The Sunday herald., 1881-02-27
ON THE CLIFF.
ANApvENrURE AT YARMOUTH.

ON THE CLIFF.
ANADvENTURE AT YARMOUTH.
Fifteen years ago Barmouth was little
village. The whistle of the iron horse was
not to be heard within many miles, and the
passage of the coach between Dolgelly and
Carnarvon was the sole event Of the day.
There was one hotel and some half dozen
shops and other houses where lodgings were
TO be obtained; but slight as was the accom-
modation, it fully equaled the demand.
"Just the place for fellow to be able to
sketch without people coming to look over
his shoulder" was the comment of Hugh
Carson, a young artist, as he took his first
stroll upon the sands.
A tall, well-built young fellow, with legs
rather long for his body, and face rather
heavy in repose, hut bright and winning
when he smiled. The tide was out, a few
fishermen were mending their retsand tarring
their boats, and lady and Q child were
down upon the rocks near the edge of the
sea. fr.s8stsfgf AS
"A bright bit of color on those dark
rocks" he said, "with the island on the
lett and the sea beyond, and that abrupt
headland coming in-just the thing to begin
with"
He had his sketching book under his arm
and his color box in his pocket, and, sitting
down on the sand hills, he set rapidly to
to work. For an hour and half he worked
steadily, and the bright bit of color moved
off toward the shore. Still he worked on at
his sketch, and was almost startled when a
shadow passed across his paper. He glanced
up, and saw girl of some twenty years old, /,
with younger one of seven Of eight, The
child dropped the hand she was holding,
and came fearessly up.
Please may look at your picture Z"
He nodded silently and went on with his
painting.
go, cousin Amy, such pretty picture |!
and there are you and me ont on the rocks.
Do look 1 -
The girl glanced at the artist, but neither by
look nor motion did he second the child $ re-
quest and with little shrug of her shoulder
she turned away, and walked on slowly uli-
til overtaken by her cousin. y
what bear l am (" the young man
said to himself. "Ioughtto TO have got up
and grinned and taken off my hat, l sup
pose, and asked her to look at it; but it's
no use, can't get on with women. have
no doubt she thought me perfect bear.
And so am. But l suppose it's my ma
ture." And he went on with his, painting.
One o'clock ; it's time to 60 int dinner.
The tide is coming up and covering the
rocks /; 1 will finish Il tomorrow morning" ;"
The next day he worked until dinner,
and was greatly contented with the result.
"It will make capital thing" he said.
~ have been very lucky with the lights.
do think it will be the best thing have
DONE"
His pleasure was little marred by the
fact that the two girls had again been out on
the rocks, and had, on their return, passed
close by him, but this time the child had
kept close to her cousin.
"Offended evidently" was his muttered
comment, 'and no wonder. wish l was
not such a bear.''
The following morning he was late in
starting for stroll across the sands. The
tide had already turned, and there are few
places on the coast where 1t comes in more
rapidly than on the Yarmouth sands. For a
long time its approach is so gradnal that II
can hardly be noticed but when It reaches
certain point it comes in with startling
speed. ~ be s WFf
There are those girls on the rocks
again" !" he said, and he shaped his course
| so as to carry him to the right of them. He
looked around and saw that the elder girl
who was reading, had risen from camp
stool, on which she was sitting, and that the
child was on the rocks, already cut off by 6
| rapidly increasing stream of water. The cry
of the child on discovering her situation was
echoed by her campanion, who was about t.
rush into the water when Hugh ran up.
can right, little one" he shouted
cheerily. "lll fetch You out.'
So saying he wadded into the water, which
was already nearly up to his waist, reached
| the little girl, took her in his arm, and
carried her to the shore.
There you are, as right as possible, !
he said, as lie put her down "but yor
must mind, missy, for the tides are very rapit
here" h} as =
| Thank You so very much sir" the elder
| girl said +" it is most kind of you."
The artist looked into the flushed face o
the girl, and the eyes in which the tears were
standing, and his habitual shyness fell upoi
him. Muttering something about its beins
no odds at all, he raised his hat and turn
ing upon his heel again pursued his walk
"He really is a bear" Amy Herbert said
as she hurried of with the child toward thu
sand hills. pursued by the fast rising tide :
and yet, by his voice, I am sure he could b,
very nice II he liked,'' p99hEs
Amy Herbert had no experience what
ever of shy men. She was the daughte
of very wealthy Manchester cotto,
spinner, and Manchester does not clas
shy young men among its productions. Sh
was accustomed to admirsuon. for she wa
pretty aud an heiress, andin both capscitie
made much of; but, though little waywar,
aud willful, from always having her own way
she was really unspoiled, and was a. brigh
and lovable girl as was to be found in tn
metropolis of cotton. ~ lahT
For the next two days Hugh Carsol
missed the young lady and child from til
shore, but several times saw the futter of
light colored dress high up on the hills be
hind Barmouth.
"That rising tide has given her fright,
he said to himself, "and they've taken t
the hills. Rather nuisance, because Ihay
done with these fats, and shall be doing tn
hills myself However, they are extensiv
enough without our running against eaol
other, as we always seem to be doing here.
In fast, as Hugh and his acqpsintance
took thsir meals at about tbs same hour
and both cane IN at the very last mo
ment before them, IL is not singular tha
each day they had, either morning, after
noon or evening, met at least once in til
quiet little street and each time Hug
raised his hat, Miss Herbert bowed frigidly
and her little cousin nodded brightly. Ono
when he passed the door of their lodging
just as they were going in, the child ra
across the road as her cousin entered, an
put her hand into his, and talked to him ia
two or three minutes, and conveyed To hir
the thanks of her mamma, who was nc
strong, and did not 60 ont much, for .havin
carried her across the tide. For the mex
three days Hugh Carson was engaged /
painting picturesgue old farmhouse lyin
far on the hill. The subject was good one
and he set to produce finished picture o
the spot, and worked at It from early morl
ing, as long as the light lasted, making h
7 breakfast and lunch of milk and bread an
cheese obtained at the farmhouse. Upo
, the third evening he was returning from h
work, walking along the edge of the hill
looking down Apop the sea, whom he can
upon the little girl lying on the ground or,
ing bitterly.
"Why, little one, what Is the matter 7
The child, who had not heard him a.
| proachinp leaned to her feet and up(