Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-01-11

All SdIe. JdCh. bul WHAT ~
drew back from our strange equipage.
.'All in good time. First tell me-how
came the fire."
why, foul work. as it seems. All
know is ! was sleeping, and awoke to
hear the black seaman hammering on my
door. Jumping up, ! found the room fun
of smoke, and escap'd. The rooms be-
meath. they say, were stuff d with straw,
and the yard outside heap'd also with
straw. and blazing. Ben Halliday found
two oil jars lying there
Are the horses outf
ooh. jack do not know? Shame on
me to forget them"'
| ran toward the stable. Already the
roof was ablaze, and the straw yard be-
yond a very furnace. Rushing in,
found the two horses covering in their
stalls. / fetched Molly's saddle. and
spoke to her, and set it across her back,
and the sweet thing was quiet in mo-
ment. and followed me out like a lamb,
The bay gave more trouble, but ] Sooth-
ed him in the same manner, and patting
his neck, led him. too. into safety.
hand was laid ON my arm, and
there in the shadow waited Billy him
self, with mighty curious twinkle in
Ills eye. ne put d hbEti VII anu 9ASh1u
that | should follow. He led me out by
the postern gate.
Saw one stealing hither--al' FOLLOWED.
A man wi limp foot-went over the
side like a cat and he pointed TO rope.
As fast as | could tug | hauled up the
rope. Nearly sixty feet came up before
| reacll'd the end---a thick twisted knot
rove long moose, pulrd it over my
4 H., af,I n
derstand he was 10 lower me.
He paid it ont carefully while /
stepp'd to the edge of the cliff. Down
swayd. and at last swung myself inward
TO the ledge. gaind n footing, and took Il
glance round before slipping off the rope.
| stood on a shelf of sandy rock that
wound round the cliff some way 10 my
left and then, as | thought, broke sharp
~ away.
| siipp'd off the rope and left ii 10 dan
gle, while l crept forward to explore,
keeping web against the rock and plant
ing my feet with great caution.
/ believe ] was twenty minutes taking
as many steps, when at the point where
the ledge broke off | saw the ends of an
iron ladder sticking up, and close beside
it great hole in the rock. which till
ladder no doubt stood on a second shelf
below. | heard the sound of footstep;
and fac'd round Before ME, not six
PAGES off. stood Hannibal Tingcomb. He
was issuing from the hole with "A sack on
his shoulder, and sneaking to descend the
steps. when he threw "A glance behind
and saw me, Neither spoke. With
face gray as ashes he turn'd very slow
IN, "a at lirhf ipnk al
straight into each others eyes.
Then, letting slip the sack. he flung his
arms up, ran pace or two toward me,
and tumbled on his face in a fit. His
left shoulder hung over the verge: his
legs slipp'd. In a trice he was hanging
by his arms. his old distorted face turn'd
up, and a froth about his lips made
step TO save him, and then jump'd back,
flattening myself against the rock.
The ledge was breaking. saw IA seam
cape MT my feet. | saw it widen ;md
spread to right and left. l heard a rip
ping. rending noise-a rush of stones and
earth; and. clawing the air, with a wild
screech, Master Tingcomb pitch'd back
ward. head over heels into space.
Then follow'd silence; then a horrible
splash as he struck the water. far below;
then again slipping and trickling. as
more of the ledge broke away-at first Il
pebble or two sliding-a dribble of earth
next, crash and a cloud Of dust. 4
last stone ran loose and dropp'd.
| shut my eyes and shouted. There
was no answer / scream'd again and
again. The rock flung my voice seaward.
Across the summit vaulted above, there
drifted a puff Of brown smoke. No one
heard.
A while of weakness followed. Ny
brain reard: my fingers dug into the rock
behind till they bled. | bent forward
forward over the heaving mist through
which the sea crawrd like a snake 1t
beckond me down, that crawling water.
shall ] Jump thought l, "or bide
here till help comes?"
Twas ii giddy. awful leap. But the
black horror was at my heels now. In
Il minute more 'twould have me. and then
my fall was certain. | bent my knees,
and, leaving my hold of the rock, sprang
forward-out over the sea- | saw it
twinkle, fathoms below. My right hand
touched-grasped the rope.
Quick! Oh, Billy. pull quick"
He could not hear, yet tugged like
Trojan.
Now, here's IA time to keep a man
sittinr' he shouted. as he caught my
hand and pulled me full length on the
turf
There was lao answer. The black hor
ror had overtaken me at last.
They carried me to shed in the, great
court of Gleys and set me on straw. and
there. till far into the afternoon, | lay
betwixt swoOning and trembling, while
sea, for no other was TO be had. And
about four in the afternoon the horror
left me, SO that | sat up and told my
story pretty steadily.
What of the house," | asked when
the tale was done and a company sent
10 search the east cliff from the beach.
"All perished"' said Della. and then
smiling. Il am as houseless as ever,
Jack
And have the same good friends.
That's true. But listen-for while
you have lain here Billy and | have put
our heads together. He is bound for
Brest, he says, and has agreed to take
me and such poor chattels as are saved
to Brittany. where | know my mothers
kin will have welcome for me until
these troubles be passed Already the
half of my goods is aboard the Godsend,
and letter to Sir Bevil begging him to
appoint an honest man as my steward.
What think you of the planE'
1T seems good PLAN | answered.
stov,-I,-. ..+ba ENGLAND that uOW is is no