The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-01-02

rattle of dried peas IN pod. Sh'
glanced down to the spot from
whence it proceeded. Her eve,
freze with horror. A second NOR,
and huge ratslesnake sprang lik,
lightning upon her. Insiinctively
throwing out her arms to defend her
self, she shriekea st the top of be-
voice In stepping around the rock
without looking where she was go
ing, she had probably brushed acros,
the reptile as it lay basking in tn,
sun, and thus enfaged il. Ina mo
ment the tramp, the idea Of whose
existence bad been shocked out o
her mind, came running up. Sh,
was too much.upder the horror of The
snake to think OF him, except as &
human helper She pointed to tht
creature which was coiliDg itself il
readiness for another stroke if neces
sary; and the tramp, seizing a frag
meHt Of rock, hurled it with such
force and precision that the reptile
was stretched crushed and writhing
Then he turned and started at bel
with an expression indicating his pro
found astonishment at happening OF
a fashionably dressed young lady il
such locality
"Are you better ?n be finally ask
ed.
Il don't know she said.
In her excitement she bad moi
been conscious Of q sting, but now,
as she directed her mind to the ques
ton, she felt an odd sensation nesr
the elbow OF her right arm. There
was also wet spot On The sleeve
Ii fitted tight TO her arm, aud would
not come up. The tramp opened
his pocket-knifes.aDd gave it to ber
saying peremptorily:
RIP it up -
She hesitated, and then, apparent
ly recognizing that it was no time
for prudery, began to cut and haggle
at the sleeve, making such poor work
that be was evidently on the poinl
of taking the knife out Of her hand
and doing 1t for her, but refrained
As she raised sthe severed sleeve
above the round, white flesh, she
turned aside little SO that be could
not see. There, on the outside OF
the arm, just above the elbow, were
two red punctures in the flesh, from
which few drops of blood had ex-
uded.
Lets see," said the tramp, and
she showed him. She wasn't think
iDg Of the proprieties any more.
"Ah /. that's bad" said be, shaking
his head aud locking concerned.
"It's fatal, isn't it 2" she asked,
family.
He I'D not reply in words, but his
countenanee indicated that be had
nothing to say TO The contrary. She
sat down on rock, for her limbs
trem bled under her. She was very
pale and her face was set in rigid
lines.
1--WE must try and get you home
at once" said the tramp, who was
standing before her looking down on
ber compassio lately from his six fee,
attitude. "WAere do you live ~
Pm staying ar the -House
in, but | came out to walk,
and lost my way, and Ive no idea
which way is home,n she replied pit
eously.
That's unlucky, said he, "for I'm
% tramp from the North, and |
don't know the country. | expect.
ed to pull up at the hotel by night.
bat | don't know just where it
lies.n
But what eau | do? | can't die
here ali alone !" sbe cried, bysterical-
ly. conviction of the unmitigated
cruelty of her fate beginning TO over
come the incrednlity with which Ma
ture interposes TO prevent the FIRST
shock of a horrible reality from
crushing the mind.
To her, even her, Antoinette Liv-
ingston, the belle of her avenue at
home, and the petted queen Of cir
Gle of wealth and culture, it was sp.
parently appointed to die of snakes
bite, in o desert place, with tramp
TO close her eyes. \ wave of self
pity overwhelmed her; her eyes food
ed with tears, and she began to sob.
And then, growing calmer, she found
herself wondering when they would
miss her at the totel, and begin to
send out searching parties, and how
long it would be before they would
find her, and whether she would be
very much disfgured She had read
such horrible stories about the effects
of rattlesnake- bites, How would
her father feel when be arrived at
the hotel from the city in the morn
ing and found her missing Or, per-
baps she would have been brought
heme by them What a commotion
1t would make among the guests at
the hotel, and how pretty Belle Sta
cy would look in tears-she alwavs
did. Mr.. Hey wood would undoubt-
edly admire her, and it would lead
to something The tramp was speak
ing; she had nearly forgotten him.
Sucking the poison out of the
wound some times cures persons. We
can at least try that"
She caught at the suggestion with
an eagerness almost convulsive, and
raised her arm to ner mouth. But,
because the wound was on the out
side Of it, she could not, try as she
might, quite touch it with her lips.
"I on bad better let me do it.r
She looked at him in involuntary
amazement at the unparalleled au-
dacity Of the suggestion.
Its no time to be notional. It's
life or death :" said the tramp, rather
impatiently.
The logic ofthe situation was in
deed inexorable; she extended her
arm. He kDeit before her and took
the snowy treasure in bis big, rough,
brown fingers. The slender, blue.
veined wri 81 be held as tenderly as if
it bad been an egg-shell. The DIM
pied elbow rested in the palm of the
other hand. Miss Livingston, de-
spite ber terrified preoccupatiop,
could not helm starting as he mt his