The San Francisco call., 1898-01-02

itself, and was changed into a man again, thinking. conscious being, who now understood the meaning of this sound coming up from the earth-or was it the sea?-below. It was a human voice which had at last pierced the awful exhaustion, the deadly labor, the peril and strife which had numbed the brain of a man, while the body in its instinct for existence still chung to the rocky lodges. It had called the man back to earth-he was no longer a great animal, and the rock monster with skin and scales of stone.
 "Antoine Antoine! An, Antoine!' called the voice.
 Now he knew. He answered down:
 ''All right! All right. Minois!"
 Are you at the top?"
 "No, but the rest is easy"
 Hurry, hurry, Antoinei If they should come before you reach the topr'
 'Tll soon be there. An, but Illinois, it was awful"
 Are you hurt Antoine?"
 "No, but my fingers are in rags. I am going now, bi'tot,'
 'Antoinen'
 "'Sh! do not speak. I am starting"
 There was a silence for what seemed hours to the girl below. Foot by foot the man climbed on, no less cautious be- cause the ascent was easier, for he had become weaker. But he was on the monsters neck now, and soon he should set his heel on it-he was not to be shaken off.
 At last the victorious moment came. Over jutting ledge he drew himself LID by sheer strength and the rubber-like grip of his lacerated fingers, body, legs, knees, and now he lay flat and breathless upon the ground.
 How soft and cool it was This was long, sweet grass that touched his face, which made a couch like down for the battered, wearied body Surely this travail had been almost more than mortal. And what was this vast f1utter- ing over his head, this million-voiced discord round him, like the buffetings and cries of spirits who welcome another to their torment? He raised his head and laughed in triumph. These were the cormorants, gulls and gannets on the Perce Rock.
 Antoine Robichon had done what man had never done before him; he had done it in the night, with only the moon to tighten the monstrous labor of his in- credible adventure; he had accomplished it without help of any mortal sort.
 Legions of birds circled over him with wild cries, so shrill and scolding that at first he did not hear Minois' voice calling up to him. At last, however, remember 4Aies hc lSdIlCu OftI llle CHI anu saw her standing in the moonlight far below. Her voice came up to him indistinctly because of the chatter of the birds-"An- toine, Antoinei' She could not see him for this part of the rock was in shadow.
 'Ah, ba, all right he said, and talk ing hold of one end of the twine he had brought, he let the roll fall It dropped almost at Minois' feet. She fastened the rope she had got at the post to the end of 1t, and called to Antoine. He drew if up quickly. She had found no rope long enough, so she had tied three together. Antoine must splice them perfectly Once more he let down the twine, and she fastened it to his blanket. It was a heavy strain on the twine but the blanket and the food inclosed were got up safely. She called for him to lower again, and this time he hauled LID to- bacco, tea, matches, needles, cotton, a knife and horn of rum. Now she called for him to splice the ropes properly. There was no time to do that. but he tied them firmly together and let the great coil down. This time was drawn up a musket and ammunition and an- other blanket. Again 1t was let down, and he drew up a crowbar. a handspike and some tin dishes, which rattled against the side of the great rock de- risively. Again the rope went down, and two bundles of sticks and faggots were attached, with flint and steel also a small roll of coarse cotton and bear skin. Last of all came small tent and a bundle of womans clothes.