The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-04-16
The next stepping-place was nearer;

lue QeAG Woo A0oACt ,
he found it easily, and looked up at the
anxious faces above him. -,
Flows that for a beginning, Tom?"
But the next moment there was a crack
ling sound; the branch he was holding
by had snapped.
He caught another, but Toms face be-
gan to get white. Come" called he.
"that's enough! Illtake back all | said"
"All right" shouted Medad, and
swung off once more. ,
There was nothing now but to stand
and watch him feeling for n scrubby
pine and narrow foothold after another,
and then cautiously letting 60 and Crap
ping for a new one. Down, down, nearer
to the foot of the cliff with every one
there were not more than twenty feet
left.
Hes fetching it" muttered Tom; but
at that instant Nettie gave q sudden cry.
The bush Mede was holding by was
slowly Welding from the roots; he was
! feeling, with q terrified look. for another,
but the next one was below him, and if
! he stopped for it with his hold still upon
this, it, started again with n ripping
sound, and bits of loosened earth ratified
, down the side of the cliff.
1.-The ropc!!" said Mink, and dashed of
/ toward the wagon.
"Oh, Tom, help him." cried Nettie,
/ with Il face Of horror.
Hold on there!" shouted Tom "we're
coming"
But Medad did not seem to hear; he
was cropping about wildly for some near
er support, and then made q sudden,
desperate stoop toward the lower bush.
There was a cracking noise, a shower
of loosened earth; the girls covered their
eyes. There was a heavy sound of
something falling at the foot of the cliff.
Hes done itm cried Tom, with a groan
Med Rankin, take my horse and drive
! him like mad for the doctor! I'll take
the wagon and 60 round for Mede."
Here" said Mink's voice, breaking
in, let me down to him first"
He had got back with the rope, and
was uncoiling it with flying fingers. In
an instant he had slipped II moose round
his shoulders, thrust the other end into
Toms hand, and before they really knew
what he meant, was over the edge and
following in Medals track.
1t was a quick descent. Mink grasped
one support after another, like . cat, and
they swung him over difficult places with
a whirl. It seemed hardly amomcnt till
he stood ut Mede's side, stopped, looked
quickly at him, and was calling up again
to them.
"Throw me down your whip-handle!"
he shouted. Hurry up, or he'll bleed
to DEATH"
The whip-handle?" muttered Tom,
bewildered. "
"No matter; 20 for it." said Nettie,
giving him a little push; and Tom ran.
Already Mink had Medals precious
handkerchief pulled from his pocket,
knotted round his leg, and was shouting
again, Hurry up, I tell you'll" and the
grass at his feet was turning suddenly
red.
The whip went sliding and %1oundering
down, and landed square across the red
spot.
Mink seized it, slipped it through the
knotted handkerchief, and gave it one,
two, three sharp, strong turns.
"All right" he shouted up: Go for
| the doctor now if.ryou want to, and
bring the wagon round ~two-forty."
The light wagon travelled fastest, and
| the doctor got there first. Mink had the
end of his whip-handle wedged between
two heavy stones, and vas giving Mede
a mullen leaf full of water from the
brook.
You see it was q first-rate grassy spot
where lie struck, but some mean, sharp
stone cut him here just above the
knee" said Mink.
The doctor gave q quick look at the
handkerchief and the whip-handle, and
then at the end of Mink's nose, and re-
cognized it.
"Are you the boy that asked me about
q tourniquet?" he said. You come and
live with me, and I'll teach you all the
tourniquets ! know, and make the smart
est doctor in the county of you, too, be-
| fore you're twenty-one."
And he did, and Mink has been Me-
dads family physician for twenty years
now. though he doesn't leave his practice
in the county now for. anybody else
| Isabella T. Hopkins.