The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-09-07

and felt herself elevated until hel
feet rested upon little projection
by the side Of him who was ventur.
ing his life for hers.
"You should not have come, SIR
faltered Fannie, glancing up into a
pair of dark eyes. at was better
| should die alonethan that you
should also perish, for we can never
"Hush.. !" whispered the stranger.
''Only be calm and do as l bid you.
Here" he continued, STOPPING lit
tie while still clinging to the face OF
the rock, "place your foot in my
hand and then reach up to yonder
sapling, and with my assistance,
pull yourself up. Everything de-
pends upon your GOODNESS and BRAY
cry. But for your life do not look
downward"
With closed lips and set teeth
Fannie did as she was bidden, and
presently stood in a position where
she could find support, and waited
with closed lips and misty eyes un-
til the gentleman had placed him
self by her side.
Again his strong arm held her
until they had rested, and then he
said
"That was bravely done, but in
order to gain safety We must go
through this sliding sheet of water.
You must lock your arms about my
neck and trust yourself entirely to
me. | think we shall be successful,
but in any event you must resign
your fate into my hands and keep
yourself cool and calm."
81 will try. But it is terrible. /
mean the thought that am periling
another human life by my insane
rashness," returned Fannie, with
tears flooding her blue eyes.
You must not think at all now.
Nerve yourself, for it is growing late,
and life, and all it means, is await
ing us on yonder summit"
"Yes, but what a death below :"
she gasped.
But | shall make a desperate
struggle for the former Are you
ready ?"
As he spoke he wound his left
arm about her slender waist, and in
stantly Fannie twined hers about
his neck as Il he were brother,
and moment later she felt the
dash of water in her face and over
her form. Fighting inch by inch,
in the water, out of it, clinging to
the swaying loops of vines, they
suddenly passed into broad belt
of sunlight-were ushered, as it
were, headlong into life.
When Fannie recovered from the
almost deathly swoon into which
she had fallen, the instant she COM
pretended safety was found, she
was lying above the waterfall upon
a dry mound, and her deliverer at
tempting to restore her by dashing
cool water in her face. She sat up,
sobbed her thanks, and when they
had talked over how she came sus-
pended over the Devils Churn,
and how he, coming from a neigh
boring field,to a famous spring of
ice cold water just at the head of
the falls, heard her singing, and at
first was tempted to believe it spirit
music, but attracted by the sweet
ness of the voice had leaned over
the chasm, discovered and came to
her rescue. He continued :
Born and matured in the neigh
borhood / know every foot of the
ground, and in boyhooI often made
the descent and assent"
When Fanny had fully recovered
she learned more of the history of
her rescuer-that he bore the musi-
cal name of Clarence Cameron, that
he was home from college upon a
summer vacation, and that q large
white mansion, to be seen from
where they were conversing, was his
and which shortly after,
they entered. even in her wretched
condition.
That night, after a moonlight ride
with her rescuer, she found the
Hobbs farmhouse in great commo-
ton, and when all her adventures
had been recounted again and again,
Bella and Marcia tormented her with
questions about the gallant young
knight whom fate had sent to her
rescue.
"Such elegant people," concluded
Fannie, "such a lovely house, such
exquisite grounds, such a fiowery
garden, and just think of it, a genu-
Inc Landseer over the mantel, and q
Rosa Bonheur on the walls of the
parlor, and a grand piano and such
a supper as they gave me-such
splendid strawberries and real
cream And think of my eating
them in one of Mrs. Cameron's best
dresses, a mile too large for me,
while my own was under a drying
process"
"Was there ever such madcap?n
exclaimed Bella.
at is shocking ! am certain /
shall not sleep a wink all night"
groaned mamma.
"And, of course, Notwithstanding
the politeness you received, the
young gentleman must think you a
downright fool, Fan," interlarded
Marcia.
Poor little Fannie went to bed
very thankful, but humble, and cried
herself to sleep. while thinking how
very silly Clarence Cameron must
have deemed her.
On the contrary, that young gen.
tleman could not sleep for thinking
of the little maid he had fished out
of the Devils Churn." Over and
over again he declared to himself
that she was the lovliest, most hero
ic little thing he had ever met-in
short. had fallen madly in love with
the girl, and when, at last nature as
serted itself and he slept in the wee
sma' hours he dreamed of the ten
der white arms that twined them
selves so closely around his neck, of
the soft, yielding form he was forced
to clasp to his heart in that awful