394 THE BREAKING UP OF THE PARTY. 



they talked — till at last she vowed that she 

 would leave father and mother and would 

 follow him to the wars. 



" They left the spring, and traversed the 

 flowery paths of the beautiful plain till they 

 reached this range of cliffs, where this 

 watercourse now meets the lake; and fol- 

 lowing its steep ascent, she sat with her 

 lover where we are sitting now, just as the 

 sun threw its level beams upon the land- 

 scape, and glanced upon the summit of the 

 Eagle Rock. 



" * The spring — the fairy spring!' said she ; 

 and without another word, she rushed down 

 the rugged pathway, retraced her steps 

 across the plain, and gained the foot of the 

 rock. But it was too late. The sun shone 

 brightly on the fairy spring, and the waters 

 boiled and foamed under its influence. It 

 was too late — no force would close the open- 

 ing. The heavy stone was floated off as if 

 it had been a cork, and a fierce and rushing 

 stream was already filling the hollow. There 

 was no time for pausing now. The flight, 

 which was at first for love, was now for life ; 

 and panting and exhausted she again reached 

 this ledge. And when she turned to see 



