A Day's Outing.

Otago Witness, Issue 1382, 25 May 1878, Page 18

A Day's Outing.

A TALE OF LOVE AND ADVEN-

TURE.

(Written for the Otago Witness.) By G. W. R.

" No, Mr Burton, if you compel me to speak plainly, I must tell you that I cannot believe in the constancy of one who transfers his affections so readily from one to another. It pains me to speak thus, but you force me to do so in pure self-defence." Thus spoke Floronco Nightingale to her companion, Frank Burton, the sceno of their discourse being a picturesque and lonely valley near the little town of San Marino in Sicily. A few words will introduce the actors in the scene that commenced so fairly and ended in a tragedy as awful as it was extraordinary, and which left its traces upon the survivors through life. Frank Burton and myself, who rejoiced in the name of Charlie Russell, were rocruiting ourselves after the fati»uoa of tho term by r« ramble on tho shoies of the Mediteiranean, and we had met with an old acquaintance, Mr Gartlei^h, just at the commencement of the excursion. Alas for our trip, which wag to bring tranquillity to our minds, depressed with hard study. Mr Hartleigh was accompanied by his daughter, and with both of us, to see her was to fall in love with her at once. As is often the case, we speedily looked upon each other as rivals, and our friendship, once so warm, gradually gave place to illconcealed jealously and suspicion. But my friend stood a poor chance with Miss Hartleigh, for she had known him when he was the acknowledged admirer of an old schoolfellow of hers, and he could give no satisfactory reason for breaking off the engagement. My attentions were looked upon more favourably, both by tho lady herself and her father ; and the very evening previous to the events here narrated, I had the unspeakable joy of hearing the dear girl confess that she cared for me. She would not consent to any formal engagement, however, until our return to England. On the afternoon of the day on which this story opens,allfor of us, accompanied by Mr Hartleigh's man-servant,had driven for some distance from the town, and had entered, a valley that presented scenery of the sublimest description. We left the carriage at the foot of a rocky gorge, and proceeded some distance up the slope, each step presenting new features of grandeur and beauty to the eye.

Fred had managed to get behind with Miss Hartleigh, and while I sat ill at ease, listening to her father's dissertation on the scene before us, a conversation was being carried on by the others, part of which has already been narrated.

Perhaps it would have been wiser had Miss Hartleigh confessed the facts of the oase'to her admirer, instead of still raising hopes in his heart, but the truth must be told. Burton's face grew dark as he heard his inconstancy cast in his teeth. "Before heaven, I Bwear," he cried passionately, "that I never knew what to love was before I saw you. Tell me," he continued, "that there is yet hope." You Bhake your head ? Can Ido nothing to prove my love for you ? Miss Hartleigh,l would die, if I thought you would remember me with one thought of love."

" I must hear no more," said his companion, nervously ; " let us go to the others ;" and she hastened to rejoin us, Fred following, as composedly as he could.

His love was sincere. He said he would die for one thought of love. His words were prophetic. We sat for about half an hour longer, when our attention was attracted by several figures in the distance, who looked as if they meant to disturb us. Instinctively we arose to retire, but to our dismay we found our retreat was blocked up by another party ; and we wero soon surrounded by a crowd of wretches who evidently meant mischief, our alarm being much increased, when several more arrived leading the manservant and the driver of tho carriage as prisoners. We found it impossible to parley with the villains, and Mr Hartleigh'a dignified remonstrances and threats of what the British Government would do were not understood by the majority, nor cared for by thoie who knew a few words of English. Plunder was the object, and we were speedily relieved of all our valuables, even to Miss Hartleigh's earrings, which I was compelled to see taken from her by a scoundrel whom I dared not strike for fear of bringing the wrath of the others upon us. After being stripped of our possessions, wo wero about to bo set at liberty, when tho robbers were joined by tho fiercest looking rum in that ever deserved hangins*. He appeared to be inquiring of the others, while he cast frequent glances at us, and after a few minutes' conversation, tho man who spoke the best English came up and gave us the cheering tidings that we were to be retained as captives until £1000 was paid for our ransome, a sum which, the fellow remarked, so groat a signor as Mr Hartleigh could easily rai3e. Our driver was to be despatched to the

