Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-06-18

| Slowly it swayed under the impulse of
| gravity, and settled down upon Chiffon,
caught in one of the paths of the stony
labyrinth, an immovable rock behind him,
but too quickly for escape. One desperate
leap he gave. and the descending bowlder
settled against his thigh, pinning him with
giant grasp to the rock beneath.
| So gently was it done that Chiffon failed
to realize its power. As well as his con-
strained position would permit, he grappled
the edge Of the bowlder and strained to
lift it from his pinioned limb. One effort
was enough. It rested as firmly as the
mountain itself against any strength he
could bring TO bear.
He had retained his grasp of his staff.
This he placed beneath the stone and en-.
deavored by leverage to shift the weight
The staff bent, then snapped in his hand.
No wonder the young mans brain
| whirled, or that he leaned his head against
| the cruel granite that imprisoned him in
an asonv of fear lest faintness should
uverpower him and make his doom certain.
For pain had now come. The grinding
weight of the stone became each moment
less endurable. The dull ache in his fet-
tered limb was followed by sharp pangs,
and these became fiery tortures shooting
| through his whole frame.
Even then the incongruity of his situa.
ton and surroundings was not lost upon
him. Horribly grotesque it was, this con-
trast between solemn beauty and
intense suffering. The bright Septem-
| Der sun never shOne on faIrer
land than that which lay spread out in
intervale and mountain and river and
glinting lake and distant villages before
his agOnized vision. A peace that was
hardly life-like lay on it all. Amid all
| this beauty and glory and peace of nature
he was caught to die Ike vermin in a trap
to figure as mysterious disappear
ance.n
| 1t was too horrible. He must cry for
| help if only the birds heard him: for the
increase of pain and cramp would soon de-
| prive him of all power to call.
"Help"
| Hardly had the first cry issued from his
| lips when a distant clatter reached his
ears. He called again, and listened. 1t
was in truth party descending the noun
tains. Every moment brought nearer the
sound of hoofs striking sharply the rocky
path and hammering across the bare
lodges. Yes, they were surely coming in
| his direction.
"Thank Godw groaned Chiffon. eff 1
can only make them hear"
Nearer and nearer came the invisible
cavalcade. A light breeze sprang up from
the north, and on it was borne to his ears
| the sound of an airy laugh mingled with
the clank of the horses steps. Even in his
| anguish Chiffon rebelled at the thought
| that this laugh was in answer to Lark
toms pleasantly. But the breeze that car
ried these snatches of merriment to Chill
toms ears waited away the cries which he
/ sent up for aid.
Help, Helpw he called. And "Help"
came back in musical echoes from the OPP
posite hills.
The tramp and the laughter suddenly
ceased. Had he been heard! Nd; tho
sounds returned again, but fainter. The
1 ~ hod ffVc mad fho Nr-ht nt, had
momentarily shut OF the noise of their
| march.
For an instant Chiffon yielded to despair,
| and prayed for the insensibility which was
| 50 painful in its coming. 1t was more as y
| duty than as a hope that he again raised
his voice in the solitude, and uttered the
| monosyllable Of such awful import on
human lips.
"Help! Help! God! help me-" he
| groaned. as he weakly bowed his head on
his granite rock.
| "Hi"' was the response to his prayer, In
| boyish voice.
| Raising his glance in wonder, he saw.
| peering over the ledge above him, framed
in some stunted bushes, palld and terror
| stricken face, round-cheeked and sun
burned, with stains of mountain blackb,r-
ries about the mouth, and eyes expanded
beyond belief.
| The angel had come in the shape of
| George Burleigh
George" said Chiffon, abbreviating his
directions as much as possible, run after
| your party. and bring back the guides to
| get this rock of me-"
George was not lacking in perception or
lazy in execution; and as Chiffon bowed
| his head again in pain and thankfulness,
he stumbled back along the route on which
| he had recklessly wandered from the path
| in search of berries, and slid rather than
| walked down the steep mountain ROAD in
pursuit.
From his lofty position Chiffon saw the
| plateau far below him, and enter the woods
where the cool spring flowed. His throat
was parched and his body seemed on fire.
Then a smaller figure, on foot and with no
hat, was seen to dart across the stony
ledge, tripping and falling at full length
as it went, and to disappear also among
l the trees.
Chiffon was now at liberty to faint,
| which he did forthwith.
How the two stout guides found him in
sensible: how between them they managed
| to raise one en1 of the bowlder and release
his limb from its terrible grip: how George
| steadied the limp body as it slid down to a
safe place among the rocks-of all this
Chiffon knew nothing. He awoke to con-
seriousness to find himself fiat on his back,
staring at the bright sky, with scared faces
about him, and rough but kindly hands
rubbing his limbs.
| When at length he was swathed in COM
presses, put on Cruel diet and stretched on
| his bed at the Mendon House for slow re.
| covery, he had time for reflection and for
| explanation. 1t all came out when Georgia
was allowed to visit and talk to the cou-
| valescent.
II tell you what. Mr.. Chiffon" said he,
''if Alice didn't send that Lankton fellow
kiting!"
"What do you mean" asked Chiffon,
| with as much animation as could be ex-
pected of a man still unable to turn over in
bed.
"You ought to have been there" con-
tinued the boy, which, as Chiffon was at
the moment referred to, under the
rock, would have been pleasure as
well as the duty which Georges words
| indicated. at was when l got to
the spring. Mr.. Lankton was lying
on the ground close by where Alice was
her something, and couldn't see where the
| guides were, and ran right up to him, and
he said: 'Confound the boy" But didn't
mind that, Mr.. Chiffon. And l called
out to Billy Westman-Billy was one
of our guides, and he is a good fellow, toe
up on the mountain. And Westman said:
'WhereH And Mr.. Lankton said: Hes
fooling.' And l said: Il amt fooling, for
it's Mr.. Chiffon, and he told me to come
| and get you to help him. And Westman
said: Come along Mr.. Lankton, and my
brother will bring the horse And Mr..
Lankton said: Il don't believe the story
and he looked wicked, and said he would
ride that horse down the mountain HIM
self. And Westman said: IN be hanged
| if you will. so long as that horse belongs
to me- And Alice she got white as a
| sheet at first, but now she was red enough,
and she drew herself up just as she does
when she feels top-lofty, and said: Mr..
Lankton, you can take your answer right
here, and it's no, siree.' She didn't say
| met thoso wards lint ho lootad liz,