The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-02-08
ing swiftly away. The child looked

WV ' uCI HHnN.
"Good-bye, Hcber Trent" she
called, IN her sweet young voice.
"Gocd-bye, Miss Nettic,n cried
Hcber, waving his cap in response.
FROM the spot where the boy stood
the road swept in a curve along the
hrow OF a precipice, nearly Il hundred
feet in hcighth, and as perpendicular
as the side Of a house, called Castle
Gin. From the road to the brink of
the Cliff, the ground, covered with
long, withcrcd grass and scattered
hazel bushes, SlOped gradually down.
ward. 1t was a dangerous place, bu.
n lew who passed that way were so
familiar with it that no accident had
happened within Hebcr's memory.
From the bottom, halfway up, the
surfa C OF the precipicc WIS nearly as
smooth as a wall. From that point
to the top, the rock was scanned and
more cr les broken, while here and
there Il tuft Of harsh, tough grass, or
stuntcd tree or shrub, found Il hole
in the crcviccS.
Heller continued to watch the re-
treating vehicle with Il feeling Of re-
greet, as ii he were witnessing the de-
parture OF friends VIII IN he would
never meet again; when suddenly the
wagon stopped, about midway a.ross
the Ereclp &c, and the little girl
jumped out and ran toward the hazel
bushes on the dangerous slope.
"TEcy don't know about the Cliff"
mllffnrpI tinhnr nnvinuclu "a, H.,
small bright figure fitted among the
hazcls, gathering the ripe nuts, and
every moment approaching nearer
to the unseen brink. ''.Shc'll be over
next. Stop. stop" he shouted.
Then remembering that his warning
could not be heard at that distance,
he started toward the spot at the top
Of his speed.
lie had not made a dozen leaps
when he checked himself and stood
with horrOr-strickcn eyes. The child.
not her W length from the very
edge Of the %precipice, was reaching
up on tiptOc to grasp IA tcmpting
cluster of nuts. Suddenly her foot
slipped, and, losing her balance, she
fell forward, vainly cluuchipg at the
slender twigs and branches, and
plunged headlong in the fearful gulf
below.
lIebcr sank to his knees and COW
cred his face with his haHds. When
he raised his head again, the gentle
man was rushing madly through the
bushes toward the place where his
daughter had disappeared. AS the
mist cleared away from his vision, the
boy saw a bright object against the
side Of the cliif about halfway down.
1t was the BODY Of the child, whose
fall had been arrested by some shrub
or tree growing out Of a cleft.
Hcbcr sprang to his feet and ran,
as he haC. never u before in his
life. AS he drew near the gentle
man, the latter, who seemed to have
almost lost his senses with grief and
terror, turned toward him, wringing
his hands and sobbing aloud: ''My
child. my little Nettlc.." he cred:
''she has fallen over the cliff"
"Ies," answered lleDer, with a
Shudder, ii saw it all. Rut wait; it
may not be so bad as you think"
He dropped upon his hands and
knees. and, crawling to the edge Of
the cliff, peered cautiously over. Il
vas right" he exclaimed, she hasn't
fallen to the bottom. She is lying in
a stunted cedar fifty feet down. And
she is alive: / see her move her arm.
He sprang up and gazcd at the dis
tractcd father. ave must get her
up from there, somehow" he said,
eagerly.
''Ycs, yes, " cried tie gentleman.
Run for help: get ropes"
''l,opcs," repeated licbCr, sadly.
81 don't think tn re is Il rope long
enough or strong enough in the whole
yal!ey. The nearest place where we
could get is the station"
Then take the wagon and drive
for your life . said Ncttic's father.
..Quick. quick. Ill wait here TIL
you return
Heller shook his head. "Twclyc
miles there and tw I've miles back.
1t would take too long. She would
fall oil and be dashed to iccas, or
die OF fright and hurt before | got
here. No: we must try and save her
ours elves"
..Eut how" asked the gentleman.
shaking the boys arm in his excite
ment.
':Lct me think-lct me think"
mutteled Heller. while nls eyes wan
dcrcI to the horse, who. left to his
own devices, had drawn the WAGON
oil the road upon the turf and was
now nibbling at the yellow leaves OF
a dense mass Of vines intcrlaccd with
the branches OF a low spreading tree.
Suddenly his .acc frightened with Il
glow Of hope.
II believe I've cot it, he cried.