Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-03-25
8. Barring GOULD

the parlor-no one was Lnere' que
sought through the house and garden,
and stables-not a sign Of her father
anywhere, and, strangely enough, not
of Eve, or of Jane either. Jasper,
likewise, had not been seen for some
time. Then, in her distress, Bar
bara rang the alarm bell, long, hast
lily, and strongly. When, after the
lapse Of some while spent in fruitless
search, Barbara arrived at the Raven
Rock, she was not alone-two or
three of the farm laborers and 10
seph the policeman were with her
Jane had found her sweetheart on his
way to Morwen to visit her. The
light of the fire on the Rock, illum-
mating the air above the trees, at
tracted the notice of one Of the work
men, and now the entire party came
on to the Rock as Mr.. Jordan had fin
ished his confession, and Jasper, sick
at heart, horror-stricken, stood back,
speechless, not able to speak.
Barbara uttered cry of dismay
when she saw her father, and threw
herself on her knees at his side. He
made a sign to her to keep back, he
did not want her; he beckoned to
Jasper.
One word more he said in low
tone My hours are nearly over.
Lay us all three together-my wife,
my child, and me-
Papa said Barbara, what do you
mean? what is the matter?'
He paid no attention to her. I have
told you where she lies. When You
have recovered my poor child
What child?' asked Jasper.
Eve; what other?
Jasper did not understand and
supposed he was wandering.
He-your brother-leaped off the
precipice with her in his arms
'Papa!' cried Barbara.
She is dead-dashed to pieces-and
he too
Barbara looked at Jasper, then, in
terror ran to the edge. Nothing
whatever could be seen. That plat
form of rock might be the end of the
world, a cliff jutting forth into in
finite spec and descending into in
finite abysses of blackness. She
leaned over and called, but received
no answer. Jasper could hardly be-
lieve in the truth of what had been
said. Turning to the policemen and
servants, he spoke sternly: Mr.. Jor-
dan must be removed at once. Let
him be lifted very carefully and
carried into the house. He has lain
there already unsuccored too long
4 will not be removed eatd the old
man. leave me here, shah take no
further harm. Go-seek for the body
of my poor Eve
John Westlake,' called Barbara to
one of the men, give me the lantern
at once The man was carrying one.
Then, distracted between fear for her
sister and anxiety about her father,
she ran back to Mr.. Jordan to know
how he was.
You need not be in any immediate
anxiety about him. said Jasper. Tt is
true that his wound has opened and
bIed, but l have tightly bandaged it
again
Joseph, the policeman, stood by
helpless, staring blankly about him
and scratching his ear.
Then Barbara noticed blanket ly
ing in heap on the rock-the
blanket Jasper had brought to his
brother, but which had been refused.
She caught it up at once and tore it
into shreds, knotted the ends together,
took the lantern from the man West
lake and let the light down the face of
the Crag. The lantern was of tin and
horn, and through the sides but a dull
light was thrown. She could see
nothing-th lantern caught in ivy
and heather bushes and turned on one
side; the Candle-fame scorched the
horn.
I can see nothing she said de-
sparingly. What shall I dol
Suddenly she grasped Jasper's hand
as he knelt by her, looking down.
DO you hear?'
A faint moan was audible. Was a
human voice, or was a bough swayed
and grooming in the wind?
All crowded to the edge and held
their breath. Mr.. Jordan was disre-
garded in the immediate interest at
taching to the fate of Eve.
No other sound was heard.
Jasper ran and gathered fir and oak
branches and grass, bound them into
a faggot, set it on fire, and threw it
over the edge, so that it might fall
wide of the Rock and tllumine its
face. There was a glare for a mo-
ment, but the faggot went down. too
swiftly to be of any avail.
Then Walter, whom none had
hitherto observed, pushed through,
and, without saying a word to any
one, kicked off his shoes and went
over the edge.
Let him 60 said Jasper, as one Of
the men endeavored to stay him; the
boy can climb like a squirrel Let
him take the lantern, Barbara, that
he may see where to plant his foot
and what to hold. Then he took the
blanket rope from her hand, raised
the light, and slowly lowered 1t again
beside the descending boy.
Watt went down nimbIy yet eau
tiously, clinging to ivy and tufts Of
grass, feeling every projection, and
trying with his foot before trusting
his weight to it. He did not hurry
himself. He did not regard those who
matched his His descent