The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1913-07-10

from the hotel where ] was stopping
for moonlight walk. | looked quick
ly over my shoulder for her compan-
ions. but saw no one. There were only
the rocks heA and there covered with
verdure. the frees standing back. the
path winding on eastward. the girl be-
side me. all Bathed in the soft light of
the moon ! was embarrassed at this
being standing so near me at such an
hour without the slightest appearance
Of reserve. was trying TO think of
some remark. some question that would
not sound brusque, when she broke the
silence:
Isn't it beautifulT
Beautiful. but somehow just now
there seems something awful about 1t.
What is that red thing floating below?
In certain lights it looks like blood"
ut is blood. Come away. 1t affects
you unpleasantly."
She turned and walked back short
distance from the verge of the cliff.
What could ] do but follow her? She
vat down on a rock surface that form
I'd convenient seat and such position
Is to make rooB for me beside her.
Wonderingly | asked:
Are you from the hotel where / am
staying?'
NO" she said. but offered no word
as to where she came from.
II cannot imagine" | continued,
"any of those young ladies coming
here alone and at this hour"
There is not sufficient to tempt them
to break through the conventional
forms that bind them. Perhaps it is
well that they do not. l stayed at one
of the hotels hereabout one season and
was bound by the same code as they
are bound. pined for freedom.
came here alone. have been coming
ever since"
"Why?"
81 cannot keep away"
There was silence between us for a
few moments while | wondered. Pres
emily l asked:
"And why can you not keep away?"
Something happened. If l were to
tell you what it is it would shock you.
1t would have shocked me had known
that it was to happen. For a brief
space it filed me with horror. Then
She paused.
mo" she continued. 81 am not here
to increase your burden of life. l
know that you have been looking for
ward for months to your outing and
now that it has come you are disap-
pointed. You see about you that COM
panionship which would enable you to
enjoy every moment of 1t, but between
you and me it is that hedge of conven-
tionality which you find impossible. l
know what it is, for l was once fet-
tered by 1t myself Now it is nothing
to me. can go where l like, express
what feel. am disenthralled. And
to prove it I will tell you that tonight
I come here to meet you"
ITO meet mev
"Yes. You do not know me, but
know you. Often l have seen you
leaning over the rail looking down into
the chasm. Every thought that passed
through your brain vibrated in my be-
ing. You are nearer the line that di-
vides the finite from the infinite than
one mortal in millions, and when you
look over the cliff down upon that
scene, the sluggish waves following one
another in never ending succession,
you feel within you that which is akin
to the infinite"
She paused while 1 looked at her in
wonder, then added:
"And why have I come to you to-
night who have seen you so often
here? Why have made myself known
to you? will tell you, and l am not
ashamed to tell you, for l am abso-
lutely pure. 1t is because love you"
/ have dim remembrance of her
rising and going to the cliff, of my
following her and leaning on the rail
beside her and looking down into the
chasm. Then | was alone The scene
below was beautiful ss before. and the
red spot was gone.
l stood gazing on the water where
1t had been, now limpid, like the rest,
while an awe crept over me. Then /
cast glances about me for my COM
PuluOn anu SuuuucTeu at Tue NdCducy
she had left. Then l was seized with
a desire to get away from the place as
quickly as possible.
l walked back to the hotel filed with
emotions of which 1t would be impos-
sible to afford the slightest inkling.
All l can say is that they were such as
! had never experienced before.
At the hotel | found no one to tell
me anything about the cliff, but on one
Of my walks. stopping at house for a
cup OF water. an old man told me
there had been a special reason for
placing the rail at the verge of the
abyss. Years ago, when the region
first became summer resort, farmer
saw girl standing there. He turned
away his glance, and when he looked
again she had disappeared. Going to
the cliff, he looked down and saw what
he at first supposed to be red shawl
floating on the water. Upon investi.
cation 1t was discovered that the girl
he had seen had fallen over the cliff
had struck the rock surface below and
I