The times., 1897-05-16

crag which tutted out over the gorge.
\ Her costume, at the same time elegant
and simple, consisted OF a short and Scanty
skirt of dark blue flannel, reaching to q
few inches below the knee, loosely fitting
waist al. the same material, a shapeless
soft felt hat Of gray, with an aigrette OF
eagles feathers, perched somewhat side
ways upon the wayy masses of her gold
brown hair, and lastly, but not lea st pic
turesquely, of thick stockings, home knit,
of coarse gray yarn, and Of shoes which,
though small, were heavily and stoutly
made. Her form, well shown by this eff
fective dress, was tall, full five feet six in
height, md 1.-THE and strong and ctsssically
me.ded as that OF one Of Diana s hunt
| resses.
what are you going TO dor" she asked
after surveying me for few nome nts with
critical and imperious air.
THAT is just what l have been asking
| myself" answered l. Il would climb
this confounded cliff if / knew how
There WAS a frightened look upon her
face at this, aud she seemed to hesitate
''Can you assure me, should permit yod
TO ascend, that you will he altogether
reasonable and harmless?"
II swear it," said |, at the same time
wondering what she meant. In the few
words which she had addressed to me,
had noticed striking popularity. The
language which she used was of d precise
and somewhat stilted character. Her voice,
though musical and fascinating, was uneven
in its tones, and her accent, though most
correct, had something undefinably quaint
and strange in It, was very much puzzled.
II go, but viii return said she. You
shall await me hut moment
With that, she vanished again, returning
in a min ute's time with good sized rope,
knotted at intervals of about two feet,
the end OF which she threw down To me.
The upper end was evidently fast to some
tree, but she took hold of the rope, where
it ran over the edge of the cliff, ana bracing
her young, strong limbs, gracefully and
resolutely prepared TO keep il away from
the face of the rocks. i seized the rope
and planting my toes upon theirregnlarities
of the almost perpendicular wall, had no
difficulty in hauling myself to the top.
/ wondered, as / did so, at the strength
which she displayed in holding the cattle
up and away from the brink of the ffssure
As l stood before her, she stepped back
a few PAGES and seemed to regard me with
dstrust The nearer view which l now
had Of her face, made her more beautiful
than / had supposed There was some
thing spirited and noble in the curves Of
her regular features, a warmth and vigor
i'll her rich brown color, and a sweet Sc
riouSness in the depths OF her eyes and
about her lips, which filled me with adj
mration and interest. / stepped toward
her, that | might take her brown, we'll
shaped hand an dthankher. Tony amaze
ment, she sprang swiftly backward, caught
up from somewhere a short thick sapling
ard held il with a threatening gesture She
appeared the incarnation of lovely saw
age, and il occurred to me at once, though
with whas correctness will shortly appear,
that had to do with a lunatic.
Calm yourself, my dear young lady said
I. II simply wishedto take your hand and
thank you for my deliverance"
Would that / could be assured" she
answered, that this was your only in
tention.''
and what else could it be?'' / cried
'Do you imagine that | would offer vio-
ience to an angelic creature such as you?
Have that in nay appearance which should
frighten your
II must acknowledge" she replied, that
YOU have not. On the contrary, there is an
inexplicablc attraction in your face which
draws me toward you; and, above all, why
should fear you ghcl / am your equal in
strength and activity
THAT being So said /, with much in
ward amusement and wonder. show that
you bear me no ill-will by shaking hands
with me- y
She cas-. away her weapon, and. advanc-
in ~ SiCt,-n n mo
a warm and plant hand in mine 1 gave it
a hearty squeeze aud smiled upon her kind
ly and carcssingly. She gave me a merry
smile in return smile which disclosed
two rows OF small and pearl-Iike teeth and
an almost irnperceptible dimple in either
cheek
Then It is not true she mlrmured
more to herself than to me.
what is not true2'' | asked
That men eat women, was the aston
ishing answer.
who told you any such thing?" said L,
after had regarded her for j moment in
anazement.
My mother"
Where is your motser?"
Il don't know
While &e were exchanging these last
u,
through narrow lane between the
trees. and ! was now surprised to find
myself in an open meadow OF irregular
shape. about eighty feet in width, by
some three hundred in length. Upon the
ocean side all outlook was shut off by an
impenetrable palisade of scrub frs and
hemIocks; while at either end and a the
back of this miniature and hidden valley,
there rose "a steep, bare, unscalable wall
of jagged. uneven rocks, full seventy feet
in height Midway through this mac
cessible and mIaic vale, there ran a tiny
crystal brook In one corner of it, nest
ling beneath the cliff, stood a cosy and
picturesque cottage, while two or three
other toy-like structures were placed
near by Some weil-kept beds of flowers
were artisticaliy laid out in front of the
house, and at the further end OF this fairy
like domain there was a vegetable gar
den. in which a number of domestic Fowls
were actively occupied
That" said she, indicating the house
with a nod, and speaking with certain
proud satisfaction, lis my dwelling"
''And a very romantic, snug little cottage
it is, Miss-I beg your pardon. What may
/ call you?'
''You may call me by name-Miranda
Roy
well, Miss Roy"
Il did not say Miss Roy Miranda Roy"
miranda Roy, then said L, smiling
in spite OF myself. MY name is Regi-
maid Bigeiow, and if you will permit me,
1 will step in and pay my respects to your
people,