Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1889-11-09

and fear.
With a sharp scream she threw up
her hands and attempted to turn back,
when she lost hor balance and pitched
down into the deep water below.
Scarcely had she struck when some
n came tumbling down the steep
bank and, plunging boldly into the
water, caught her fast and without a
word swan ashore. The rescue had
been so quick that the girl had re-
ceiyed no injuries and in a moment
was able to speak.
They had landed on a narrow ledge
OF stone that jutted out at the waters
edge and barely afforded standing
room for them both, Above them was
an embankment several feet high, per.
fectly perpendicular, while on the
other side was the river. and beyond
that the opposite bank equally as steep
as the one by which they stood, Fora
little while they stood in silence and
then Jean spoke.
This is u dreadful mess | have
made" she said, laughing in spite of
her efforts to appear sadly distressed.
at might have been very serious"
her companion replied, "if no one had
been near when you fell. The water
is quite deep there, and as you can see
it is a long way down stream to a point
where it is possible to climb the hill,
even when one reaches the shore"
al am truly thankful for your time
ly arrival, or | suppose | should have
been drowned"
As Jean spoke she looked up into
her companions face. He was a tall,
well-built man of perhaps twenty-five,
rudy and rustic in appearance, yet
apparently possessed of an ease and
grace not common to country people:
His face, though tanned and brown,
showed his generous nature, and the
twinkling gray eyes spoke unmistak-
ably of good humor and a lively dis
position.
"Well, Miss -" he began, and
halted.
''Mastin,' Jean suggested.
"Well, Miss Mastin," he went on,
''we must rescue ourselves from this
position somehow. | hardly know how
it is to be done, but since we can not
remain here, and as its not probable
that any one will pass this way soon,
we must attempt it in some way"
II don't know how we are to get
out" said Jean.
There is but n way. You are not
afraid of the water, | see, so if you
are willing to trust me, | can swim
and float with the current to that lit
tie patch of bottom down there, and
assist you in safely reaching it. Shall
we try it?"
"Do you think it quite safe?"
Perfectly"
Then am ready to attempt it."
Placing n arm about her he lifted
her into the water, and holding her
so, tloated with the current and landed
safely at the point he had in view.
II W you a thousand thanks"
Jean said, when they stood upon the
bank, al am truly sorry to have caused
you so much trouble and %inconveni-
ence."
Don't mention IT," he replied, "for
it has been a pleasure to me. Do you
think you can reach home on foot, or
do you feel too much exhausted for the
.iourneyPn
"Oh, | shall walk back easily
enough; thanks"
"As my road lies in the same direc-
tion of yours, il you do not object. |
will bear you company a part of the
way"
81 certainly have ne reason to OBJ
ject."
They walked on quite leisurely, for
though they were thoroughly drenched
they felt none the worse for it in the
warm sunshine.
you have not told me to whom |
I'm indebted for so great IA service"
Jean said, when they were parting.
III you feel that you are indebted to
my body. you may give the credit to
ZEN Melton"
With that he touched his hat and
away.
'Oh, dear! dear!' Clarissa cried
when Jean came in. .'what in the
world have you been up to nowP What
nave you donep"
Nothing; only fell in the river"
AS II that was not perfectly awful
How did it happen"
Jean told the whole story, including
Ter rescue, and wound up by giving a
description of her rescuer
Jlarissa listened with ahorror-stricken
ace. and neither she nor Jean noticed
nc peculiar smile and the satisfied
ook that came over Aunt Martha's
ace.
II am truly mortified. JEAN"
.jlarissa protested, ''that such n thing
hould happen to us. l do wish you
ould act q little more like a sensible
irl. and II we must stay in this out
andish place, not go to tomboying
bout the woods like u Wild thing.
he idea OF being musssd around there