The Ocala evening star., 1911-06-01

Il Il
lWzFSl downward, slowly at first
80 but quickening our rare al
most Immediately. felt her arms
tighten round me little, that WAS all
We SO held each other that practical
ly we fell extended to full length
do not remember whether | WAS con
scious Of striking the top OF the rocky
incline or not. but | believe | was We
must have struck IL al an angle which
saved our limbs. | was conscious OF
being still whole In body My arm pro
tected Daria's head My own. ! sup
pose, | hadGsense enough 10 raise
little The way was rough and un-
even have thought since that this
shaft was originally a stratum Of soft
er material In the heart Of the rock
and that those who bad originally
made this death way had followed 1t,
since the working was easy. 1t Is the
| only explanation / can find for the
| fact that after falling almost sheer for
| the first few feet 1t should suddenly
| change
| Downtown faster and faster. Still
| feet first, believe. Some moments ]
| feel sure was conscious. at others
| was not | seem to remember that
our speed increased, that loose dust
| got into my fast closed eyes | seemed
to cling closer to Daria as If in some
way she were protecting me ! seem
| to remember hearing the sound OF the
swirling water coming nearer and
nearer until It roared like continuous
thunder, and then swift plunge to
| death.
Then came a blank have no recoI
lection whatever of what happened
from the moment we plunged into the
water until awoke suddenly out of
faint. it may have been, to feel
cold wind upon my face and to draw
into my lungs half a dozen long
breaths of it They were drawn In
| rapid succession, and then | felt the
| water close over my head again. i
put out my arms to struggle. and
weight began to slip from me. 1 was
fully conscious in a moment and closed
one arm again only just In time to pre-
vent Daria slipping from my grasp. /
turned upon my back and with consid-
erable difficulty shifted Daria's posi-
ton until she lay upon my chest With
one hand / steadied her and with the
other and my legs l struck out for
shore close beside the rock
Fortunately for US the waters on this
side, though running rapidly. had no
swirling current In them. / had but
to keep af1oat and steer myself with
my free arm and feet l approached
close to the bank, and there, straining
at the painter. was boat, the water
tapping noisily from its bows
| had to use force to unclasp DaHa's
arms from my neck. Perhaps l hurt
her a little, for she sighed again
Standing in the water. lifted her into
the boat, then. working my hands
along the gunwale to the stern, got
in myself 1t was a comparatively
easy matter to wrench the rope from
its fastening on the bank. and the next
moment we were drifting sharply
down the stream. Not yet had time
to attend to Daria. l seized the oars
and worked hard to get across, making
slow headway, but drifting a great
deal
or immediate pursuit l had no fear
Probably they would not go to my
dungeon until the morning. 1t was
Count Vasca they sought, and those
who attempted to follow after him.
even If they knew the way he was to
take. would have to fight their way
out Of the city. Organ had told me
that friends were watching over the
counts safety that night That some
one had betrayed Vasca would prob
ably only precipitate the revolution
by few hours Strange that the sue
cess with which the count had arrang-
ed his plans should be the means Of
our safety.
/ lifted Daria from the boat and laid
her on the bank. Then l let the boat
go downstream 1t had served me
well 1t would be Ill If It's presence
should tell tales Of me at dawn tomor-
row.
Then looked to Daria. and even as
bent over her she opened her eyes
my love-" | whispered. I'VE are
safe"
should never have reached the
woods had | had to carry her all the
way. She reused up presently. which
is hardly to be wondered at, what with
the cold and the jolting.
| set her on her feet She must ave
been less bruised than I, for she walk
ed more easily than did.
"Clintonw
"Dariav'
We went on in silence, our hands
clasped. The rest Of the Journey to
| the woodcutfers hut she helped me far
more than I helped her. should have
fallen from sheer exhaustion and slept
had she not been with me.
Clinton. there Is some one IN the
woods close to u.s." Daria whispered
suddenly
l was alert in a moment Approach
ing danger aroused me as nothing else
could
There was a shout
"Vascar'
For one moment l hesitated Then
answered, "O'Ryanm
There was a cracking of the branch
es. and the Irishman stood In the path
before US.
You have been long.
I'VE are here" | answered
why. man. that is not like your
voice. What has happened?" And he
caught hold of me, Wet too. The
haar u-as fhare -