town, while we were to be- kept in durance vile In the interim,

Vainly did Mr Harfcleigh plead for his daughter, prayers were of no avail, and threats of separating her from the rest of us were freely indulged in. The laßt comer drew us up in lino, and after a moment's pause turned to the messenger. " Go," said he harshly, " and take this memento from your friends." So saying hedrew his cutlass, and, oh horror ! etruck off one of the man- servant's ears, which he handed to the driver. "Tell the Signor's friends that a re: minder of this description will follow every day, so that they must hasten, if they expect much of these gentlemen to be returned to them." The poor sufferer sank groaning on the ground, while we stood petrified with fear} and Florence Hartleigh happily found insensibility in a fainting fit. During this time the driver had succeeded in slipping into my hand a piece of paper, which I put into my pocket unnoticed, wondering what it could mean. The messenger departed, and we were conducted a long and devious ro'ate until we reached a place where there was a chasm in the mountain, whose rocky sided rose abruptly for many hundred feet. We wero shown a little cavo which was to be our resting-place, and for a time we were left in peace. This cave seemed the termination of the road, but Frank Burton's keen eyo detected a continuation of the path away to the right, the entrance being almost concealed by shrubs and bushes. Flo drow my attention to this and suggested an escape, but I shook my head, and we spoke no more. The houra passed, and darkness came on. We were all sunk in that lethargy that often comes with extreme misery. Frank and I sat away from each other, Mr Hartleigh was in another corner with his daughter, and the man lamenting over his wound, for which ho had improvised a bandage. Mechanically I' put my hand in ray pocket, and felt the paper given me by the drive. I drew it forth and opened it. It was a dreadful scrawl, but put into English it read as follows :—": — " Go further up the pass, and you will find the secret rope." What could this mean ? I called over Frank, and we agreed that up the entrance discovered by him there must be some means of escape, and that no time should be lost in availing ourselves of it. We were interrupted by three of the robbers, who entered with materials for a fire, which they speedily kindled. All were more or less intoxicated, and they gazed with brutal admiration at the"pale, but lovely features of iheir fair prisoner. At length one of them, going up to her, endeavoured to kiss her. Fl^sh and blood could not stand that, and all four of us rose and- rushed upon the villains. Fbr- | tunatoly their backs were to us, and three of us seized them by the throat, while Mr Hartleigh operated in front ,upon their faces in turn. The struggle was' a' short one, and by the greatest chance we overpowered the men without disturbing the rest of the robbers, who were camping at some distance. It was- impossible to gag and bind our opponents, so Frank brought down his fist upon their three heads one after the other with hammer-like force, and rendered them insensible, though it would be but for a short time, we knew. A hurried council of war was then taken, and we set out over the rugged track that probably led to the mysterious rope. After scrambling over a path, that would have seemed almost impassable in an hour of less danger, we came to the place wo sought for. What a sight met our eyes ! Picture to yourself a narrow ravine, the rays of moonlight that here and there broke through the dense foliage only rendering the shadows more gloomy, and terrible. Above us at an unknpwp 1 height, but which must have been two; hundred feet at least, hung a rock, hardly visible, and from this, in mid-air, depended a rope which reached to our feet. We gazed in blank dismay ; I was the first io break silence. "Mutilation or even death, perhaps worse, are behind us ; there is a chance, just a chance, before us ; now, which shall it be V I gazed at Florence. She looked at the rope and shuddered ; then with a great effort she said, calmly, "I will go." Wo hastily niTangod that the manservant should 30 first, then Mr Hartleigh, and that "Burton and myself should assist. Mi S3 Hartleigh in tho desperate attempt. T found a piece of ropo on the ground and made two nooses in it, ono to go over my shoulders and the other under her arms. She was then to place her feet upon Burton's shoulders, and with this assistance and her own exertions, we hoped to reach the top of tho precipice. I say hoped, but we scarcely did that. At all events we were determine 1 to risk it. The servant and his master started. Tho rope had frequent loops for resting one's feet in, otherwise tho ;i scent would have been impossible, and the two went up about twenty feet and then rested a while, after which they went, on. Fow it was our turn. I adjusted ihe ropo, and all was ready. For a. moment tho courage of tho poor girl failed' her, and falling hysterically upon my neck, she cried, "6 Charlie'! Charlie !" and then as suddenly recovered. At this moment I caught sight of Bur ton's face. With the weird moonlightshinirg upon his features, convulsed with passion, he looked unearthly, ag he put his hand upon the knife he had taken from one of tho defeated robbers. I saw that prompt measures were needful, and, seizing; his shoulder, said in hitt efir, " Onr duty is to save this girl's life. ! Onco in safety, 1 will givo you any satisfaction." * He g£oi.ud. hia teeth, and proceeded to

