the portygee-第25章
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scraggy pitch pines about a mile from the lighthouse and the picnic
ground。 Albert stalked gloomily through the shadows of the little
grove and emerged on the other side。 There he saw another person
ahead of him on the path。 This other person was a girl。 He
recognized her even at this distance。 She was Helen Kendall；
She and he had not been quite as friendly of late。 Not that there
was any unfriendliness between them； but she was teaching in the
primary school and； as her father had not been well； spent most of
her evenings at home。 During the early part of the winter he had
called occasionally but； somehow； it had seemed to him that she
was not quite as cordial； or as interested in his society and
conversation as she used to be。 It was but a slight indifference
on her part； perhaps； but Albert Speranza was not accustomed to
indifference on the part of his feminine acquaintances。 So he did
not call again。 He had seen her at the picnic ground and they had
spoken； but not at any length。
And he did not care to speak with her now。 He had left the
pavilion because of his desire to be alone； and that desire still
persisted。 However； she was some little distance ahead of him and
he waited in the edge of the grove until she should go over the
crest of the little hill at the next point。
But she did not go over the crest。 Instead； when she reached it；
she walked to the very edge of the bluff and stood there looking
off at the ocean。 The sea breeze ruffled her hair and blew her
skirts about her and she made a pretty picture。 But to Albert it
seemed that she was standing much too near the edge。 She could not
see it； of course； but from where he stood he could see that the
bank at that point was much undercut by the winter rains and winds；
and although the sod looked firm enough from above； in reality
there was little to support it。 Her standing there made him a
trifle uneasy and he had a mind to shout and warn her。 He
hesitated； however； and as he watched she stepped back of her own
accord。 He turned； re…entered the grove and started to walk back
to the pavilion。
He had scarcely done so when he heard a short scream followed by a
thump and a rumbling； rattling sound。 He turned like a flash； his
heart pounding violently。
The bluff edge was untenanted。 A semi…circular section of the sod
where Helen had stood was missing。 From the torn opening where it
had been rose a yellow cloud of dust。
CHAPTER VI
A goodly number of the South Harniss 〃natives；〃 those who had not
seen him play tennis； would have been willing to swear that running
was； for Albert Speranza； an impossibility。 His usual gait was a
rather languid saunter。 They would have changed their minds had
they seen him now。
He ran along that path as he had run in school at the last track
meet； where he had been second in the hundred…yard dash。 He
reached the spot where the sod had broken and； dropping on his
knees； looked fearfully over。 The dust was still rising； the sand
and pebbles were still rattling in a diminishing shower down to the
beach so far below。 But he did not see what he had so feared to
see。
What he did see； however； was neither pleasant nor altogether
reassuring。 The bluff below the sod at its top dropped sheer and
undercut for perhaps ten feet。 Then the sand and clay sloped
outward and the slope extended down for another fifty feet； its
surface broken by occasional clinging chunks of beach grass。 Then
it broke sharply again； a straight drop of eighty feet to the
mounds and dunes bordering the beach。
Helen had of course fallen straight to the upper edge of the slope；
where she had struck feet first； and from there had slid and rolled
to the very edge of the long drop to the beach。 Her skirt had
caught in the branches of an enterprising bayberry bush which had
managed to find roothold there； and to this bush and a clump of
beach grass she was clinging； her hands outstretched and her body
extended along the edge of the clay precipice。
Albert gasped。
〃Helen！〃 he called breathlessly。
She turned her head and looked up at him。 Her face was white； but
she did not scream。
〃Helen！〃 cried Albert； again。 〃Helen； do you hear me？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Are you badly hurt？〃
〃No。 No； I don't think so。〃
〃Can you hold on just as you are for a few minutes？〃
〃Yes； II think so。〃
〃You've got to； you know。 Here！ You're not going to faint； are
you？〃
〃No； II don't think I am。〃
〃You can't！ You mustn't！ Here！ Don't you do it！ Stop！〃
There was just a trace of his grandfather in the way he shouted the
order。 Whether or not the vigor of the command produced the result
is a question； but at any rate she did not faint。
〃Now you stay right where you are；〃 he ordered again。 〃And hang on
as tight as you can。 I'm coming down。〃
Come down he did； swinging over the brink with his face to the
bank； dropping on his toes to the upper edge of the slope and
digging boots and fingers into the clay to prevent sliding further。
〃Hang on！〃 he cautioned； over his shoulder。 〃I'll be there in a
second。 There！ Now wait until I get my feet braced。 Now give me
your handyour left hand。 Hold on with your right。〃
Slowly and cautiously； clinging to his hand； he pulled her away
from the edge of the precipice and helped her to scramble up to
where he clung。 There she lay and panted。 He looked at her
apprehensively。
〃Don't go and faint now； or any foolishness like that；〃 he ordered
sharply。
〃No； no； I won't。 I'll try not to。 But how are we ever going to
climb upup there？〃
Above them and at least four feet out of reach； even if they stood
up； and that would be a frightfully risky proceeding； the sod
projected over their heads like the eaves of a house。
Helen glanced up at it and shuddered。
〃Oh； how CAN we？〃 she gasped。
〃We can't。 And we won't try。〃
〃Shall we call for help？〃
〃Not much use。 Nobody to hear us。 Besides； we can always do that
if we have to。 I think I see a way out of the mess。 If we can't
get up； perhaps we can get down。〃
〃Get DOWN？〃
〃Yes； it isn't all as steep as it is here。 I believe we might sort
of zig…zag down if we were careful。 You hold on here just as you
are； I'm going to see what it looks like around this next point。〃
The 〃point〃 was merely a projection of the bluff about twenty feet
away。 He crawfished along the face of the slope； until he could
see beyond it。 Helen kept urging him to be carefuloh； be
careful！
〃Of course I'll be careful；〃 he said curtly。 〃I don't want to
break my neck。 Yesyes； by George； it IS easier around there！ We
could get down a good way。 Here； here； don't start until you take
my hand。 And be sure your feet are braced before you move。 Come
on； now。〃
〃II don't believe I can。〃
〃Of course you can。 You've GOT to。 Come on。 Don't look down。
Look at the sand right in front of you。〃
Getting around that point was a decidedly ticklish operation； but
they managed it； he leading the way； making sure of his foothold
before moving and then setting her foot in the print his own had
made。 On the other side of the projection the slope was less
abrupt and extended much nearer to the ground below。 They
zigzagged down until nearly to the edge of the steep drop。 Then
Albert looked about for a new path to safety。 He found it still
farther on。
〃It takes us down farther；〃 he said； 〃and there are bushes to hold
on to after we get there。 Come on； Helen！ Brace up now； be a
sport！〃
She was trying her best to obey orders； but being a sport was no
slight undertaking under the circumstances。 When they reached the
clump of bushes her guide ordered her to rest。
〃Just stop and catch your breath；〃 he said。 〃The rest is going to
be easier； I think。 And we haven't so very far to go。〃
He was too optimistic。 It was anything but easy； in fact； the last
thirty feet was almost a tumble； owing to the clay giving way
beneath their feet。 But there was soft sand to tumble into and
they reached the beach safe； though in a dishevelled； scratched and
thoroughly smeared condition。 Then Helen sat down and covered her
face with her hands。 H
