238 AMERICAN FISHES. 



the place whence it came ; his foot slipped, and the next instant he 

 was flat on his back in the swift stream, where it shot the me)st furi- 

 ously over the glassy rock. He struggled manfully, but in Tain. The 

 smooth, slippery surface afforded no purchase to his griping fingers, no 

 hold to his laboring feet. One fearful, agonizing conflict with the 

 wild waters, and he was swept helplessly over the edge of the fall, his 

 head, as he glanced down foot foremost, striking the rocky brink with 

 fearful violence. 



" He was plunged into the deep pool, and whirled round and round 

 by the dark eddies long before he rose, but still, thoUgh stunned and 

 half-disabled, he strove terribly to support himself, but it was all in 

 vain. 



" 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 hUl. 



" 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 disap- 

 peared. ' 



" 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." 



