The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-04-13
WHOLE NO. 1916.

; torted Percival.
"Yes; and precious fool l was to
do it. If you want to hear about her
you had better write to her yourself
l can't undertake the duties Of a 60
between"
Percival began to frown and glare.
''Now, I'll tell you what it is, Oliver
he said; II mean to have this out of
you by fair means or foul. You had
better make up your mind to that"
Nobody can say that, in all my
previous. wrangles with Percival, |
had not been forbearance itself; but
there is point at which, like the ira
ditional worm, | turn; and that point
he had now reached. | refused point
blank to give him the information he
asked for, and couched my refusal in
forcible terms.
The next minute | was lying upon
my face, and Percival, kneeling on
the small Of my back, was tying my
arms tightly behind me with silk
handkerchief. The fellow was as
strong as Samson, and |, as | have
said before, am but weak man. Sue
cessful resistance was hopeless; but |
let out with my feet to the best of my
ability, and had the pleasure of catch
ing him one on the shin which
don't think he could have
liked. He made no complaint, how
ever, but quietly finished his opera
tion, picked me up under his arm5like
a feather, and carried me, struggling
and helpless, upwards. You'd better
keep still, unless you want to kill us
both" was all that he said; and in
deed | thought it was well to take his
advice. How on earth he managed
to scramble up the face of those rocks
with man under his arm is more
than | can explain; but he did it (not
without bum ping and scraping me
considerably, though); and after a bit
we came to a narrow ledge. There
he deposited me, and, descending
rapidly some ten or twelve feet, con-
templated me with sigh of satisfac-
ton.
Now, my boy" said he, "you stay
there till you have answered my ques-
tion."
"Then l shall stay here for the rest
of my life" returned.
| suppose no man was ever placed
in a more ridiculous position. To give
in would have been too humiliating;
to descend from my perch without the
use of my hands was out of the ques-
ton, and to get my hands free seemed
scarcely less so. OF course, however,
| made vigorous attempt. Itugged,
| strained, ] twisted and contorted
myself in every possible way, while
he stood below and laughed at me;
but it was all in vain, and the only
result of my writhing was that lot
of things rolled out of my pocket,
among which was.the very letter over
which we had been fighting. Percival
put his foot upon it just in time to
save it from futtering away before
the wind.
1T strikes me that l can find out as
much as | want now without your
help" said he, holding up his prize
triumphantly.
and unite me, then"
But he shook his empty head saga
ciously. mot so fast, my good
friend. / suspect you of treachery.
Either you are engaged to your cous-
in, or you have been telling her things
about me which you don't want me
to know of. Well just see about that
before we release you"
Percival was gentleman by birth
and bringing-up, and perhaps when it
came to the point, he did not alto
gether enjoy the sensation of looking
at letter addressed to another man.
He stood for some few minutes with
his back turned towards me, gazing
abstractedly at the sunny mountain
tops opposite, and tapping his chin
with the envelope. At length he
turned round, and called OUT
I'll give you another chance. For
the last time, will you tell me what is
in this letter?"
mo" I shouted back resolutely, II
won't! Read it, if you don't mind
behaving like cad; and when you
have quite done, perhaps you will be
so good as to step up here and unloose
me-"
He made no reply, but stood
thoughtfully tapping his chin with
the letter, as before, and finally moved
slowly away downhill For minute
or two | heard the sound of his foot
steps; then, every now and again, the
clatter of dislodged stones, which
showed me that he was still descend
ing; then came profound silence.
Uncomfortable as my position was,
| was by no means impatient for his
return. 1t was quite on the cards
that, in the first access of frenzy
which perusal of Florry' cruel post
script might be expected to arouse,
he might come tearing back and let
off steam by finging me over the
precipice; and the longer he took to
think about it, the better, | felt, would
be my chance of escaping with a
whole skin and unbroken bones. But
when a very long time had elapsed,
and the sun had risen high into the
heavens, and there was neither
sound nor sign Of Percival, l
began to grow riously uneasy.
Could it be possible that the miscreant
had meant to leave me there to perish
miserably? Eventually | put my
pride in my pocket, and shouted. The
only answer that came to me was
succession of mocking echoes Of my
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