted on
his forehead with the sweat of deadly terror,
and his face was SO drawn and wrinkled as to
to recognize Ine. He did not speak, but his inn
Ploring, abject, and pathetic expression re-
minded me OF dumb animal, and was almost
revolving in man."
with slow, cautious movement he pushed
aside the riding cloak he wore, and displayeda
stout rope coied round his waist But when
called 10 him to throw it up he shook his head
In miserable despair. He was too much para
lyzed to do anything for his own preservation,
and the only alternative was for me to go down
"Good heavensI john" exclaimed l. as nv
friend, who was evidently much worked up by
the vivid RENE mbrance OF his thrilling episode
paused a moment for breath, "you, don't mean
In w fha 1ar1na Would
down?
"That's what 1 asked myself" replied Brin-
ton; "and the horses bride caught my eye. 1
took 1t off, and found it would extend about
eight feet. i fastened one end to a stump grow
ing at the brink, and bade Muggins, who was
observing my proceedings with great disappro-
baton, see il did not slip, Then without further
delay, swung myself over the cliff, and hung
suspended eight hundred feet in air."
!" How got to the boulder 1 could scarcely
tell. On reaching the end Of the rein L swung
myself to a struggling root uncovered by the
fall of the earth, caught it, and slipping down it
found my feet were still eight or nine feet above
the boulder. i threw myself against the side of
the almost perpendicular precipice, and half
sliding, half jumping, found myself in another
moment balancing over fathomess chasm on
fragment of rock hardly three feet in dame
cit was no place to moraliZe in. AS quickly
as possible unfastened the rope from his waist
1t was forty feet long, full enough Tor the pur-
seem to reassure him. 1 could perceive he now
knew who j was; but, save for the unceasing
tremor, he lay motionless and silent, looking up
at me like whipped dog"
"When all was ready said, I" Now I'll fas-
ten one end OF this rope to your waist, throw the
other to Muggins, climb up myself, and we will
draw you up afterward. Do you see?'
But as 1 spoke one of the upholding frs
gave away with crack, and a large piece OF
our small foothold became loosened, and fell
through that awful depth to the bottom. 1t
seemed only TO prepare the way for the rest.
Inski seized me round the knees in agony of
duplication, and felt the chill of death at my
own heart.
sieur, for the love of God leave me not here! /
shall be lost-killed! Let me first be drawn up;
afterward will we pull up you"
"Well, knew that to argue at such a mo-
ment was to die. / could not doubt that he
valued his life more than did mine. Perhaps
the chance of death was not so unwelcome TO
me as it would have been a few days before. At
any rate decided to give him the first chance.
In few moments one end of the rope was fast
to his belt, and Muggins had the other. Fol-
lowing directions, he hauled away on it with all
good stead, and the Count was dangling and
sprawlng in the air. As soon as he found his
feet off the boulder his strength and energy
seemed to return with marvellous rapidity; he
facilitated his ascent by the root and strap, and
finally scrambled over the edge with an agility
L should never have given him credit for pos
sessiDg.
He disappeared, and as sat alone on the
rock it seemed as though i were miraculously
suspended in the air. Impelled by a CHASTITY
fascination, looked downward, and saw the
distant pine-tops, the rough masses of rock,
looking like pebbles, and the torrent foaming
between them. But its roar was almost hushed
by the distance. A hawk flew past so far be-
meath me as to seem a mere speck, yet he must
have been soaring at least four hundred feet
above the valley. Then the boulder on which
sat stirred, and saw that the last remaining
hr-tree had given way, and in another moment
the end would come. / felt no fear, but was
wrapped up in an enhancing interest, on over
whelming curiosity, now that death was at
hand, to see it, prove it. was conscious of an
awful delight as being about to meet the mys-
terry which no man had solved. Then 1 cried
out as If in sudden fear. Something had struck
my face, and, absorbed as / was with the
thought of death, that sudden touch of the rope
which was to save me acted on my nerves with
the effect of terror"
"More through blind impulse than any thing
else caught the rope, gave 1t a couple of turns
round my arm, and, rising, lifted myself off the
boulder. Started by the impetus OF my foot in
springiDg from 1t, the great fragment Slid from
its position and out into the air. L listened
breathless, until, after what seemed many min
utes, faint, dull splinterfng crash told that it
had reached the bottom at last, and alone"
"Then began to wonder vaguely why was
not drawn up. ! could hear a confused sound
Of voices above, as ifin angry alteration. The