Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-04-17

Our hero could not touch the dover:
but when he described its beauties to
Ethel Dane, and heard her wish to
possess it, he resolved that he would
rob the rock and please her.
He camo to the Danes house on the
evening that witnessed the opening of
! our story. prepared to secure the match
| less specimen of botany. He carried a
strong rope beneath his coat, and after
satisfying himself that the rock still
guarded the prize he began to prepare
| for the undertaking.
| Ethel watched him make loop at
| one end of the rope, with something
like CLEAN of revenge in her dark
| eye, and when he fastened the cord to
young tree that stood near the edge
of the cliff. she said, Frank the rope
might hreak.n
Break? No Ethel, it would hang
giant. he said, smiling. You viii
put on my gloves and let me down
slowly. 1 can ascend, you know with
| out assistance"
She put on the almost womanish
the loop over the cliff. Then, putting
his neither limb over he found the rope
and put his feet into the moose
Now. down we 60 Etheln' he said,
looking up smiling. Keep the rope
tight and let it slip through your fin
gers slowlym
She was very strong for a girl of her
years and she held the rope as he had
directed.
His shoulders disappeared below the
edge of the precipice-then his face,
on which anticipated triumph sat en-
throned.
The cord slipped slowly through her
gloyed hand, and at last she stepped
aside, for the lashing about the tree
now held him up.
She crept near the brink of the dizzy
height and listened for a sound from
the man below. A slight swaying of
the rope that rested on the rock told
her that he was swinging himself in
ward toward the flower, and she
watched his movements with the eve of
the basilisk.
Gradually the movement ceased.
''Ethel!'' came up from below.
"What Frank?"
81 have got the fower!
"Bravon' she said, and then rose,
pale as ashes.
Il will do it now!n she said, under her
breath, glancing up at cloud rapidly
nearing the moon. 'Georgina Gren-
vile, you have won him, but shall
never wear him! You have stolen him
from me; this evening / steal him from
you!"
Her eyes now flashed with anger, and
her bosom rose and fell unanimously
with passion.
The renewed oscillation of the rope
told her that he was ascending, and,
springing toward the tree, she drew a
knife. 1t was a beautiful, ivory-han-
died knife. and the shining blade there
of was strong.
She dropped, suddenly grown calm
beside the rope, and looked up at the
cloud again. The fragmented edges
were crossing the rim of the moon, and
while she looked she held her breath.
The shadow advanced; such cloud
never retrogrades; fate was behind it.
Gradually the moon was eclipsed,
and when that eclipse was at its full
the headstrong girl turned to the rope.
This is my revenge, Georgina Gren-
ville!" she Kissed, and the knife struck
the cord.
The next second there was voice at
the cliff.
Ethel, Eth-great heaven-my-"
| The rope was severed, and the cry of
the student, hurled headlong down in
| to the torrent of mad waters that
plunged through the bed of the chasm,
was stified.
A moment later the moonbeams fell
upon Ethel Dane, standing alone be-
meath the tree, pale as death, but
| triumphant. By and by she crept to
the edge of the cliff, and found-one
leaf of that beautiful flower, glued to
the rock by the pressure of his hand!
She could not touch it, and while she
looked it fell. of its own accord down,
down, after him.
How she listened for wall; but none
came up. How she strained her eyes
to catch glimpse at him lying on the
drenched bank below-dead, but no
such SIGHT rewarded her. The silence
of death hung about the cliffs of Files
mere-as well it might, for the noblest
youth in the land had sold his life for
flower!
And young girl stood over his I'M
known grave with stain of murder on
her SOUL
Ethel suddenly started from the cliff
and toiled at the end of the coiled rope
long time. Then she walked away
and entered her home alone. The
house was deserted, for she had been
alone for several days. Her parents
were absent on visit, and as she had
answered the ring at the bell herself
the servants did not know who had
called. Therefore Frank HazePs visit
had not been known.
She would keep the dread secret of
his doom in her own breast and for
four years she kept it well.
In the little churchyard of Boyleston
may be seen an unpretentiOus marble
Hazel, act. 10. They whom the gods
love die young" Above the name
is carved beautiful lily falling from
| its stem.
| Three days after the tragedy his
! body was found, and in his hand was
crushed the fowor for whose posses
sion he had imperiled and lost his life.
Ethel could tell but little concerning
his death He had discovered rare
! flower somewhere among the rocks,
and he had told her that nothing was
easier than to let himself over the cliffs
by rope and secure the botanical
prize. This was all she told, and his
! fellow-students said that his love for
botany had cost life.
With the secret shared by the grave
| and EthpIs heart unknown to the