Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-09-23


suddenly, as though touched by an in
visible hand, Sir Philip awoke. A Grim
son glare str roaming through the open
door dazzled his drowsy eyes-was it
forest on fire? He started up in
dl eamy alarm,-then remembered
where he was. Realizing that there
must be an exceptionally fine sky to
cast so ruGdy a reflection on the
ground, he threw on his cloak and
went outside.
What q wondrous, almost unearthly
scene greeted him! His first impulse
was to shout aloud in sheer ecstasy
his next t. stand silent in reverential
awe. The great Fall was no longer a
sweeping flow of white foam-it had
changed to a sparkling shower of
rubies, as though some great genie,
tired of his tt easures, were fiingng
them away by giant handfuls, in the
nest reckless haste and LAWS abund-
ancc. From the bottom of the cascade
crimson varor arose, like smoke
from flame, and the whrling rapids,
deeply red for the most part, darkened
here and there into an olive-green
! hecked with gold, while the spray
tossed high over interrupting rocks
and boulders, glittered as 1t fell like
small fragments of broken opal. The
sky was of one dense uniform rose
color from west to east,-sCft and
shimmering as broad satin pavilion
freshly unrolled, the sun was invis-
ible, hidden behind the adjacent noun
tains, but his rays touched some peaks
in the distance, on which white
wreaths of snow lay bringing them
into near and sparkling prominence.
The whole landscape was trans
formed-the tall trees, rustling and
swaying in the now boiSterous wind,
took all Pickering tlnts of color on
their trunks and leaves,-the grey
stones and pebbles turned to Jumps Of
gold and heaps of diamonds, and on
the other side of the rapids, a large
tuft Of ht ather in q cleft of the rocks
glowed with extraordinary vividness
and warmth like suddenly kindled
fire. A troop of witches dancing
WlIuIy VII IuG bWdIu, lllto vi luil lSoi
--kelpies tripping from crag to crag,-
a sudden chorus Of sweet-voiced water
Notwithstanding unreal or fantasti-
cal would have surprised Erringtcn at
that moment. Indeed, he almost ex-
pccted something of the kind-the
scene was so eminently fitted for it.
POSITIVELY, l must wake Lorimer,"
he thought to himself "EIe oughtn't
to miss such gorgeous spectacle as
this"
He moved little more in position
to view the Fall. What was that
small dark object running swiftly yet
steadily along on the highest summit
of those jutting crags? He rubbed his
eyes amaZedly-was it--Could 1t be
Sigurd? He watched 1t for moment,
then uttered loud cry as he saw 1t
pause ON the very ledge of rock from
which but a short while since, he him
self had been so nearly preciptated.
The figure was now distinctly visible,
outlined in black against he flaming
crimson of the sky,-it stood upright
tare. There was no mistaking tit
was Sigurd!
Without another seconds hesitation
Errington rushed back to the hut and
awoke, with clamorous alarm, the rest
of the party. His brief explanation
sulliced-they all hurried forth in
startled excitement. Sigurd still oc-
cupied his hazardous position, and as
they looked ut him he seemed to dance
wildly nearer the extreme edge of the
rocky platform. Old Guldmar turned
pale. THE gods preserve him!" he
muttered in his beard-then turning,
h. began resolutely to make the ascent
of the rocks with long, rapid strides
the young men followed him eager and
almost breathless. each and all bent
upon saving Sigurd from the danger in
which he stood, and trying by different
ways to get more quickly near the un-
fortunate lad and call, or draw him
back by force from his point of immi
nont deadly peril. They were more
than halfway up, when piercing
cry rang clearly above the thunderous
din of the fall--a cry that made them
pause for moment.
Sigurd had caught sight of the fig
ures advancing to his rescue, and was
waving them back with eloquent ges-
lures of anger and defiance. His
small misshapen body was alive with
wrath, 1t seemed as though he were
scme dwarf king ruling over the gilt
tering crimson torrent. and grimly
forbdding strangers to enter on the
| boundaries of his magic territory.
They. however, pressed on with re-
newed haste and they had nearly
reached the summit when another
shrill cry echoed over the sunset-col-
ored foam.
Once more they paused-they were in
| full view of the distraught Sigurd, and
he turned his head towards them, shak-
ing back his long fair hair with his
old favorite gesture and laughing in
apparent glee. Then he suddenly
/ raised his arms, and, clasping his