Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-02-02

before been caught upon Helvefyn
and detained all night by the mist.
Such an adventure would be much worse
for himself and Mary; the latter would
certainly suffer, so he made a resolute
attempt to descend.
Mary trusted to him implicitly, and
hand in hand they had successfully de-
scended some distance, although the
steepness of the hillside and its rocky
nature made him feel pretty sure that
this was not the side by which they had
gained the top. Slip, stumble, slip,
here few yards of steep turf aiding
them, there the stones giving way un-
der foot, and warning him at least that
they were on the border of a scree. The
ground grew more and more treacher-
GUS and rocky; after a stumble worse
than those which had proceeded it, he
stopped to try if their eyes could dis
tinguish anything through the gulf of
mist into which they had nearly plunged
headlong. No, the curtain was thick
as ever, and the rain besides was falling
heavily. Then he started large stone,
in order to Judge by its descent what
kind of ground lay IN front of them:
three yards, and it was hidden from
sight; bound, bound, twice it struck the
rocks, and then an interval of silence, and
then a sullen distant splash. He shud-
dered, and drew the girl back against the
rocks
"Thank Godi" he muttered; ga few
more steps and we should have gone
over the scree into Low Water Tarn."
Mary's distress, as slowly and very
carefully they retraced their steps, may
well be Imagined. Not only was she
tired, worn out, and frightened, but the
thought of what would be said if they
could not descend speedily was torment
ing her. The poor girl was feverishly
anxious at any risk to get off the hill,
and her companion had much work
to prevent her meeting with mishap.
Consequently, when they second time
reached the cairn at the top, they were
in very different frame of mind. The
young fellow groaned as he looked at
his watch, and found it was nearly sew
en- O'Clock and the mist thicker than
| ever. But not word of reproach did
| the brave little maid utter to him.
In the meantime the party assembled
in the hotel al the foot of the hill were
passing through quite series of ankle
ties. When six o'clock came, and with
tit the returning coach, Mrs. Salway' s
anger at the absence of her younger
daughter could hardly be concealed
from the outside public: OF course they
could not leave her, and the coach had
to depart without them. Her husband
present and Mary absent shared the
| mothers reproaches with the objection
able young gentleman, while the sisters
were quite as much surprised as they
expressed themselves to be, for this was
=" so unlike Mary But when nine
O'Clock came and no signs of the miss
ing ones, and the mist grew thicker, the
landlady expressed herself decidedly OF
the opinion that the young lady and
gentleman would have to stay upon the
hill all night, and hoped they had some
wraps.
"Stay on the hill all night, woman
My daughter with that young man!
Good gracious, Mr.. Salway, you must
do something! This is too dreadful"
| So q search-party was organized,
though with some difficulty, and guides,
brandy and lanterns obtained; but be-
fore it set out Mrs. SaIway had been
moved to contemplate the affair from a
different point of view. She heard the
atarn', and the s'cliffs'' mentioned in
wNaeers by the guides with ominous
chances, and saw f pm her husband S
| face that he knew and did not think
lightly of their suspicious. Up to this
time she had thought only of her daugh-
ter's good name, and the way in which
| it was being compromised, but now her
fears for her daughters safety took the
place of this feeling. Agnes and Laura,
| eloquent enough before, were awed into
silence, and the affair was assuming a
very serious light in the eyes of ali, when
a cry outside proclaimed some news,
and just as the party were starting into
the mist and rain the lost ones stood
before them.
"Thank Heavens!' cried Mr.. Sal
way, taking charge of Mary, who, what
with her wornout condition and her
very natural confusion, was near faint
Jag. Mrs. Salway, in the revulsion of
feeling from fear to relief and then to
anger, had nothing to say on the spur
Of the moment. The girls surrounded
Mary, and as they did so they looked
defiance, and yet a sort of admiration,
at her daring companion.
ssPlease look to your daughter, Mrs.
Salway; she is very wet and fatigued.
1t is my fault and that of the mist that
we are so late. But will explain, I
am sure to your satisfaction, in the
morning.
.To my satifaction, sir!" cried Mrs.
Salway, taking up an indignant attitude
between him and Mary; but before she
could say any more the greater culprit
had gone, and the lesser one was not in
state at present to hear the lecture
which Mrs. Salway was prepared to adj
minister. And think it was still being
held in terrorena over the young ladys
when they took their seats outside the
coach for Bowness next day; she was
evidently in disgrace, and her mother
would NOT let her omit her side for a mo.