Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-10
JOHN TOSS, HERO

 did from this vantage point. On and 1 on they struggled.
 Monsieur will be famous" said the | guide in French; "another hour and we reach new path never climbed be- fore"
 "Good!" answered F'oss. Come on!" The monotony Of stone and sky was beginning to affect Foss and his eyes were fixed on the land immediately in l front of him when he was startled by
 an exclamation from his guide Mother of mine," cried the man. 'The woman is dead!' The Englishman looked up, and inn mediately his heart seemed to stand | still. There, not more than 50 feet away-but far enough to mean the l difference between life and death-was 1 the fragile form of a young woman, | a mere girl, clinging desperately to an arm of stone nature had hewed out or | the rock that formed the highest peak 1 of that range of mountains. Evident l ly she had fallen when turning the corner, and as she rolled down the side 1 caught this straw" FoSs Signalled to her. but 1t was oD- 1 vious she could not reply. We must save her." cried F'oss, un- doing the rope from his guide. Tt is madness!" his companion ex- claimed. Monsieur will merely saCri- | flee two lives instead of one" And as it happens, that second one | is forfeited already. Come, Henri, l may as well die So-called hero. ou | needn't tell them that 1t was only a | two months life 1 gave. Let them 1 think I was a hero. It will look better 1 in the papers,
 Fortunately, the rope was an extra l long one, and when the end was fast ened to the rock they stood on, there was quite enough left to give Foss i scope to crawl to the rescue. When l he started down the side of one rock | the girl seemed to move, but he had
 no time to watch her now, for the dlff1- | cult part of his task began. | How to reach the opposite peak. | There was an abyss between and ap- parently no bridge. It meant a Jump across. He took it and won. He was now on the peak. and could glance be- | low at the girl.
 He dragged the rope up after him, | Henri releasing it at the other side. | Then he fastened it to the peak and l commenced to crawl like a cat down the steep rock. He grasped her rough | ly by both shoulders.
 "Try to climb" he gasped. I'm
 secure. You cannot fall" | She clawed at the rock and gradually came level with him as he dang1ed against the precipice. Finally she was l face to face with him. l Climb over me-" he murmured. l ''The-the rope will bear two.@
 She was evidently climber worthy 1 of the risks, for the scientific manner 1 in which she selected the place to put | the greatest strain was admirable and 1 saved them. A minute later she was
 kneenng on the rock looking down at 1 him.
 He climbed the rope slowly. whilst 1 the woman trembled.
 Thank God" he murmured, as he sank at her feet. "Oh, I do thank | Godl"
 Then for five hours they huddled to-
 gether on the rock. waiting for the
 rescue party. which Henri had hurried off to fetch Neither spoke. Their l thoughts were too great for speech. The exploit was the talk of the cen | tuIy. and it lost nothing by the telling 1 of Mabel Kendrick. Foss was, indeed,
 a hero, yet he cursed himself many times.
 | 'HToo late-too Iate!'' he cried, when
 alone "Oh God, had I met her before but I never met her!"
 Eagerly in his room he counted the
 number of days he had to live. They were 69-no. 6S He had forgotten
 yesterday. Thoughts like these were
 only dispelled when she was near.
 His great resolve came that night,
 for she was going away on the nor
 row.
 '.She won't blame me when I'm dead, g
 he murmured. Surely Pm entitled to
 a little pleasure. Yes I'll propose. and 1 for few weeks live in a delirium." He knew 1t was selfish, but he
 and heavy duty trucks; cars with ! dumper bodies. tractors, etc. 1 In various parts of the building [ 2S0 exhibitors will be busy tonight and every day next week, explaining, demonstrating and placing orders. Of this number 90 will display different types of motor cars. 1 wanted oget the most of life and as they strolled out into the fairy-like gardens after the table dhOte he took her hand and asked her to be his wife; and until she left for England he was the happiest man on earth Then he seemed to be in hell. He followed them the next day, his pocketbook filled with dates for ap- pointments. She lived with her fath- CT, General Kendrick, in a Surrey village, and he had promised to spend the weekend there.
 Late at night the hanson deposited him at his fiat. He turned on the light and entered, not expecting Parker, but the man came forward obsequiouS i ly.
 T forwarded no letters sir. as usual" he said But only four have come and they seem unimportant Foss opened them-two bills, note from a club friend and the last bore the address of pr. Everett. He read it:
 Dear MT Foss" Chow kind they are to the dying, he thought, "I find that my secretary made a terrible mistake, though fortunately I discovered it a few hours after my first letter was posted to you in error. Let me hasten to say that you are in perfect health. and the note you received was intended for another patient suffering from heart disease" He stopped in a thrill of relief '"Thank God" he murmured. "In death I have found life, and Mabel Parker, look up the trains to Bixhill tomorrow. I hope the night goes 1 quickly"- Buffalo Express.