irl was handicapped by her injured foot. What if her nerve
should desert her and she should let go, or the sleeve of the coat
should part company with the body? In either case there could be but
one result--an instant and terrible death for her.

Taken altogether, it was an experience neither of them would ever be
likely to forget. At last, inch by inch, foot by foot, he drew her up;
and with every advance she made, the stones she dislodged went tinkling
down the bank, and, rolling over the edge, disappeared into the abyss
below. When at last she was sufficiently close to enable him to place
his arm round her, and to lift her into safety beside himself, the
reaction was almost more than either of them could bear. For some
minutes the girl sat with her face buried in her hands, too much
overcome with horror at the narrowness of her escape even to thank her
preserver. When she _did_ lift her face to him, Browne became aware
for the first time of its attractiveness. Beautiful, as Miss Verney
was beautiful, she certainly could not claim to be; there was, however,
something about her face that was more pleasing than mere personal
loveliness could possibly have been.

"How did you come to be up here alone?" he inquired, after she had
tried to express her gratitude to him for the service he had rendered
her.

"It was foolish, I admit," she answered. "I had been painting on the
mountain, and was making my way back to the hotel when the fog caught
me. Suddenly I felt myself falling. To save myself I clutched at that
tree, and was still clinging to it when you called to me. Oh! how can
I thank you? But for you I might now be----"

She paused, and Browne, to fill in the somewhat painful gap, hastened
to say that he had no desire to be thanked at all. He insisted that he
had only done what was fit and proper under the circumstances. It was
plain, however, from the look of admiration he cast upon her, that he
was very well satisfied with the part he had been permitted to play in
the affair.

While, however, they were progressing thus favourably in one direction,
it was evident that they were not yet at an end of their difficulties,
for the young lady, pretend as she might to ignore the fact, was
undoubtedly lame; under the circumstances for her to walk was out of
the question, and Merok was fully a mile, and a very steep mile,
distant from where they were now seated.

"How am I to get home?" the girl inquired.