Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-09

physical sensation caused by the mere slip
ping of the earth beneath him, and which,
strange to tell, was distinctly present and
repuCnant to his senses even in that mo-
ment of utter peril and agony. The reeling,
sinking earth was sliding from beneath him,
but was carrying him too only too surely
in its descent. He turned on his face and
tried to clutch at anything that might stay
him even for a moment in his downward
rush. Happily for him the bank Just there
was very sloping and not at all precipitate
if it had been precipitate poor Hugh's
career would have been finished in about
five seconds. But the bank sloped consid-
erably, and Hugh's descent was for a while
so smooth and easy that he had time
to pull himself together and to call
his wits about him. The situation needed
all the wits of the best-witted man. Hugh
knew well that he was rushing downward to
a certain death if nothing should interpose
to stay his descent BE dug his knees into
the reddish earth of the bank and strove to
strike his feet into the soil, as a man about
to take desperate jump in steeplechase
tries to dig his feet we'll into the stirrups.
Even with his back turned to the light
what light there was-he could see that the
moon still shone. He clutched at project
ing stumps of trees and TUFTS of bushes and
him, and the downward rush began to grow
quicker and quicker. Yet second or two
and he felt that all must be over with him.
But he would not give up-he would not
die. He thought of his love-he thought of
Marie-and ne would not die. He was like
Dibdin's sailor-he would not believe that
Heaven could have designed to snatch him SO
young from the woman he loved. Down,
down, down-another painting, breathless,
agonlzed second or two, with the roar of the
pltiless falls crashing upon his ears and
dea enlng him, and then a terrible jerk
which almost flung him off the face OF the
slope, and then he found himself caught
and seated astride on the projection of some
rock. And then the rush OF the clay and
mari went on without him, and for a mo.
ment he was ssfe-safe ii his rock still held
its place, safe if the landslip went no
further, safe if any human power. any help
ing hand, could come to his aid in time.
For moment he felt inclined to relieve his
feelings by burst of tears. For a moment
he could think of Marie again, and the hope
of seeing her once more.
He lay there, horsed upon his peak of
rock, unable to think of anything but the
fact that the landslip had gone by him and
that he might yet be saved. He did not yet
dare to move or even to look around. His
whole soul was absorbed in the one desper-
ate desire to cling fast and to cheat the
rapids and the falls. He found himself in
the condition of child who mas covered his
head with the bedclothes, in fear of some
supposed apparition, and who dares not un-
cover his eyes and look out to see what is
really going on. By degrees he felt his
nerve and his courage coming back. He
was very plucky young fellow, trained to
all manner of athletic sports and we'll
skilled to make the best use of what strength
and nerve he had. But the bravest man
may admit that under certain conditions of
unexpected and unfamiliar danger he can
become for while as little child. Hugh
knew all this, and he waited without
movement for his nerves to come back
to him and bend themselves to his
control; and be soon found that they were
canning back. He dared "a lift his head.