Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-04-10

ouire great dexterfty and an immense
amount of faith. This serpent-like
portion of the animal was invisible.
How could / know how long it wasl
.sBut there was no time for considera-
ton, the wind had again arisen and
was blowing with fury. The tower
shook beneath me; at any moment IL
might fall. If should again escape
from death, through the assistance OF
my invisible friend, must avail myself
of that assistance instantly.
81 stopped and felt the animal. He
still hung by the fore part of his body
and by his fore legs to the floor OF the
dungeon, and by reaching out | could
feel that the rest of him extended down
ward. |, therefore, seized his body in
my arms, threw myself out of the aper-
ture and began to slide down.
''In a very short time / found that l
had reached the snake portion of the
creature, and, throwing my arms and
legs around it, / endeavored with all
my strength to prevent too rapid de-
scent, but in spite of all my efforts my
downward progress was faster than !
would have wished it to be, but there
was no stopping, must slip down.
sin these moments of rapid descent
my mind was filled with wild anxiety
concerning what was likely to be the
ratio of diminution of the serpent-like
form TO which / was clinging. | re-
membered in flash that there were
| 1al " dtuir
died away suddenly into point. This
one might do so, and at any instant !
might come to the end of the tail and
drop from great height upon the
Jagged stones below.
Calculation after calculation Of the
ratio OF diminution flashed through my
mind during that awful descent. My
whole soul was centered upon one point:
When shall this support end? When
shall drop?
Fortunately, was on the leeward
side OF the tower, and / was not swung
about by the wind. Steadily descend
ed, and steadily the diameter OF the
form / grasped diminished; soon could
grasp it in my hand, then, with terri
fisd glance, looked below. / was still
at sickening distance from the ground.
/ shut my eyes. slipped down, down,
down. The tail became like q thick
rope which / encircled with each hand.
1t became thinner and thinner. 1t grew
so small that could not hold it, but as
/ felt it slip from my fingers my feet
rested on pile OF stones.
| "Bewildered and almost exhausted,
/ stumbled over the ruins, gained the
unencumbered ground, and ran as far
| from the tower as l could, sinking
down at last against the trunk Of a tree
in neighboring field. Scarcely had
reached this spot when the fury of the
wind-storm appeared to be redoubled,
and before the wild and shrielxing blast
the tower bent, and then fell with a
great crash upon the other ruin.
'sThe first thought that came into my
mind when beheld the dreadful spec.
tacle concerned the creature who had
twice saved my life. Had he escaped,
or was he crushed beneath that mass OF
stonesP l felt on either side to discover
II he was near me, but he was not. Had
he given his life for mine?
Had been stronger / would have
searched for HIM; / would have clam
bered among the ruins to see IL could
discover his mangled form. IL could but
reach his faithful head l would stroke
and caress it, living or dead. But excite
ment, fatigue and want of food had made
me so weak that could do nothing but
sit upon the ground with my back
against the tree.
"While thus resting perceived that
tho whole Of the tower had not been de
molished by the storm. Some Of the
rooms in which we had lived having
been built at later date than the rest
Of the great edifoe, had resisted the
power of the wind and were still stand
ing.
"From the direction of the uninjured
portion of the castle l now saw ap
preaching light-colored object, which