The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-07-14

cCt: Come on. Crawl out till you fee
the end of the rock, and then you cal
see NE.
In great trepidation the America,
slowly crawled out on the narrow rock
Below him yawned the hot darkness
above hung that black, ominous canop,
of nothingness. Slowly he advanced OF
hands and knees, every moment feeling
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 te
alight,' cried the Alphian. Jump. ]
will catch you
81 am afraid shall topple over when
stand up" replied the American.
"The rock is narrow, and my head is
already swimming. I fear I cannot
reach you. 1t is no use. -
''Tut, tut" 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," he 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
10 L
leased Johnston's arm and prepared to
jump. He filed his lungs two or three
times. But he seemed to hesitate.
Pshaw! Watching you back there has
made me nervous. I never cared before.
If l should happen to fall, go back to
where we met. 1t is safer there without
guide than here. -
Without another word Branasko
buried himself forward. Johnston held
his breath in horror, for Branasko's foot
-ilad slipped as he jumped. The .AalDhian
had struck the opposite ledge, but not |
with his feet, as he intended. He
clutched it with his hands and hung |
there for moment, struggling to get a /
foothOld in the emptiness beneath him. |
IT'S no use; I am falling. can hold
no longer" And Johnston, too terrified I
TO reply, heard the poor fellows hands
Slipping from the rock. causing d GUAM ,
tity of loose stones to 60 rafting down !
below. With low cry, Rranaslso fell.
An instant later Johnston heard him
strike the ledge beheath and heard him
cry out in pain. Then all was still ex-
eept the echoes of Branasko s cry, which
bounded ard rebounded from side to
side of the chasm and grew fainter and
fainter, till it was submerged in the
roaring below. Then there was a rattle
of stones, and Branasko's voice sounded.
"a narrow escaped he said family.
81 am on another ledge" Then, after
slight pause: SIT is much wider-I
don t know how wide. Are you listen
ing?"
''Yes; but are you hurt?''
mot at all. Simply knocked the /
breath out of me for moment. There
is cave behind me, and (for a mo-
ment there was silence) l can see
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 !
sudden increase in the roaring in the I
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 or 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 con-
siderable distance to the left. "The
ledge seems to be still leading gradu-
ally upward. think 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 theres
"Yes.''
1T is well. have discovered good
pathway down to the cave and pool of
fishes besides. have saved some for
you. was SO hungry had to eat. i
Now, you must jump over to mt"
81 cannot, F" declared the Americas.
81 cannot jump SO far; besides. you
failed"
Branasko laughed. II did not leap
in the right direction. It is this point
on which ] am now standing that {,
should have tried to reach. Come, I i
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:
AL rigns. 7 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 tc
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