Page:The Father Confessor, Stories of Danger and Death.djvu/52

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"‘Quick! quick! they are coming; let us get on, let us get on.’

"The man set his feet on the wire and started, the woman following without hesitation. The wire creaked and swayed.

"‘Go back!’ the man cried; ‘go back! Take off the rope, or let me go first alone.’

"But she pushed him forward, and with her sweet companionship fear fled from him; he was anxious to get across only for her sake, and all his thoughts were of her. Yes, we can get used to everything, and the second crossing of the rope did not seem so bad as the first. They had reached the middle, when the rope creaked again. Then some of the old fear returned and his face grew white and wet.

"‘Hold tight, whatever happens!’ he shouted above the roar of the waters.

"At the horror in his voice fear seemed to come to her too. She clenched her hands upon the wire and refused to move. Now that her mind had nothing to think of but their danger, she realised for the first time the risk they ran.

"‘Oh, I am afraid—afraid!’ she sobbed.

"‘A little further,’ said the man, the drops