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

SLOWLY CraWleQ out ON the narrow rock
Below him yawned the hot darkness
above hung that black, ominous canopy
of nothingness. Slowly he advanced on
hands and knees, every moment feeling
the sharp rock growing narrower, till
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. Jump. ]
will catch you. :"
az am afraid l 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.
'tStand 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
side is broader. As he spoke he re-
leased Johnston's arm and prepared to
jump. He filed his lungs two or three
times. But he seemed to hesitate.
f'Pshaw! Watching you back there has
made me nervous. I never cared before.
If 1 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
mad slipped as he jumped. The AAlohian
had struck the opposite ledge, but not
with his feet as he intended. He
clutched it with his hands and hung
there for a moment, struggling to get
foothOld in the emptiness beneath him.
t'It's no use; I am falling. l can hold
no longer. :" And Johnston, too terrified
to reply, heard the poor fellows hands
SHINING from the rock. causing q guam
tity of loose stones to go rafting down
below. With low cry, Branasko 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 rattle
of stones, and Branasko's voice sounded.
"a narrow escaped he said family.
ST am OH another ledge" Then, after
a slight pause: cit is much wider-I
don't know how wide. Are you listen
ing?' ...- ..
"Yes; but are you hurt?'
ssNot at all. Simply knocked the
breath out of me for a moment. There
is cave behind me, and (for mo-
ment there was silence) can see a
flight ahead in the cave. 1 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 ia the
chasm. ''There is no way"
''Wait a moment" came from the
AIphian. ''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 a 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 Branaske
nearly opposite him across the chasm
Are you there?
Eyes.
pathway down to the cave and pool OF
fishes besides. have saved some fol
you. / was SO hungry ! had to eat
Now, you must jump over to me-
81 cannot, . declared the American
81 cannot jump SO far; besides, yor
failed. 2
Branasko laughed. IT did not leaf
in the right direction. It is this point
on which am now standing that
should have tried to reach. Come. ]
viii catch you.
Johnston could not bear to be con
Z sidered cowardly, so he stepped to thu
verge of the chasm and prepared t
jump. His head felt more dizzy as hs
thought of the fathomless depths be
meath, and the rush of hot air up thu
side of the cliff took his breath away
but he braced himself and said calmly
ssAl1 righs. I am coming. The mex
instant he sprang forward. Branaskt
caught him in his arms, and they boil
rolled back on the level stone.
Good, = cried the Alphian. trying t,
aatcb his breath. which Johnston bar