The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1908-05-27

Iortman was safe and not half as
much frightened rs she pretended
They had started at 8, just as the
September sun had begun to draw the
night chill out of the keen mountain
air, and now 1t was close upon H.
! Tho princess was hungry.
In Nordcck, the frontier town of
| RhaCtia as you come in from Ger
many, she had bought rucksacks for
herself and Miss Portman, to be used
upon just such mountain excursions
as this, and today the brown canvas
bags we're being tested for the first
time. Each ruciSucll stored an ade-
quatc luncheon for it's bearer, while on
top, secured by straps passed across
t'Ir shoulders, lay n folded wrap to be
used i'm case of rain.
NirGinia's burden grew heavy as she
mounted, though ut first it's weight had
seemed trilng When she had waved
her handkerchief ut the turning and
passed out of Miss Portman's sight it
occurred to her that it would be clever
to Tighten the rucksacli and satisfy her
appetite at the same time.
Tho one difficulty was that in her
present position she could not safely
unStrap the bag from her shoulders,
open ii, take out the parcel of luncheon
and strap it on again. The way was
too narrow ana the rocks too slippery
20 attempt such liberties. At n short
distance, however, and only little out
of the path to the col she could see
small green plateau, the very place for
n rest. But could she reach it? The
girl stood still! and looked wistfully
across.
The place could be gained only by Il
scramble over a ledge of formidable
rocks and climbing in good earnest
here and there, yet if the thing could
be done ut all it could be done in ten
minutes, and to come back would be
comparatively easy. Virginia was
tempted
The dear Ictitia will be eating her
own lunch by this time and won't miss
me if my half hour is long one" she
thought. "And, anyway, 1 said half
an hour or SO. That means almost any
thing when it comes to an argument" :"
Another moment and the girl had
started. She was brave at first but
when she had gone halfway-a way
which was longer and far more diff
ncult than she had fancied-she was
conscious of certain sinking of the
heart. She even felt some Qualms Of
| sympathy with the sentiments and in
! trntions Miss Portman had expressed
and heartily wished herself back by
| that good lady's side, but it was against
her principles TO be conquered, especial
| ly when being conquered meant turn
| ing coward or something like 1t, and
she scrambled on obstinately, her
| checks burning, her heart humping
and her lips pressed together.
What a grim, rcmorSelcss giant the
! mountain was, and what a mere creep
ing fly upon its vast shoulder she! Lit.
| tie cared the old mountain that she
! was a royal princess and that the en-
| pcrOr who ruled the land of which it
| was part had the intention of marry
I ing her 1t would thwart that i'm
| pcrial intention without Qualm nor
| turn Il pebble if the poor little princess
| topplcd oyer its cruel shoulder and fell
in a small crushed heap without ever
having looked upon the face of the
| RhaCtian emperor.
Then there came q later moment
when, like Miss Portman, whom she so
| recently laughed to Scorn. the princess
| felt that she could neither go on nor go
| back She was horribly homcsick. She
| wanted her mother ana the garden at
J Hampton Court and would hardly have
thrown a glance of interest at Leo.
| pold il he had appeared before her
| 10, L.,
| ana She was hating the mountain and
all Rhactia with her whole strength
when from the mysterious distance
around the corner oC the plateau there
came the sound Of Il mans voice cheer
fully yodcing.
Never had Il sound been so welcome
or seemed 50 sweet. 1t was to Vir-
ginia rs The voice of an angel IIclp,"
she called" help first in English ana
then, on second thought, in Rhactian.
The yodcling abruptly stopped, and a
man appeared round a corner of rock
beyond the green plateau. The sun
shonc in his eyes, and he shaded them
with his hand to look up at her. Vir-
ginia stared hopefully, cxpcctantly. A
glance photographed a tall figure in a
gray coat passemoiled with green, a
soft green cap of felt, short trousers,
bare knees, knitted stockings, nailed
boots; thank heaven, no tourist, but
evidently a mountain man, n guide or
a chamois hunter perhaps at all
cvcntS, one capable OF coming to her
rescue. These things she saw and
thought in q fash, and then the brown
hand that had shaded his eyes dropped.
Shn cnmnhi eirhI nf lilo fnnn