THE ROCKER. 
wound the slack. The rope and the two 
bodies travelled slowly upwards, hesitated, 
and then halted. O’Rorke redoubled his 
efforts. A cry came from below — a cry of 
pain. 
Lahn pointed down. 
“ Something sticks ! ” he gasped. “ I have 
them held. See to it ! ” 
For the second time the American peered 
into the abyss. Muriel's eyes met his, bright 
with agony. 
“ It's crushing me — I can’t breathe ! ” she 
panted, and made a feeble effort to clutch the 
rope above her head as if to ease the intoler- 
able strain. 
O’Rorke saw — and understood. The rope, 
dragged inwards from below, was wedged in 
a cleft. 
And for a moment the reality of what he 
saw seemed to escape him. He felt as if it 
was from some nightmare dream that lie 
stared and stared again at those ungiving 
strands, helpless, hopeless, crushed by the 
finger of a malignant Fate. And it was as if 
from some other immeasurably remote world 
that Carthew’s voice reached him, faintly at 
first, but increasing in firmness and strength. 
He turned his eyes down to meet the English- 
man’s glance. He met none of that half- 
contemptuous, half-patronizing dislike which 
he had been accustomed to see in that face 
before. Nor did he hear in that voice any 
trace of the resentful tones he knew so well. 
u My fault — my fault utterly ! ” cried 
Carthew. “ Thank God I can put it right ! 
Muriel — can you hear me ? I want to say — 
good-bye ! ” 
The girl swayed against the cliff as she 
tried to turn her glance down. Her hand 
made a gesture of dissent. 
“ No ! ” she cried, feebly. “ No! Till 
help comes — I can — hold on ! ” 
And then Carthew laughed- — a queer, half- 
sarcastic, half-triumphant laugh. 
“ I couldn’t have won you. Let me lose 
you decently ! ” he answered, and began to 
pick at the knotted rope around his waist. 
Suddenly, dashingly, the meaning of what 
he saw came to O’Rorke. He hammered his 
fist upon the rock. 
“No ! ” he yelled, his voice rising to odd, 
shrill notes of passion. “ No ! Wait two 
273 
minutes- — one ! I can save you — both of 
you ! I can do it — now — now ! ” 
Carthew hesitated and looked up, his hand 
still at his waist. But O’Rorke had vanished 
for the moment — he was standing upon his 
feet on the uncertain verge, sending swift, 
rippling motions up the lariat, which hung 
upon the projection above. It leaped from 
its place and dropped like a falling serpent 
upon his head. Coiling it to him, he sank 
back into his prone position along the verge. 
The next instant the rawhide had whistled 
upon another flight. It dropped upon the 
Englishman’s shoulders, slipped past them, 
and was drawn tight beneath his arms. 
“ Now ! ” cried O’Rorke, exultantly. “ Now 
unknot your waist ! ” 
The next moment Muriel Frenton gave a 
gasp of relief. For the rope below her no 
longer dragged her down it was loose, 
swinging out upon the breeze. And Carthew ? 
He seemed to be travelling upwards by leaps 
and bounds, so little a thing did the great 
strength of the man above make of the weight 
of the man below. They met upon the verge, 
those two, and met silently. Till their task 
was done they wasted no words. Carefully, 
gently, and together, they laid hands upon 
the other rope and drew Muriel into safety. 
But it was in O’Rorke’s arms that she lay at 
last — in his alone. 
The young moon was setting as the Bishop 
tapped out his pipe and turned to Carthew, 
who sat beside him. The glances of both 
were upon the pair who disappeared slowly 
into the velvet shadows of the hotel garden. 
Muriel’s father gave a little sigh. 
“ Of course, I’ve given my consent — there 
was no reason that I shouldn’t and every 
reason that I should,” he admitted. “ But 
you were my original choice, my dear fellow. 
I — I hope it’ll all be for the best.” 
Carthew nodded. His fingers may have 
trembled as he lit his cigarette, but the lips 
which received it smiled — an unflinching 
smile. 
“ He is the best— to-day lie proved it,” he 
answered ; and then his smile deepened and 
grew whimsical. “ But on their wedding- 
day — they have made me promise to be best 
man then.” 
THE MYSTERY OF THE “MARIE CELESTE.” 
With regard to this article a most unexpected development has occurred, of 
which we shall give full particulars next month 
