The Portland daily press., 1880-07-23

"oihCu lcoOlutcly 1llOO tllc uouoC.
"Where are you going?" demanded Siilas
Carmen in surly tone, as the young man
crossed the kitchen.
''To see my friend"
''His lordship is at dinner with his tutor"
observed the landlord, land | cannot per-
nit them to be intruded on"
"Hol no! Silias Carmen! Are you, too,
in the plot?"
''What plot?" faltered the man, turning
pale.
''Cant tell yet" answered Frank, cycling
him suspiciously. But soon shall. Deter
mined to find it out. You don't believe in
Providence, perhaps. Now, | do; and
mark my words; if you have been led to
tamper in any scheme against the noble
house of Falconberg, it will come home to
you"
Silias Carmen uttered a loud laugh, which
grated harshly upon the ears of the speaker.
1t had not the true ring in it. Still he felt
unwilling to believe anything very bad
against the father of Ethel.
81 plot against the house of Falconberg!
A sparrow against the eagew
"The viper against the stag-hound might
have been a better simile master of the RAJ
ven Back, say" added the young farmer,
as the landlord advanced a second tine Il
impede his passing ''unless you wish to fec
VIC WtlSuJ VI LILY HultllIs, whip.
Silias rushed upon our hero, who threw
him off with as much ease as a young
lion might have dashed cur aside that hs.!
fastened upon his name, and walked into
the parlor of the Raven.
Silias scowled after him, mentally vowing
revenge.
Frank Walterr were the EXPLANATIONS
of the two friends, as they recognized each
other, and their hands became locked in
true, heartfelt grasp.
The two friends did not wish to separate.
but agreed to ride to the Grange together
Lord Walter accepted the horse Frank had
been riding, and the young farmer mount
ed a powerful roadster, one of his fathers
team. They were to precede the wagon
and carriage which the tutor occupied by
himself.
1t was tearfully dark night. The young
| men, however, were sufficiently acquainted
| with the New Forest not to lose their way.
:'Ethel is nervous" observed Lord Wal
ter, speaking for the first time-for both the
| young men had been plunged in reVerie.
"Tbe solitude of her home tells upon her
| imagination"
''Still her warning is not to be sighted"
| replied Frank, who had been thinking of
Lady Alice.
"What warning?"
81 will tell you when we arrive safely at
the Grange
| AS the young farmer uttered these words
| he distinctly saw, during. a momentary flash
of autumnal lightning, two figures cross the
| path. He shouted to them, but they disap-
| peared in the underwood.
"Why did you call out?" demanded his
| friend who had not perceived them.
Possibly it was wild fox crossed my
| path" ans wered Frank, evasiyely. "Thank
| Heaven" he added, "we have reached the
| Gap. Let ME 60 first"
mot So" replied the high-spirited youth.
"You treat me like child, Frank If
there is any danger, why should you be the
| first to encounter it."
Giving the rein to his horse, the speaker
advanced at brisk pace, taking, as he
thought, the road to Walburg; but one of
the lamps had been removed and fixed at a
| distance, leaving the precipice exposed and
| unguarded. In an instant the high-spirited
animal and its rider disappeared over the
edge.
''Hahn' exclaimed the young farmer,
with cry Of horror. He has gone over!
There has been treachery and de-
liberate treachery! Cruel! cruel! Who
| shall tell his poor father and sister this?"
He started,a if he had suddenly re-
ceived an electric shock, for low, wailing
cry, which sounded something like his own
name, had fallen upon his ear, but 80 faint
and indistinct that he thought at first his
| senses had played him false.
SIT came from the GapH' he exclaimed,
| greatly excited, as he rushed to the brink
| of the precipice.
Falling fat upon the grass, he dragged
| himself to the extreme edge of the preci-
| pice, over which ChOwl. one of Franks
carriers, who had taken similar precaution,
| held one of the lamps. The heart of our
hero beat wildly. for he felt almost mad
with joy when he discovered his friend
| clinging 10 the bows of an old ash tree that
| grew from a projection far down the preci-
| pice. AS the horse fell from the gddy
| height, Lord Walter, with infinite presence
| of mind, had clutched one of the branches.
The high-spirited animal lay shapeless
mass at the bottom of the quarry, but its
rider still lived, and was comparatively an
injured.
"Walter Dear Walter! Let me hear your
| voice again!' shouted his friend. "Are
you really safe?"
''For few moments only" replied the
youth, mournfully.' "Heaven has granted
me time to breathe prayer for those
| love. In an instant, asst were, my heart
has been revealed to rue. Farewell forever!
The old ash tree is gradually yielding be-
meath my weight"
"Hold onv' shouted Flank ''Provi-
dence will not leave its work unaccom-
| plished."
Animated by the hope of preserving his
| friend, the speaker sprang to his feet aud
called to the carter to bring him the ropes
from the wagon. These he knotted to-
| gether, seeing to the fastenings himself.
and made a running loop at the end with
his own hands.
"The tree will never bear his weight
thought Chowl, who OWNED his inten-
lions.
More ropes" said the young master.
They were brought to him, and similar
process gone through.
With the cords in his hands our hero
crept once more to the edge of the cliff.
The old ash inclined still more menacngly
over the abyss, and the earth round the
roots in the soil above began to crack omi
| nously. Frank comprehended at a glance
| that his additional weight would precipi
| tate it at once to the bottom of the quarry.
"Oh!' he murmured, wringing his hands
despairingly, 'what can l do?''
Give them to me-" said soft voice be-
side him.
1t was Etheps. The brave girl had heard
of Lord Walters danger, and impelled by
all Impulse she could not control, hastehed
| to the scene OF action.
''You! CALCULATED the young farmer.
''No,-no! 1t would be too terrible!'
''More so than his loss?" demanded the
forest maiden, revealing the secret of her
pure and innocent heart. Il am slight; the
tree may possibly bear my weight If only
for few minutes, till l can throw the rope
and loop him he is saved"
Il was indeed the only chance-fearfui,
| desperate, yet possible. And all who heard
| her were struck with admiration of her pres
ence of mind and courage.
st must be tried" she continued, with
passionate energy. ''You will not see him
perish. What is my life compared with his
safety? | am ready"
Half blinded by tears of admiration and
regret Frank fastened one of the loops care
fully round her waist, and placed the other
in her hand.
drop it over him, Ethel" he whispered.
''Those ABOVE will hold the ends OF the cords
DO not look down, the fearful height may
make you dizzy-be firm, and may God bless
and prosper your undertaking."
| Ethel closed her eyes for an instant in
mental prayer. Then pronounced i'll a firm
voice-'I am readyr'
The young farmer took her in his arms
and lowered her carefully till her feet
touched the trunk Of the tree, on which she
aiighted as silently as Il bird. A momen tary
shivering conyulsed her delicate frame, but
it passed almost as quickly as it came