312 SALMON FISHING. 



" Again he sunk and rose once more, and as he rose that wild 

 shriek again reached his ears, and his last glance fell upon a 

 female form wringing her hands in despair on the bank, and a 

 young man rushing down in wild haste from the cottage on 

 the hill. 



" He felt that aid was at hand, and struck out again for life 

 — for dear life ! 



" But the water seemed to fail beneath him. 



" A slight flash sprang across his eyes, his brain reeled, and 

 all was blackness. 



" He sunk to the bottom, spurned it with his feet, and rose 

 once more, but not to the surface. 



" His quivering blue hands emerged alone above the relentless 

 waters, grasped for a little moment at empty space, and then 

 disappeared. 



" The circling ripples closed over him, and subsided into 

 stillness. 



" He felt, knew, suffered nothing more. 



" His young, warm heart was cold and lifeless — his soul had 

 lost its consciousness — the vital spark had faded into darkness 

 — perhaps was quenched for ever/' 



