The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-02-03
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to ourselves, and, except In one viii
lage, called Cola, ! do not think our
passage excited remark. But we
ran through that twice, which was
foolish, and the second time, look
ing back, saw smith and his help
er run out of the forge and stand
staring after the Rolls, with their
tools in their hands.
When told Herrick, he sighed.
'sCan't be helped" he said. "But
a blacksmith's forge is as bad as a
barber's shop. Gossip. And that's
the worst of using a notable car.
We'd better give Cola miss for
as long as we can"
It was after that that we climbed
again to the bridge and, berthing the
Rolls beyond it, turned to the ardu-
GUS business of proving the woods
through which the cascade fell
down. Except by entering these,
we could not possibly tell whether
or no they were hiding some coign
which commanded Brief, for we
could only survey them by looking
up from below-an angle which
showed us no more than billowing
quilt of leaves.
For three full hours we fought
with that mountainside, and for all
the good we did we might never
have left the car. We could not even
reach the head Of the fall, for after
perhaps $50 feet came to hidden
cornice of blue-gray rock, and
though, in view of the tales which
men Of the mountains tell, hardly
like to say that this could not have
been climbed, should like to see
the man that could have climbed it
and, better still, the manner in
which he went to work. As for find
ing point of view, but for the roar
of the water, we should not have
known where we were, and, until /
came back to the road, never
found so much as rest for the sole
of my foot.
Going down, I met Winter past
speaking, clinging to the roots of a
beech, but Of Herrick I saw no sign
till I came to a brake of brambles
not more than 60 feet up. Here his
hat was hanging, caught up on a
venomous sucker that sprang from
monstrous bush, and, since he was
not to be seen, supposed that /
had passed him in my descent-for
had he been coming down, he would
not have left his hat. I, therefore,
shouted his name with all my might,
to be answered from the midst Of
the brambles by which I stood.
II trust" he said grave1y, "that
you have enjoyed your stroll. I'm
not going to ask if you've viewed
the promised land-first, because I
know the answer, and, secondly, be-
cause / am not interested in posts
of observation to which only an an
thropoid ape can conveniently re-
pair. And now, if Winters alive,
you might procure my release. I'll
direct the operation-I've had moth
ing to do for ten minutes but work
it out"
you're not hurt?"
s'No. Merely disabled. If don't
breathe, I hardly suffer at all. But
to move means laceration. You see,
I'm embedded in briars which SIM
ply must not be touched. Transgress
this law, and you're savaged beyond
belief" heard him sigh.
So thick and fierce were the briers
and so deeply was Herrick involved
that a quarter Of an hour went by
before we could haul him out.
That was enough for US all, and
we made our way home, proposing
upon the morrow to assault the
neighboring heights.
The burden Of the next three days
will hardly 60 into print. Enough
that we fought like madmen to wrest
from the mountains and forests a
secret which, if they had, they would
not disclose. Such harsh and I'M
profitable labor I never did, and
when Herrick at last declared that
he would no longer abuse his long