help my with Misa , Harfcleigh^tJTtien came the, most terrible .period df/mjP life, and the eflfecta of which 1 never recovered from. . Slowly and painfully ,we .dragged ourselves up, now lighted 'with-the rays of the moon, and anon plunged in profound darkness, while the very air seemed resonant with sounds which' formed themselves into mocking laughter of demons. How our strength held out I » know not ; we felt no fear, our' nerves were too strained for that — a lifetime seemed to pass in that few minutes/ > • ■'•• • '•' We had ascended one hundred and fifty feet, and had stopped again to rest ';' fifty feet more, and we were saved. • Hush ! what was that sound? An uproar below us, followed by the trembling of .the .rope, told us that we were discovered ahd pursued. We could not move, but all clung mad ly to the rope, while we froze wtyh terror. Once again did the spirit' of tile brave girl ' faint within her, and again ,' she, cried in agony, "o, Charlie ! Charlie I" ■', " Jamming my foot into a loop, I looked down into the gulf with ft dread fascination. Frank Burton's face, had upon it the sa,me appearance a 9 when' had previously observed it/ only, while I looked, a new expression came .upon his features, and one that haa ever haunted me since that night. I saw by the, dim light that our pursuers were close ■ upon us, and at that very moment the foremost, robber, with a loud curae, caught him by the foot. ,No cry escaped Burton's lips, . jjut, drawing his knife, he said'calmly, and diJF tinctly, " Florence, you doubt me in r lijre ; believo me in death.", ■ „. A few strokes with the knife, and the rope, already strained to the utmost, parted above his head,, and, after a, pause that seemed an eternity, we heard the poor follow, with his pursuers, dashed to pieces on the rocks beneath. I must have become insensible for a. few momenta, for I appeared to wake from a hideous dream, only to find ourselves- in, ,a position of which the terrors can never be realised. When Burton fell, Miss Hartleigh's f eet slipped, and she hung supported, only by the rope which held her to me.,, Were it not that mechanically she, clung like, a vice ,to the rope with her hands, J could not have sustained our united, weight for an, instant. , In that moment of, agony was concentrated ,^he mental anguish of years, the .effects of which jxte diatinotjy shown in my prematurely whitened hair and shattered nerves. I could hold, on no longer, I felt that a mpment more sand we should be rushing through, that^abyßS to the death that awaited, us, and ,'lf Relieve I muttered, the words, " O God, canst thou f indeed work a miracle V A , dark form appeared, seeming to my maddened brain to-be an evil spirit to hasten my destruction. Hastily it fastened a noose around me, and a cheery voice said, " Courage, my friend, you are saved !" .It was the last I heard, and my, senseless form, with my equally insensible burden, ■was drawn up by willing arms, whiles rny unknown deliverer, who had dea,eende,d in a noose, supported Miss . Hartjeigh, and relieved me of par]b of her. .weight. *" When consciousness returned, I found. myself Burrounded by a crowd -which, po.nsisted of about , a dozen soldiers,; four tourists, who were staying, like ourselves, at , the village, and the driver of, - the carriage, who had hardly imagine.^; tja^t we might attempt the ascent,, put, lu^y*!" tended an attack upon the bandits, by/ descending the rope. They were, all.rjfc readiness upon the top of the (precipice., when the arrivajL,of the, servant and Mr Hartleigh warned them of pur adventure,; and one ,of the tourists volunteered.! to descend by a spare rope, to, see if- he could render* any, assistance, .with what result has been narrated. , * * , . -„.<. Florence was still insensible, and weeks of anxious watching ensued- while -a struggle between life and, de^th.-toojc place. She was restored to her father and myself ; but the memory, of this .termination to our excursion , left .its trace upon our minds,, in a gloom, whioti ,'not oven the joy of being united .could,entirely effaqe. „ .■ <