The Penn's Grove record., 1896-09-11

other hand vas o wich point, slopini
, down in a grand. richly wooded curv,
10 the waters edge, with the quain
little square-towered church nestlin.
at its foot, and looking as though II rost
directly u Of the sea. The wave.
/, sparkled and rippled in the bright sun
shine, as they gently kissed the Ions
stretch of golden sand lying between
Oxwich and Penard. For a few min
utes I gave myself up to the luxury Of
enjoying the beauty of this fair scene
and to the dreamy influences of thu
surroundings, nor thought of danger
and peril so close at hand. Then ]
opened my book, and was soon absorb
d in Its contents.
For a little while I read on undis.
turbed. Then a sudden shadow across
my book made me look up. and there.
with a wild glare in his eyes and a look
OF savage frenzy on his face, stood Mr..
Jasper.
/ started to my feet with a cry OF
horror. There was no mistaking the
deadly light of insanity in his eyes. |
was on the edge of q dangerous cliff
with a mailman.
my gem, my princess, my star" he
cried, II have found you at last. They
have been trying to keep US apart all
day. but now we have found each other
and will never part any more"
His gem, princess and star''-though
] imagined i must have resembled a
frightened thunder cloud more than
any of h above similes-turned on
him Indignantly and did the most fool.
ish thing under the circumstances that
l could do. l forgot that l was dealing
with a lunatic, and spoke to him as he
were sane.
please go away at once, Mr.. Jasper,
came here to be alone, and do not
wish for company"
"On, now you are going to be cross,
just like my wife; she is always scold-
iEg and nagging, never gives me a min
ute's peace. But l love my wife, l do"
he added, refiectively, as If by way Of
afterthought, 81 love my wife. do you
believe me?"
This, under the circumstances, WIS
a satisfactory assertion on Mr.. Jasper'A
part, and l fastened to assure him Of
my perfect confidence in his conjugaI
fidelity, adding, But she would not like
10 see you behaving in this way; loose
T1y hands, please, Mr.. Jasper, and so
away"
For answer he drew me closer to him.
/ could feel his hot breath on my face,
and my terror was increasing every mo-
ment. 81 love my wife," reiterated Mr..
Jasper, but l love the morning star.
and you, you are the morning star.
Come and let us jump over this preci-
pice into the glorious space, and we
will circle around the moon together,
and be happy 2vermore."
Then to my horror, Mr.. Jasper plac
ed his arms around me and forcibly
lifted me to my feet. In another i'll
slant we should have started on that
aerial journey Mr.. Jasper wished TO
take. To struggle in that viselike grasp
was unavailing; there was not n human
being within reach to come to my as
sistance; II more step and we should
b. over the cliff and must inevitably be
dashed to pieces on the rocks below. |
rould no longer control my terror.
uttered one long, piercing scream. Then
A loud, clear voice rang in my ear:
"Jasper, Jasper. what are you about:
For heavens sake loose this young
lady; do you want to kill both yourself
and her?'
Then l felt myself wrencbed from the
grasp of the mailman and almost flung
to n safe distance on the grass.
Frank, Frank" | cried, @'oh, how
thankful l am you have come"
For Frank Dudley indeed 1t was,
though how he whom l supposed to he
far away in Ireland should suddenly
appear in Cover in time to rescue me
from a terrible fate | did not trouble
myself to inquire. 1t was enough for
me that he was there and that l was
safe.
Good heavens" calculated Frank, 81
was only Just in time; another second
and you both would have been over
the cliff! Has he hurt your
"No, | am not hurt, only terribly
frightened" And indeed l was trem-
ullllS III every lllp iho 81 heEihiS manu-
to repress an inclination to go off into
Il, violent fit of hysterical crying. Frank
had barely time to place me on n low
piece of rock and then turn his attcn-
ton to Jasper, who now came forward
with very threatening gestures, evil
IDENTIFY bent on battling it out with the
mar who had come between himself
and his morning star" Fortunately
Simpson also appeared at this june
thre, otherwise, strong as Frank was,
he would have been no match for the
mailman. Simpson had but left his
charge for a short time, and on missing
him, after a fruitless search elsewhere.
had traced him to the warren. Between
them they overpowered Jasper and
took him back to the house. ! follow
ed, feeling still very shaky. but re-
solved to hold up 10 the end. When
we reached the house of course | col
iapsed, and was glad to take shelter in
my own room. Here, under the care of
one of the maids and with the aid of a
glass of Sir Villains good port, I grad
ually recovered.
Later IN the eVenlnS 1 was SitlhS III
the small drawing room, pale. but quite
recovered, when Frank Dudley came
IN.
.Oh, Mr.. Dudley" l said, II car
never thank you e~nough-you have say
ell mylife; but for you l should now he
lying crushed and l~ifeless at the foot OF
the Great Tor"
"'Mr. Dudley" he said, seating him
self on the couch beside me. 81 was
Frank this afternoon: please may l
not stay SOP
"Oh, 1 forgot then, l was so frightened
1 did not think what l was saying,
/ replied and l know l got very red as
l said 1t.
''Well, 1t was very nice. l wish you
would always be so frightened, and not