Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1911-02-08
nave crossed it with a flourish

safety.
Just then there was a rending, tear
ing sound from the corner and a NUT
tered ejaculation. looked up in time
10 see Mr.. HARRISON throw up his
arms, make a futile attempt to regain
MS balance, and disappear over the
edge of the roof One instant he was
standing there, splendid, superb; the
next, the corner of the parapet was
empty, all that stood there was a
broken, splintered post, and tangle of
wires.
| could not have moved at first; at
least, it seemed hours before the full
significance of the thing penetrated
my dazed brain. When I got up 1
seemed to walk, to crawl, with leaden
weights holding back my feet.
When l got to the corner l had to
catch the post for support 1 knew
somebody was saying: ooh, how terri
Dle!" over and over. 1t was only after
ward that I knew it had been myself.
And then some other voice was say
ing: Don't be alarmed Please, don't
be frightened. I'm all right"
| dared look over the parapet final.
~, and instead of a crushed and I'M
speakable body, there was Mr.. Harbi-
son, sitting about eight feet below me,
with his feet swinging into space and
a long red scratch from the corner
OF his eye across his cheek. There
was sort of mansard there, with win
doWs, and just enough coping to keep
him from rolling off.
Il thought you had fallen-all the
way l gasped, trying to keep my
lips from trembling. 'I-oh, don't
dangle your feet like that"
He did not seem at all glad of his
escape. He sat there gloomily. peer
Ing into the gulf beneath.
IF it wasn't so-er-messy and gen
orally unpleasant" he replied without
looking up, Il would slide off and go
the rest of the way"
you are childish I said. severely.
See if you can get through the win
dow behind you. If you cannot. I'll
come down and unfasten it," But the
window was open, and I had a chance
to sit down and gather up the scat
tered ends of my nerves. To nv s11r-
prise, however when he came back
he made no effort to renew our con-
versation. He ignored me completely.
and went to work at once to repair
the damage to his wires, with his back
10 me-
Il think you are very rude" said
at last you fell over there and I
thought you were killed. The nerv-
Gus shock I experienced is just as bad
as if you had gone-all the way"
He put down the hammer and came
over to me without speaking. Then,
when he was quite close, he said:
Il am very sorry if startled you.
l did not f1atter myself that you would
be profoundly affected, in any event"
ooh, as to that" l said lightly, "it
makes me i'll for days if my car runs
over dog" He looked at me in 81
lence. "You are not going to get up
on that parapet again."
Mrs. Wilson," he said, without pay
ing the slightest attention to my ques-
ton, will you tell me what I have
QOn0
"Done?"
cor have not done? I have racked
my brains stayed awake all of last
night. At first / hoped it was imper-
sonal, that, womanlike, you were mere
ly venting general disfavor on one
particular individual. But-your hos
tllity is to me, personally"
l raised my eyebrows, coldly inter
rogative.
Perhaps" he went on, calmly
perhaps I was fool here on the roof
the night before last. If I said any
thing that l should not, I ask your
pardon. If it is not that, 1 think you
ought to ask mine!"
| was angry enough then.
There can be only one opinion
about your conduct" I retorted, warm
ly. cit was worse than brutal. It
it was unspeakable. l have no words
for it-eXcept that | loathe it-and
you"
He was very grim by this time. 81
have heard you say something like
that befOre-only I was not the I'M
fortunate in that case"