The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-06-04

of nothingness. Slowly he advanced or
hands and knees, every moment feelinA
the sharp rock growing narrower, til,
finally he reached the end. He looked
ahead He could but family see the
ledge and Branasko's tall form silhou
cited upon it.
See, this is where you have to
alight," cried the Alphian. '.Iump.
will catch you.
II am afraid l shall topple over when
/ stand mp" replied the American.
1.-The rock is narrow, and my head is
already swimming. / fear l cannot
reach you. Ii is no use.
Tut, tutp' exclaimed Branasko.
"Stand up quickly and jump at once.
Don't stop to think about it,.
Johnston obeyed. He felt his feet
firmly braced on the rock, and he sprang
toward the opposite ledge with all his
might Branasko caught him.
Good" ne grunted. "There is an
other place; we must jump again. 1t is
farther on. Along this ledge they
went for some distance, Branasko lead
ing the way and holding the arm of the
American
"Now, here we are. The chasm is "A
little wider, but the ledge on the other
side is broaGcr. AS he spoke he re-
leased Johnstou's arm and prepared to
jump. Hc filed his lungs two on three
times But he seemed to hesitate
"Pshawl Watching you back there has
made me nervous. l never cared before.
If L should happen to fall, 90 back to
where we met 1t is safer there without
a guide than here.
Without another word Branasko
hurled himself forward Johnston held
his breath in horror, for Branasko's foot
had slipped as he jumped. The Alphian
had struck the opposite ledge, but not
with his feet, as he intended He
clutchCd it with his hands and hung
there for moment, struggling to get a
foothold i'll the emptiness beneath him.
Its 10 use; am falling. can hold
no longer" And Johnston, too terrified
TO reply, heard the poor fellows hands
slipping from the rock, causing guam
tity of loose stones to go rafting down
below With low cry, Branasko fell.
strike the ledge beneath and heard him
cry out in pain. Then ali was still ex-
cept the echoes f.Branasko's cry, which
bounded and rebounded from side to
side of the chasm and grew fainter and
fainter, till it was submerged in the
roaring below. Then there was rattle
of stones, and Branaslo's voice sounded.
"A narrow ESCAPED" he said family.
Il am on another ledge. F." Then, after
a slight pause: "It is much wider-I
don know how wide Are you listen
ing?''
Eyes; but are you hurt?'
''Not at all. Simply knocked the
breath out of me for IA moment. There
is cave behind me, and (for mo-
ment there was silence) l can see a
light ahead in the cave. think it must
be the reflection of the internal fire.
Come down to me, and we will explore
the cavern and see where the light
comes from.
Il can't get down there" shouted
Johnston to make himself heard above
a sudden increase in the roaring in the
chasm. "There is no way.
wait a moment came from the
Alphian. This ledge seems to incline
upward. +"
Johnston stood perfectly motionless,
afraid to move from the ledge either to
right OF to left, and heard Branasko's
footsteps along the rock beneath. "All
right so far" he called up, and his
voice showed that he had gone to a con-
siderable distance to the left. 1.-THE
ledge seems to be still leading gradu-
ally upward. l think l can reach you. "
Fifteen minutes passed. The lone
American could no longer hear Branas-
kos footsteps. Johnston was becoming
uneasy, and the hot air was causing his
head to swim. He was thinking of try
ing to retrace his footsteps to place Of
more security, when he heard footsteps
and then the CHEEKY voice of Branasko
nearly opposite him across the chasm:
Are you there?''
eyes"
"It is well. / have discovered a good
pathway down to the cave and pool of
fishes besides. / have saved some for
you. / was so hungry 1 had to eat.
Now, you must jump over to me. ="
Il cannot" declared the American.
II cannot jump so far; besides, you
failed.
Branasko laughed. Il did not leap
in the right direction. 1t is this point
on which | am now standing that l
should have tried to reach. Come,
will catch you.
Johnston could not bear to be con-
sidered cowardly, so he stepped to the
verge of the chasm and prepared to
Jump. His head felt more dizzy as he
thought of the fathomless depths be-
meath, and the rush of hot air up the
side of the cliff took his breath away,
but he braced himself and said calmly:
"All right l am coming" The next
instant he sprang forward. Branasko
caught him in his arms, and they both
rolled back on the level stone.
"Good," cried the Alphian, trying to
catch his breath, which Johnston had
knocked out of him by the fall. "You