The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-04-27
CHAPTER xxIv.


group that stood under the glare OF the
window she came running
'All safe. Jack, But what" She
drew back from our strange cauipage.
All In good time. First tell mellow
came the iireg'
"why. foul work, ms Il seems. All I
know Is ] was sleeping. and awokc TO
hear she black seaman hammcring on my
door. Jumping up. found the room full
OF smoke, and cscap'd. The rooms be-
meath. they say. were stuf'd with straw.
and the yar,l outside heap'd also with
straw, and blazing. Ben Halliday found
two oil Jars lying there"
Are the horses outy"
"Oh, jack do not knowl shame on
me TO forget them
ran toward the StGble Already the
roof was ablazc. and the straw yard be
yond a very furnace. Rushing In,
found the two horses covering Ia their
stalls ! fetched Molly's saddle. and
spoke to her. and set IL across her back.
and the sweet thing was quiet in a mo-
J mcnt. aud followed me out like 4 lamb,
/ IEs bay gave more trouble, but | sooth-
ell him in the same manner. aud patting
his neck. lei him. too. into safety.
A hand was laid on my arm. aud
there in the shadow waited Billy him.
self, with = mighty curious twinkle In
his eye. He put a finger mp and signed
that l should follow. He led me out by
the Postern gate.
saw one stealing hither-an' follow'd.
A man wi limp foot--went over the
side like q cat" and he pointed 10 n rope.
AS fast as | could tug hauled M the
rope. Nearly sixty feet came up before
| rcach'd abe cnd-a thick twisted knot
| rove o long moose, pulrd IL over my
head and shoulders, and made Billy I'M
derstHnd he was 20 lower me.
lie paid IL out carefully while !
stepp'd 10 the edge of the cliff. Down
sway'd. Ind nj last swung myself inward
TO the ledge. gain'd a footing, and took
glance round before slipping OF 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
ly away.
slipp'd OF the rope and left IL TO dan.
gle. while | crept forward to explore,
keeping well 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 of | saw the ends of an
iron ladder sticking up. and close beside
IL n great hole ia the rock, which till
now the curve OF the cliff had hid. The
ladder no doubt stood on n second shelf
below. heard the sound OF footstep;
and fac'd round. Before me, not six
PAGES or. stood Hannibal Tingcomb. lie
was issuing from the hole with sack ON
his shoulder. and sncaking Ia descend the
steps. when he threw a glance behind
and saw me! Neither spoke. With
face gray rs ashes he turn'd very slow
~. until in the unnatural light We look'd
straight into each Others eyes.
Then. letting slip the sack. he fung his
arms up. ran a pace or two toward me,
aEd tumhled on his face In it, His
left shoulder hung over the verge; his
legs slippd, In tricc he was hanging
by his arms. his old distorted face turnd
up. and froth about his lips. made a
step to save him. and then jump'd back.
llatiening myself against the rock.
The ledge was breaking. ! saw a seam
cape NJ ms feet. I saw IL widen and
spread 10 right and left. | heard rip
ping. rending noise-a rush II stones and
earth; aud. clawing the air, with a wild
scrcech. Master Tingcomb pitch'd back
ward, bead over heels, into space.
Then follOw'd silence: then horrible
splash NJ he struck the water. far below:
then again a slipping and trickling. as
more OF the ledge broke away-at first a
pebble or two SLIDING dribble or earth
next. a crash and n cloud OF dust \
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 seward.
Across the summit yaulted above. there
driftcd pun Of brown smoke. No one
heard.
A while OF weakness followed. Ny
brain real'd: my fingers dug into the rock
behind till they BLEED. bent forward
forward over the heaving mist through
which the sea crawl'd like a snake. II
bcckon'd me down. that crawling water.
"Shall | jumpT" thought |, ''or bide
here till help comes:
Twas q giddy, awful leap. But the
black horror was at my heels now. In
a minute more 'twould have me. aud then
ms fall was certain. bent my knees.
and. leaving my hold OF the rock. sprang
lurNuFA-NAl hNfl kNt NHds SAW "
twinkle. fathoms below. Ny right hand
touched grasped the rope.
"Quick. Oh. Billy. pull Quick!'
He could not hear. yet tugged like
Trojan
Now. here's time % keep n man
sittin'" he shouted. as he caught my
hand and pulled me full length on the
turf.
There was no answer The blach or
rnr had oVcrtakcn mc NJ last.
They carried me to a shed In the great
court OF Glcys and set me on straw, and
there. till far into the afternoon, lay
bctwixt SwooninE and trembling. while
Della hathcd my head IN water from the
sea. FOR no other was To Ice had, And
about four In the afternoon the horror
left me. ~1 that sat mp aud told my
story pretty steadily.
What 81 the housey' | asked when
the tale was done and = company sent
10 search thr east ciin FROM the beach.
al, pcrishcl"' said Dc':a. and then
smiling. Il am as hnusclcss as ever,
Jack"
And have the same good friends"
That's true. But listen--for while
you have lain here Bills and have put
our hrdds together. lie j. bound FOR