The Sunday herald., 1881-02-27

edge. ..
"All right, little one don't cry /; I will get
to Cousin Amy. She has hurt herself, hut
| dare say she will be all right when get
TO her,
Hugh spoke cheerfully, but he was by no
means sure that the girl was not killed. lie
looked closely at the grassy slope. 1t was
easy enough to slide down, but once down
there was no getting up again. lie was fully
mile and half from the town, but he
dared not run for aid, for IL the girl par
TALLY recovered she might be dashed to
pieces before his return. II was evident that
he must slide down to her. But the child
puzzled him. He was afraid to send her to
the village by herself, afraid to leave her
alone on the top besides, ifthey were to stop
at that ledge till help came, IL would be
much more pleasant with the child there,
both for Amy and himself.
Look here, Pussy he said, after a mo-
ment's thought will you be good, quiet
little girl If take you with me down to
cousin Amy !"
The child nodded seriously.
Here goes, then,'' he said "now you
take hold of my hand very tight, and we will
go down as far as we can, then we'll lie down
on the grass, you put your arms around my
neck, and we will slide down."
Hugh was strong and steady, and lying on
his face, with one arm around the child he
held on to the tufts Of grass and let himself
slide as gently as he could Still his heart
beat fast for an instant, when, on reaching
the steepest point Of the slope, they slipped
down with rush the last fifteen feet to the
ledge where Amy lay, half over the brink
of the sheer fall below. saffDts nmr
"Now, Pussy, you sit down quite quiet
while I see to cousin Amy"
Very anxiously the young artist lifted the
girls head from the grass. There was q
little pool of blood below II, which had
flowed from wound Just above the ear. He
put his fingers to her wrists, and, after q
minute of anxious suspense, he felt very
faint, fiickering pulse.
"Thank God /" he exclaimed devoutly.
Then he took ont whisky flask and
poured few drops between the clenched
teeth. Again and again he did this, the
child all the time sitting perfectly quiet and
watching with quiet, frightened eyes. Pres
emily the girl sighed family. a.i.n
"Take hold of cousin Amy's hand, -
Hugh said, and when you see her open
her eyes, speak to her gently. Tell her
to lie still /; put your face close to hers, so
that she may see you when she opens her
eyes"
Hugh was sitting on the ground support
ing the girl, whose head rested On his shoul-
der. Presently there was q movement OF the
eyelids, and then slowly and languidly the
eyes were opened 'Hf
lEs" There, cousin Amy, you are better now.
Lie quite quiet. You have hurt Yourself,
and must be very good. .-i .
EaThe eyes expressed recognition and q faint
wonder, and then closed again. Hugh
waited a little, and then poused' few more
drops of whisky between her lips This
time the effect was more decided. She
moved, shook her head, and tried to avoid
the mouth of the flask. Then she looked
"What Is 1t p, she said family. "what
are you doing Where am l i'
/" You must be quiet and good" the child
said, positively. "You must not move !; the
| gentleman says so. 81
This time the speech was vaguely under.
stood, for she looked beyond the child's face
to that of Hugh closed her eyes again as il
she doubted them, looked again, and then
made an effort to raise her read. Then Hugh
spoke, gently but decidedly :,
quiet. You have fallen down and hurt your
self, and you are faint and weak. You are
quite safe where you ,are,g but you cannot
move, for we are on the side of the hill, and
must wait till help comes. Your cousin IL
here with you. i Kiss her, PussylS" Z fssit
| Amy Herbert listened in a sort of confused
wonder. She did not understand in the
least, except that she was told to be quiet in
firm, authoritative tones, such as had moi
been addressed to her since she was child
The warm kiss of her little cousin seemed tt
assure her that all was safe and right, and
with little sigh, she closed her eyes agair
and was soon breathing quietly. Then thu
child turned to Hugh.
"Amy's gone to sleep. My name ism
Pussy, but Ida-Ida Herbert"
81 Albright, Ida, Tll call you so in future
Now, Ida, when you stand up can yon se
the road below thereY'' tss3ysm
&. Just see it, the child said; but it i
getting dark. When are we going home 7
81 am afraid we are not going home to
night, Ida. Certainly not unless some on
comes along that road, and there is not mncl
chance of that"
Where are we to sleep 2" Ida asked II
surprise.
"We must sleep just where we are
Cousin Amy will sleep here, and You shal
curl up close to me and lay your head agains
me on the other side, and Idon't think you'll
be cold.'
"But / want supper before go to bed.
"Ah, you can't have supper tonight, Ida
but it will be great fun, You know, sleepin
out here for bit, and 1 sexpect that pres
1 emily your mamma will send out people t
look for you, and then we shall hear then
shout, and we shall shout back again, AM
then they'll come with some ropes, AM
up we shall 60 to the top. Now, shall tel
you a storyY'' raf
"Oh, yes, please,'' Ida said, delighted.
"Will you sit quiet by me, then AM
iwhen You feel sleepy You just lay your hea'
down and go to sleep. Twill go on with m
story till you're asleep, but We must tall
very low, else we shall wake Cousin Amy.
For an honr he told stories Of fairies an
enchanters, and then the little head leane
gradually against his waistcoat, and h
stopped in the middle Of his narrative. The
Amy Herbert spoke: 7Ff+ ~ a'a't @
~ am not asleep, have been awake fo
some time, and have been thinking. 70
are the gentleman who rescued Ida of tn
rocks, are you not Y" 8se ~
EYES," Hugh said. s,l TIA ss
~ thought 30. Now, please, how cam
you and Ida here, and where are we, and VIII
don't we go home 7" ,sg ss a.,,...s.e
You rolled d0Wp steep, grassy slope ON 1
ledge; you struck your head in falling, an
were insensible for time. came up an
should have ran of for assistance, but
feared if you moved before came back yo
would fall oyer, another ftty feet, SO too
Ida and slipped down to y0u.n
"Can't move p the girl asked, pres
emily. e.
"Are you uncomfortable ~ n 81
No." she said, shyly.
u y" Then yOu had better lie still, Hing
said, decisyely. ''The ledge is very narro
and You are weak, and, dare say, giddy
for you lost great deal Of blood. So yo
really might fall over il you sat mp. Wit
my arm around you you are quite SAFE"
And Hugh emphasized the fact by drawin
her still more closely to him. Her sligl
figure yielded to the pressure, and with
little movement, which was very much lik
the nestle with which Ida had prefaced hi
subsistence to sleep. Amy Herbert lay quie
and in very few minutes Hugh was sni
from her regular breathing that she too WI
asleep.
Z" II must be nearly 10 O'CLOCK" Hug
, said to himself. Z" should think we ougl
, very soon to get ont OF this.r The old lad