Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-10-23

have TO send message to Margaret syi
vester.
. You are magician.
Because of my white dcvesg Think,
rather, that they are heavens messengers.
have two in my hut which have been
trained to fly between the mount and my
house in the valley Bertha, who is ever
on the alert-no more grateful woman
ever drew Natures breath-will receive
it. and carry it to the sisters, and thus you
viii hold this night place in their perfect
happiness"
The message which Rant wrote, and tied
under the pigeons wing, ran thus
From Rant to Margaret Sylvester
You know already from the lips OF your
sister Clariee that an unintentional wrong
has been done to Harold the sculptor
You know that Mauvain was the man who
wronged her Harold is With me now, and
AiaRvain viii never trouble you more
Harold and | are friends till death. have
asked bis pardon for the wrong did him,
IN causing you to withdraw your sympathy
and friendship from him. 1 honor and
love him. You will do SO when you know
him as now know him. Our love to you
and all.
Harold and Rant watched the figbb OF
the white dove towards the Valley OF
Lilies, and Harold thought
The message will be read by the sisters
in the midst of their happiness. share it
with them. Undeserving as am, a great
JOY is mine
q honor aud love him. You viii do so
when you know him as now know him. :"
But it was never to be, on earth. In
their mortal shape they were never to meet
again!
"An is ready" said Ranf let us
start. The tide is beginning to rise.
Il have fancy, said Harold. g You
have another pigeon which, being released,
viii wing its way to your house in the
valley?"
Yes
Bring it with you, it is but fancy,
but you VIII indulge me"
Willingly" and Rant strapped to his
back the small basket containing the
pigeon. Now we are ready
On their way Rant narrated how, some
years ago, in his eagerness to obtain rare
flower, he had slipped over the precipice,
and had nearly met with death and how,
being saved by tree which grew out
wards to the sea. he had discovered
means to reach the shore which lay thou.
sands Of feet beneath them. Harold scarce
ly attended to RANTS narration he was
with sadness of the body of Maui
vain lying ON the sands below.
What was it you told me awhile ago?"
asked Harold listIessly. "a cave of won.
lers, paved with golden sand -
1T is SO, replied Rant; beneath us,
within reach Of mani hands, lies the wealth
IF kingdom.
You might have achieved rare things,
Rant. with such power in your possession.
81 have achieved what I desired, +" said
Rant; the happiness of the being love.
In the knowledge that that is secured,
,ould almost be content never to see her
again on earth. There is hereafter this
ife is but as passing breath. They had
reached the point from which the chain
sheer over the rocks which faced
.he sea. {" We have to descend by this
,hsin. It is firm, and will not break. The
LANCER is in the man. Win you risk it Z"
There is hereafter, RAM, as you say.
Fear OF death viii not deter me from the
execution OF my purpose.
" You had best go first when you reach
the bottom of the chain you viii find an
opening into which you can swing yourself.
The reason that l send you before me is
that can help you from above. Let me
wind this rope around your breast and
waist. So 1t is done. You can trust your
iull weight to the rope; if you miss ycur
hold of the chain, / shall have you safe;
the rope is twice the length of the chain,
and my strength viii be sufficient. You
will to a certainty be bruised and cut, but
you viii not mind scratch or two. You
viii find steps hewn here and there in the
rocks take advantage of them, and do
not look downward.
Harold unhesitatingly committed him
self to the perilous enterprise step by step
be descended, with his teeth firmly clinch-
ed to prevent himself from expressing the
agony he was enduring-for his wounded
arm smarted terribly in the strain to which
it was subjected. The CHEEKY voice of
Rant did much to strengthen and encour-
age him, but by the time he reached the
end OF the chain and had swung himself
INTO the opening of the rocks, his strength
was gone and when Rant joined him, he
was lying on the ground, bleeding and ex-
hausted. Rant had come prepared, and
the contents OF his flask helped to revive
The fainting man.
"Shall we go on 2" asked Ranf.
"While I have breath of Life in me.
replied Harold, 1 viii not turn; not
conscious moment must be wasted Come,
am stronger now"
And, indeed, the color returned to his
cheek; his strong win, so rarely exercised,
enabled him to conquer his pain. With
his hand in RANTS he followed the hunch-
back into the dark tunnels of the mountain.
When the light of the moon was shut out,
Rant lighted torch, which threw lurid
glare on the downward path. Descending
and ever descending they walked slowly
on until they reached the cleft in the rock
through which they obtained view of
the sea.