The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-08-22

| loot or the stairs on the ground floor;
| the elevator was not yet running. We
sat with our feet dangling inside the
| great fiue, and the void gulf at our
T, backs.
A thick plank laid across the coping
supported the viands. The wind was
| light, the day sunny. Ous eyes ranged
on an immense prospect from far
south of the broad, green st. Law
renee northward to the dim blue Law
rentian hills beyond the Ottawa.
We We're all at ease, for all had
grown used TO being on high during
the upward progress of the building.
except Mayor MacDew, who seemed
devoid of nerves and perfectly con-
| tented.
Stacy had just remarked, "Tm 'feard
the stairs has played puck with Mr..
Macklem's polite acceptance" when
that asplrants head came through the
hatchway on top of the stair tower.
He was CHASTITY pale. We could see
him trembling as he tottered to the
ladder and laid hands ON rung.
Behind him came young George
Stacy, looking very serious. and then
frownlng fiercely up at two or three
who were grinnlng at Maciilem's plight
and chatting him.
George told me afterward that he
had tried to dissuade Macklem from
coming up out of the stair tower for
the higher he mounted the palmer
was his fright. But of course he was
my fathers guest" George explained.
''and l could not stop him by force
He would come on-he said he had
promised. and MacDew would laugh
If he backed out. l was sorry for the
little man, and when | heard those
two jeering at him, felt like going
up and kicking them off the chimney"
Macklem's grasp on the rung seemed
to steady him for a few moments, and
he came slowly up, hand over hand
| and foot past foot, well out over the
abyss. But he was in a shocking state
of fear. We gazed at him breathless-
ly, realizing his danger.
His face was clammy with a cold
sweat, he seemed not to respire, his
white lips were fixed wide in death
like grin that showed the gold filings
of his teeth, and his eyes We're tight
shut and wrinkled, as If he were striy-
ing to close them more completely
lest he should by chance glance down.
Clearly he might collapse at any mo-
ment, and yet he came slowly CULVER
ing up the slanting ladder.
by the powers. he's brave manr'
whispered old Stacy, sincerely.
Then he called down encourag-
ingly:
you're doing fine, Mr.. Macklem,
and there's what'll do you good up
here waitingr
Probably the words and tone helped
the little man, as Stacy intended. by
| slightly distractlng him from the hid
eous fear against which he strove.
George" old Stacy called to his son,
who had began to ascend, you had
better be coming right close after Mr..
Macklem, close, so as to give him a
boost at the top" But the old mans
| real purpose was that his strong son
should catch Macklem instantly If the
man collapsed. If he should fall back
ward from the height of six feet above
Georges broad shoulders the young
man might be hurled down with his
fathers guest.
AS Macklem felt the ladder tremble
under young Stacy's quiclIened move
ment he stopped with an inarticulate
nru hot 10, "a L., 4
given way, but when George called
out. I'm coming up closer after you,
Mr.. Macklem" he seemed to under
stand, and clutched for a new rung
above him.
Old Stacy and all of us were as palo
as Macklem when at last he put his
hand on the coping in reaching for one
rung more.
"Well, done, sor!'' said old John.
Gust put up both your hands and I'll
help you up by the shoulders" He
was afraid to take hold of Mackleri
without such a warning, for the
strained nerves might break down at
an unexpected touch.
But Macklem kept his lower hand on
the rung, and spoke, IL speaking that
| could be called which was little more
than a motion of ashen lips
Put an oyster in my mouthw his
lips whispered.
He gulped II down with difficulty.
"Now I've lunched with you as I
said l would" and suddenly he put
one foot down as If to retreat.
The sole of his boot came hard on
George Stacy's left hand. At this con-
tact with something unexpected Mack.
lem's strength gave way and he fell
In a dead faint
His face fell forward and his legs
| rprawled down In George Stacys
front; he slipped down over the rungs
until the youth jammed the limp
figure against the ladder by plshing
his own body forward.
Old Stacy gave loud cry, fearing
his son must go down, too. and he
made movement as II to help him
by getting on the ladder, which might
not have borne the addition of bis
Leayy frame. But we held the con
tractor back for an instant, and then
II was all over. George seized Mack
| lem about the Walet with hls miohfy