Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-10-02

dark haired girl, whose forefather had
sought the life of Forrester's ancestor,
clinging to him and imploring help.
Help against what?
The blue-eyed, tawny-bearded young
man standing almost on the spot
where Salmon Drew had taken his last
breath of life, hardly knew what her
appeal meant; yet he felt that some
dreadful doom impended which would
overtake them both unless he acted
promptly.
eff am to save you," he said, "you
must rely implicitly on me. Are
you ready to do so now? Will you
make up your mind to put yourself in
my care this day and for life ?"
"Not yet" she begged. "Give me
time. Let me think"
'"There may not be much time for
u.s." said Forester, influenced by bis
presentiment. "But I will do this Lo-
settle will wait week, and then
you shall meet me here precisely at
this hour. Will you promise p"
II tS, SIG HulspcIou.
"No matter what the circumstances
may be or whatever the Obstacles" he
persisted, "Will you Gomez"
"Yes, I will come," said Losette, and
so they parted.
The week went by in the ordi-
nary way. Every one was busy the
neighbors went to and fro about their
affairs. Now and then a loiterer
paused to watch Harding's men blast
ing at the foot of the rock. "Ain't
you kind of 'fraid you'll undermine
that old steeple? ?" he would ask, play
fully.
mo, I guess not" Harding answer
ed in his usual CHEEKY way. "It's
likely to stand about as long as we do"
"Better blow the whole darned
thing away and use it for building
stone," the loiterer would suggest.
"We'd all feel safer if you did,"
These obvious remarks were made
30 many times that Harding began to
take a cynical view of the average
capacity for humor. Toward the end
of the week a rainstorm of phenome-
nal violence set in, so that he had to
stop work. The streets of Rock Tow
er were almost flooded, and masses of
earth were washed down from the
heights. Then there came a day Of
intense, prostrating heat. The inhab-
itants found it difficult to move about,
and retired to their houses.
The hour of the appointment ad'
vanced. Arthur Forester awaited it
anxiously, and although well nigh
overcome with lassitude, started TO
climb to the top of Rock Tower by
devious path. When he had nearly
scaled the slope, he paused to look
anxiously for some trace of Losette.
He could see her house, and was able
to make out that Harding was on the
porch. The next moment Harding
went indoors. Arthur grew dizzy.
Was it the effect of the heat? A
murmur seemed to arise from the
ground there was quivering move
ment in the air. All at once Arthur
beheld the solid pile of rock bend
forward silently, slide, topple and rush
with a mighty sweep upon the village
which he had just left.
A roar as of a thousand cataracts
filled his ears. Then all was silent.
But where his own house and Hard
ing's had stood there was now only a
waste of broken rock and debris. The
cliff had fallen and had moved a clean
swath through the village, to the rail-
road, shaken down by an earthquake.
The young man remained where he
was, all but petriied. One thought
only occupied him now. Had Losette
perished with the others ? A narrow
rift had opened in the hillside, at his
very feet. While he was gazing about
him and wondering where to turn in
search of Losette, he heard her voice.
She was there above him stretching
her hand across the rift. She had
came to meet her lover and was
saved