The Penn's Grove record., 1894-03-16
CHATTER II.

eddying columns up the rugged OluhS
Myriads OF insects we're screening
croaking, scraping on every bush an
tree.
The mellow tones Of a COW bel
were heard far up the mist.dimmet
mountain path, growing momentari
ly more distinct. Presently. a COW
came stumbling along the uneven
way, followed by a rosy-cheeked'
handsome girl. She was humming
blithe little song, its measures timed
to the pokes which she was forced Il
give with her stick to the loiterin4
COW, which paused every moment II
take a surreptitious nIbble at some n'
usually tempting bit Of heritage,
Suddenly the song broke on. a
man had risen from the deep shadow
of a rock and confronted the singer.
A half-uttered scream escaped her
lips. Gala, Lon Taylor" she gasped
in soft, contralto tones; show ye
scairt me, / thought 1t war a ghost y
She was llughing now and looking ar
him with swimming, ~loDg-laSheJ
brown eyes.
"Ye amt afraid OF ghosts, air ye,
Elmiry?" he asked.
AT this time of day ye can't tell
what yen see," she replied. nodding
her brown head sagely. Just look
at that" with a quick change Of tone,
as the COW, which, taking advantage
OF this brief respite from the prod
dings OF her enemy the stick, had
been blissfully grazing, SHE'D sud
denly and fed precipitately down the
path. II must be after her"
He laid a OBTAINING hand on heI
arm. 'Let the cow.critter be; she'll
end her way home. l want to talk
with We. Elmiry," he said, meeting
her startled glance with beseechinE
gaze. Lets go lack the way We
came; it's pleasant there"
I'm afraid" she demurred, with
a little shudder; otis so dark and
lonesome"
There won't nothin' hurt ye," he
responded, 'athOut it's some OF them
ghosts We know so much about
chidingiy. Come along"
! She complied, with "A coauettish
toss OF her head, and soon they were
trulging far up the mountain, en-
gagged in rustic hadinage.
Up and on they went, aud so en-
crossed was She in what they were
saving that she scarcely noticed
whittier their steps were tending.
Suddenly she paused with a fright
ened glance around. Lion Taylor
she cried out shrilly, 'where have ye
took me to! We air on Spirit Rock
/ Fearful, indeed, was the spot she
found herself upon. From the mar
row ledge on which they stood the
mountain descended in a sheer, un'
broken ia |. Far, far below, in the
dim, peaceful valley, great cruel rocks
CLEANED Whitley.
I A sudden wind sprang up; so fierce
! 1t seemed to the shrinking, terrified
girl that she fell on her knees, clutch
ing frantically the cold, u%nyielding
rocks at her feet.
40 take me back she implOred
him at last, when her first fright had
passed.
"Yc can't so back, Elmiry." he an
swered. and his voice was so changed
that she looked at him in quick alarm
"Ye can't take a step forward nor
back" His tones were full Of resjbAH.
there was now no beseecbiRT look in
his eyes, for a fierce glow was in
them, He steealTegarding her, his
arm 5eldssd across his breast
TWhat do We meant" she falterel.
II mean that we must have an UNI
Outstanding right here and now" he
replied. Tell me, air We a-goin' to
marry Luke Cheetum? | amt loved
We for nothiu', girl, and l give W
right here to choo e between Us, II
We won't marry me ye shant him, for
I'll fling ye down the bluffs first"
His voice was hoarse with feeling
when he said this, and his eyes never
left the startled beauty Of the girls
face. 'Just say yell marry nc
stiddier him, and III take We back
athout another word. Look down."
he added, land mark what's before
ye; and remember We hold yer life in
yer own hands tonight, ElmirY.n
/ She dared not turn her eyes on the
! fascinating dimuess of the valley be-
meath, lest, impelled by the awful
grandeur OF the scene, she should
lose her senses and be drawn down
to certain death.
She was at his mercy e? he Con- Con-,
,pletely barred the path by which
they had come, and escape by any
other means seemed impossible.
Suddenly she sprang to her feet
unmindful of her proxifsity to that
awful chasm. "Ye cow13d," she cried
out, disdainfully, a vivi6 spot of color
on either check; ''to threaten a girl
like that! Let me back" Her thick
glossy brown hair had escaped It's
fastenings and swirled around her in
the wind. One round arm, from
which the sleeve had fallen back as
she steadled herself against the wall
OF rock, shone against its background
like Parian marble. She looked like
an outraged goddess of the mountains,
whose wrath had been kindled by the
folly Of some weak mortal.
Don't fool with me-" be said,
scowlingly. "Once for all We must
make up yer mind" He had taken a
step nearer, and the blaze Of theil
eyes met in a flash like lightning. A
stone ~loosened by his foot rolled and
fell from the ledge. He seized hel
wrist. "Listen," he cried. They
held their breaths. At last. far, IA
below, 1t struck the rocks, the echo
of its fall ringing back and forth.
She was white and trembling now
words Of entreaty falling from he
lips. Then, with the energy Of de
spair, snatchiug her wrist from hi
grasp: "Let me be-" she cried. =,
won't give Luke Cheetum up!" Sh,
turned as though to flee. To he
right stood Lon. a picture of fury; t,
the left-she caught her breath will
a little gasp Of hope-was a wild,
assure in the rock on which they stood
safe on the other side she could hon
to defy him until help should come
Could she reach it? she asked her
III