Gunnison news-champion., 1915-03-19

VAS eoaseassuf ~ Ens aana. kae
came abnsYsly and ai haadlonS pacs
within s-.si OF the eases Of . cta-
and precisely then the hillside seemed
10 slip from under him.
His heels fourished IN the air. his
back thgmyed q bed OF pebbles thinly
ovsrgr0Nn with moss. The stones
gave. the moss-skin broke. he began to
siide-graspea al random a youn gish
cedar which STAYED him isperoeptibly
coming away with all Its pany roots
caught a. another. no more substan
;Ial-and amid a shower OF loose stone
shot cut over the edge and down 9
drop of more than thirty feet
hs Was inssaataneously awaro q
the sun. a molten ball wheeling mad
" in the cup Of the turquoise sky.
Thea DARK waters closed over him.
He came up struggling and ssspine.
and struck out for something dark
that rode the waters near at hand
something vaguely resembling .
canoe.
But his strength was largely spent.
his breath had been driven out OF him
by the force Of the fall. and he had
swallowed much water-while the field
of his consciousness was stricken with
confusion
Within a stroke Of an outstretehed
paddle, be flung up q hand and went
down again.
Instantly one occupant Of the
canoe. a young and very beautiful wo-
man In a man 8 hunting clothes. spoks
q sharp word Of command and. ss
her guide steadied the vessel with his
that she scarcely disturbed the nice
balance Of the little craft. and curved
her 1.-the body over the bow. head
foremost into the pool.
MIR. Law had. In point Of fact, en-
dured more than he knew. more than
even . weathered woodsman coaald
have borne without suffering. Forty
eight hours OF such heavy woods-
walking ~ he had put In TO escape
the forest fire, would have served to
prostrSte almost any man, add to this
tgnOrinS . dosen other mental. nerv-
Gus and physical strains) mePsly The
fAct that he had been half-drownod.
He experienced little fever. Q little
Aelirium. then blank slumbers - 81
haustion.
He awOks In dark of night. wholly
unawars that thirty-six AoSD ~
passsd since Bic fall. This last, h0v-
ever. aad events that lad Gons bsf0ro.
he recalled with tolerabls cloarnaee-
GLOWING for the sluGgishnoes a .
drowsy mind. Other memories, more
vague, Of Gentle ministerinG AanAs. Of
. face by turns an angelic. . 00Wers,
. hend's. and . dear womans. trou-
blsA him even less materially. He
YES already sane enough to allow he
had probably been . bit out Of his
head. and since 1t seemed he had been
saved and cared for. he found no rea-
son To quarrel with present ctrcum
stances.
Still. he would have been grateful
for some explanation Of certain pho
nomena which still haunted him-Such
- . faint. elusive scent Of roses with
. vague but importunats sense of q
woman's presence in that darkened
room-things manifestly absurd
With some dificulty, from . dry
throat, he spoke. or rather whis
pered "water!"
In response he heard someone move
over . creaking noor. A sulphur
match spluttered UNANIMOUSLY. A can
die caught nre. silhoustting-
OF course!-the figure of . woman in
hunting shirt and skirt. Watel
splashed noisily. Alan became aware
of someone who stood at his side. ona
hand offering q glass to his lips. the
other gently raising his head that h
might drink with ease.
Draining the Slass, he brsathel hin
thanks and sank back. retaining his
grasp on the wrist Of that unreal
hand. 1t suffered him without re
sistance. The hallucination even
went SO far as to say, in q woman's
soft accents:
You are better, Alan7"
He sighed incredulously: "Rosei"
The voice responded "Yesi" Then
the perfume of roses grew still NOR.
strong, seeming to ian his cheek like
woman's warm breath. And a mir
acle came to pass; for Mr.. Law. who
realized poignantly that all this was
sheer, downright nonsense, distinct
ly felt lips like velvet caress his fore
head.
He closed his eyes, frightened his
grasp on that hand Of phantasy, and
muttered rather inarticulately.
The voice asked, What is 1t
dear?"
He responded: "Delirium
But | like il Let me raye!"
Then again he slept.