Marble Hill press., 1894-06-21
CHATTER NIN.

CHATTER XIN.
Il knowed it must go one day.
How fares it, pardner?" called Brace
from the opposite ledge.
Looking across. | saw him sitting
on the bowlder binding his arm with
his neckcloth.
lola is hit. The villain has done
his work" | said.
He'll never do no more" Brace
answered. pointing up the ledge.
Van Hoeck had tried to escape
the way he came, after shooting
Lola, and had got some distance
along the ledge when the great rock
opened and slid away.
He stood on the narrow
| path now "a CHASTITY spec
tacle A piece of quartz had struck
him on the head; thin stream of
blood was trickling down his back
In one hand he held the Great
Hesper; in the other he grasped his
rifle
But he dared not move from the
position he had reached when the
roof tilted up; for the light that
burst in had blinded him once more
The sensitive retina had closed over
the pupils, and the blank. sightless
eyes stared wildly round, incapable of
| seeing.
| 1t was possible for Brace to reach
him by going.. along the ledge.
"Will you save him:'' I asked.
Not pardner," he replied. Il
leave him to providence, be his end
what it may. The shot he fired at
my poor youngster started the con-
cern, and brought the whole thing
down. 'Tis God Almighty's Judge
ment. Let it be-"
Van Hoeck let the rifle slip from
his hand; how insignificant to us
seemed the sound that came up from
below, as the weapon struck rock,
after the mighty discord that had
thundered in our ears, and yet to
him how terribly significant.
We could see his hand quivering
as he groped along the edge of the
wall.
In vain now he strained his eyes
to see the ledge by which he had
followed us Yet he could not stand
forever there.
He found crevice for his fingers,
and made step forward: he advanc-
ed again, but the rock he put his
foot on was a piece of debris that
had fallen upon the ledge. 1t rolled
under his weight He staggered
back. swinging his arms in the vain
attempt to get an equilibrium, then
he shot forward, and fell headlong
down, down, down into the abyss.
held my breath; it seemed
minutes before that hollow ''pong"
reached our ears, telling us that
Van Hoeck was gone forever, and
the Great Hesper with him.
There was cord. and to spare, in
the coils. Weighing one end with
stone, I threw an end across to
Brace, and when the ropes were
knotted, and bridge once more
formed, he crossed. and knelt down
by me over poor Lola.
He examined her wound, and shook
his head ia silence; there was no
hope.
We made a mattress of the rugs
on the smoothest part OF the rock
and attempted to lift her upon it.
But the movement gave her pain,
and she motioned us to desist Then
pointing upwards she made signs for
US to leave her.
mot while you are with us, my
poor GEL" said her father. with
more tenderness than had ever
heard in his voice.
We had the flask. and some food in
wallet We eat when we were
hungry. seated beside Lola
Then exhausted with fatigue, and
the terrible strain we had been SUBJ
jected 70, wo unconsciously fell
asleep. with our backs resting
against tho rock. The last thing of
which was conscious was the press
ing Of Lola's lips upon my hand
Brace touched my arm.
'.Pardner. [" be said. IN . tone Of
, awe. .'the Kids gone.
] looked whore ! had seen her ~
IH Nm.