波波小说

第14部分（第1页）

e　child　as　well　as　he　could；　but　the　ferocious　bird　seemed　to　aim　all　its　blows　at　him　alone。　Afraid　of　cutting　the　cord；　he　could　not　strike　it　as　he　wished；　and　the　struggle　was　prolonged；　while　Harry　shouted　with　all　his　might　in　hopes　of　making　his　rades　hear。

He　soon　knew　they　did；　for　they　pulled　the　rope　up　faster；　a　distance　of　about　eighty　feet　remained　to　be　got　over。　The　bird　ceased　its　direct　attack；　but　increased　the　horror　and　danger　of　his　situation　by　rushing　at　the　cord；　clinging　to　it　just　out　of　his　reach；　and　endeavoring；　by　pecking　furiously；　to　cut　it。

Harry　felt　overe　with　terrible　dread。　　One　strand　of　the　rope　gave　way；　and　it　made　them　sink　a　little。

A　shriek　of　despair　escaped　his　lips。

A　second　strand　was　divided；　and　the　double　burden　now　hung　suspended　by　only　half　the　cord。

Harry　dropped　his　knife；　and　by　a　superhuman　effort　succeeded；　at　the　moment　the　rope　was　giving　way；　in　catching　hold　of　it　with　his　right　hand　above　the　cut　made　by　the　beak　of　the　bird。　But；　powerfully　as　he　held　it　in　his　iron　grasp；　he　could　feel　it　gradually　slipping　through　his　fingers。

He　might　have　caught　it；　and　held　on　with　both　hands　by　sacrificing　the　life　of　the　child　he　supported　in　his　left　arm。　The　idea　crossed　him；　but　was　banished　in　an　instant；　although　he　believed　himself　quite　unable　to　hold　out　until

drawn　to　the　surface。　　For　a　second　he　closed　his　eyes；　believing　they　were　about　to　plunge　back　into　the　abyss。

He　looked　up　once　more；　the　huge　bird　had　disappeared；　his　hand　was　at　the　very　extremity　of　the　broken　rope……when；　just　as　his　convulsive　grasp　was　failing；　he　was　seized　by　the　men；　and　with　the　child　was　placed　on　the　level　ground。

The　fearful　strain　of　anxiety　removed；　a　reaction　took　place；　and　Harry　fell　fainting　into　the　arms　of　his　friends。

CHAPTER　XII　NELL　ADOPTED

A　COUPLE　of　hours　later；　Harry　still　unconscious；　and　the　child　in　a　very　feeble　state；　were　brought　to　the　cottage　by　Jack　Ryan　and　his　panions。　　The　old　overman　listened　to　the　account　of　their　adventures；　while　Madge　attended　with　the　utmost　care　to　the　wants　of　her　son；　and　of　the　poor　creature　whom　he　had　rescued　from　the　pit。

Harry　imagined　her　a　mere　child；　but　she　was　a　maiden　of　the　age　of　fifteen　or　sixteen　years。

She　gazed　at　them　with　vague　and　wondering　eyes；　and　the　thin　face；　drawn　by　suffering；　the　pallid　plexion；　which　light　could　never　have　tinged；　and　the　fragile；　slender　figure；　gave　her　an　appearance　at　once　singular　and　attractive。　Jack　Ryan　declared　that　she　seemed　to　him　to　be　an　unmonly　interesting　kind　of　ghost。

It　must　have　been　due　to　the　strange　and　peculiar　circumstances　under　which　her　life　hitherto　had　been　led；　that　she　scarcely　seemed　to　belong　to　the　human　race。　Her　countenance　was　of　a　very　unmon　cast；　and　her　eyes；　hardly　able　to　bear　the　lamp…light　in　the　cottage；　glanced　around　in　a　confused　and　puzzled　way；　as　if　all　were　new　to　them。

As　this　singular　being　reclined　on　Madges　bed　and　awoke　to　consciousness；　as　from　a　long　sleep；　the　old　Scotchwoman　began　to　question　her　a　little。

〃What　do　they　call　you；　my　dear？〃　said　she。

〃Nell；〃　replied　the　girl。

〃Do　you　feel　anything　the　matter　with　you；　Nell？〃

〃I　am　hungry。　　I　have　eaten　nothing　since……since……〃

Nell　uttered　these　few　words　like　one　unused　to　speak　much。　　They　were　in　the　Gaelic　language；　which　was　often　spoken　by　Simon　and　his　family。　Madge　immediately　brought　her　some　food；　she　was　evidently　famished。　It　was　impossible　to　say　how　long　she　might　have　been　in　that　pit。

〃How　many　days　had　you　been　doadge。

Nell　made　no　answer；　she　seemed　not　to　understand　the　question。

〃How　many　days；　do　you　think？〃

〃Days？〃　repeated　Nell；　as　though　the　word　had　no　meaning　for　her；　and　she　shook　her　head　to　signify　entire　want　of　prehension。

Madge　took　her　hand；　and　stroked　it　caressingly。　　〃How　old　are　you；　my　lassie？〃　she　asked；　smiling　kindly　at　her。

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