The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1888-10-18
THE MAIDSTONE.
BY WILLIAM II. BUsnNEtt.

III WILLIAM II. BUSHNELL.
"Nind how you 60 poEin' round 'mong
thcr ROCKS and bushes, or you'll come to
yer death, was the impressive warming
OF an old "Ciackcr' woman from whom
Paul Myrott had obtained shelter the
previous night. and as he was about to
resume hi, journey.
An employc of the Smithsonian, cx-
pcricnc,d and fearless, though still
young, he was exploring the mountain
regions o. North Caronl IN search of
novelties in geology, fauna and flora. aud
smiIingly questioned in return:
ia what shape, my kind friend!n
"Waal, ther mouutnns, 'srcccrly ther
QUITO thCr-way spots, am est crlvc with
rattlc,nakcs and pilots, and ther bite am
always more deadly at this time o. thcr
year than any oihcr.'
"Gcs, know that is the popular belief
with rcga d 10 August, though very much
TO be questioned. Blind. When the
skin they are shedding is over their eyes,
not otherwise, | fancy Tut have no
fears about me | am accustomed to
them, and shall not be deferred from
adding few rattlcs TO my collection if
chance oilers for large oncs.n
"ihar be plenty on 'cm moustr'us-
lc,t mon~tr'us.' was answered with n
shudjcr fora .ong life In the locality had
not in the least diminished her fear
Bidding his Kind friend farewell. Paul
Nyrait took little path that led still
deeper into the mountains. But he did
not neglect the warming and cut stout
a-h stan, though having much greater
faith in It's we ght and toughucss than
any power of its peculiar hypnotism as
applied to any species Of the tratalus
hOrrdus.
EGs ~ killed were the few hc Glanced
upon, tor the stories of numbers found
are much larger than the reality, and he
sauntcrcd carcleSsly along. knocking oil
fragment of rock, picking a flower,
watching the birds or listening - their
song until The wcstefning of the sun
gave warning of the ncarncss of night.
"Not very cnticing spot TO camp"
he muscd, as he looked over the rocky
surroundings, the multiplicity Of dark,
wide seams and Caycrnous openings,
most unqucstlonaI Ily the homes of scaly
enemies Of mankind. "Ah, town
within easy travel That is favorable
and timely, and-I was not mistaken
there are muttcrings OF thunder in the
distance and the wind and clouds iudi.
cate n storm. >
Cactuily noting the direction, he
gathered up his bundle of travelling con
vcuicncc, and started. Soon he reached
bold bluif, and was compelled to travel
along its brink until he could discover
some path that permitted descent. But
suddenly and lcarfully his footsteps were
arrested, first by the sight of au easel, Il
girl skctching, with her long brown
hair, Of the peculiar shade that readily
mclts into gold, floating unco, cred, and
then by the fearful vision of an immense
rattlc'nal>c that had crawled from an
opening undiscovered To ncar her feet,
and was coilcd for its deadly stroke.
Tie shouted in warning, but his voice
was lost in The revcrberating echoes; he
detached and threw fragment of rock,
but II fell short of its destined mark and
dropped into yawning cha>m; he ran
with nll his swiftncsS, but the distance
was much too great for him to cover in
/ tim to save the unconscious girl from
I the poisonous fang'. For one stroke of
his stout stan he would have given all
of his earthly possessions, now it was
it had been severed.
He saw the snake strike. its efforts to
get loose when the curved teeth became
cutang,cd in the dress, the white hand
fall, rs to brush away some unknown
intruder, saw it bittcn-that and the
arm again and again-and then. as the
girl realized the horror of her situation,
heard the most agcnlzing screams.
\ little later Though it seemed TO the
young naturalist as the lapsing of hours
he reached the spot Of the terrible com.
bat, disabled the loathsOmc and furious
reptile with n single blow, fung it far
away, and raised the fainting girl in hi,
arms Winter than a lily and as help
less as n crushed one, she lay there. with
her lips trembling with sobs, bosom
hca'ing convulsively and eyes fixed
upon him with the most pleading appca
tor help.
"My God" :" hc groaned as he inter
preted her wishes, ~ am utterly with
out the means to aid you. Even the
customary anidotes ! recklessly tlune
away ms useless burden. Now woulC
give my life for them. But have cour
age. We can surely reach the village il
time to save your life, though not yol
from suffering. Is it very farl"
"No," was answered with contracted
throat ana husky voice -"no, but dealt
is much nearer, and shall never Sc
father or mother again"
~ ray it may not be as you fear, an,
we must hurry along as rapidly as pos
siblc. Nou know the shortest way ~
"lcs," with painful utterance.
swat yet moment" he said alout
and then. mentally "the chance is des
perate and dangerous My life may b
the forfeit, but cannot see one so younj
and fair die the most fearful of death
without risking it to saye--at least re
lieyc her.
Trained in the school he had been
familiar with toXicology, especially tn
venom Of serpents, none knew bette
than he the dangerous task he was abou