Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-10-24

@YeS. My beneI Is mat you VIII nhu tne
telegram only a mere business cipher, and all
this quest mere nonsense"
sAlce! Why, you yourself thought your
fathers conduct that night very strange.
Have you forgottenP
The Young lady had not, but, for some far
reaching feminine reason, chose to ignore it
at that moment, when her late tumble In the
snow was still fresh in her mind
aAnd this woman, whoever she may be-"
continued Mrs. Rightbody.
GHow do you know there's q woman in the
caseY' interrupted Miss Alice, wickedly, /
fear.
aHow do--I-know-theres q womanf"
slowly CALCULATED Mrs. Rightbody, founder
ing in the snow at the unexpected possibility
Of such a ridiculous question. But here her
guide few to her assistance, and stopped fur
Their speech. And, indeed, a grave problem
was before them.
The road that led to their single place Of
refugee cabin, half hotel, half trading post,
scarce a mile away-skirted the base Of the
rocky dome, and passed perilously near the
PERCEPTIONS wall of the valley. There was a
rapid descent of a hundred yards or more to
this terrace-like passage; and the guides
Daused for q moment of consultation, coolly
oblivious, alike to the terrified questioning Of
Mrs. Rightbody, or the half insolent indie
pendence of the daughter. The elder guide
was russell bearded, stout and humorous; the
Younger was dark bearded, slight and Sc
riOus.
"Ef you kin git young Bunker Hill to let
YOU tote her on your shoulders, I'll get the
madam to hang on to me" came to Mrs.
Rightbody's Mortified ears as the expression
Of her particular companion.
.Freeze to he old gal, and don't reckon on
me if the daughter starts in to play it alone"
was the enigmatical response of the younger
Guide.
Miss Alice overheard both propositions;
uIi. before the two men returned to their
side, that high-spirited young lady had urged
her horse down the declivity.
.ilaS! at this moment a gust of whirling
snow swept down upon her. There was a
founder, a misstep, Il fatal strain on the
wrong rein, a fell, a few plucky but unavail
ing struggles, ind both horse and rider slid
ANONYMOUSLY down toward the rocky shelf,
Mrs. Rightbody screamed. Miss Alice, from
a confused debris of snow and ice, upltted a
vexed and coloring face to the younger guide
a little the more angrily, perhaps, that she
saw a shade of impotence on his face.
Don't move, tut tie one end OF the lass
under your arms, and throw me the other
he said, qIietly.
What do you mean by 'lass'-the laSsoF'
asked Miss Alice, disgustedly.
Yes, ma'am."
Then why don't you say soF
"Oh, Alice!" rep~roachfully interpolated
Mrs. Rightbody, encircled by the elder guides
stalwart arm.
Miss Alice deigned no reply, but drew the
loop of the laSso over her shoulders, n let
it drop to her round waist. Then she eSSayed
to throw the other end to her guide. Dismal
failure! The first fling nearly Knocked her
off the ledge; the second went all wild against
the rocky wall; the third caught in q thorn
bush, twenty feet below her companions feet.
Miss Alice's arm sunk helpleSsly to her side,
at which signal of unqualified surrender, the
Younger guide threw himself half way down
the slope, worked his way to the thorn bush,
hung for a moment perilouSly over the para
pet, secured the lasso, and then began to pull
away at his lovely burden. Miss Alice was
no dead weight, however, but steadily half
scrambled on her hands and knees to within a
foot or two of her reScuer. AT this too
familiar proximity, she stood up, and leaned
q little stitlly against the line, causing the
guide to give an extra pull, which had the
lamentable effect of landing her almost in his
arms. As it was, her intelligent forehead
struck his nose sharply, and l regret to add,
treating of Il romantic situation, caused that
somewhat prominent sign and token of a
hero to bleed freely. Miss Alice instantly
clappel a handful of snow over his noStrilS.
Now elevate your right arm" she said
commandiaGly.
He did as he was hidden, but sulkily.
THAT congresses the artery"
No man, with u pretty woman'S hand and
a handful of snow over his mouth and nose,
could effectively utter u heroic sentence, nor
with his arm elevated stittly over his head,
assume q heroic attitude. But, when his
mouth was free again, he said half-sullaly,
half-apologetically:
Il might Eave known a girl couldn't throw
worth q cent"
WHY demanded Miss Alice sharply.
"Because-why-becauS you - they
haven't got the experience" he stammered
feebly.
Nonsense. thNy haven't the clavicle-that':
all! It's because I'm a woman, and smaller
in the collar bone, that l haven't the play OF
the forearm which you have. See" She
squared her shoulders slightly, and turned
the blaze Of her dark eyes full on his. lex,
perience, indeed: A girl can learn anything
a boy can"
Apprehension took the place of ill-humor in
her nearer. He turned his eyes hastily away,
and glanced above him. The elder guide had
gone forward to catch Miss Alice's horse,
which, relieved of his rider, was founder
ing toward the trail. Mrs. RightbOdy was
nowhere to DC seen. And these two were
! still twenty feet below the trail!
There was an awkward pause.
shall | pull you up the same wayf" he
queried. Miss Alice looked at his nose, and
hesitated. "Or will you take my handi' be
added, in surly impatience. To his surprise,
Miss Alice took his hand, and they began the
ascent together.
But the way was difficult and dangerous.
Once or twice her feet slipped on the smoothly
worn rock beneath; and she confessed to an
inward thankfulneSs when her uncertain femi
nine handgrip was exchanged for his strong
arm around her waist. Not that he was I'm
gentle; but Miss Alice angrily felt that he
had once or twice exercised his superior mas,
culine functions in a rough way; and yet the
next moment she would lave probably re
jected the idea that she had even noticed it
There was no doubt, however, that he was 9
little surly.
A fierce scramble finally brought them
back in safety to the trail; but in the action
Miss Alice's shoulder. striking a proiectino