Mr.

"Benjamin
Arch, where she stood balancing herself and toughing gayly. Her form was
outlined against the sky; the breeze, swayed her skirt; she seemed hovering over
the chasm. I watched her, mute with fear; a word might cause her to lose her
balance; but I could not turn my eyes away, I was fascinated with the sight. I was
not aware that Rodney had left me until he, too, appeared on the Arch, slowly
finding a foothold for himself and advancing toward the centre. A fragment of the
roof broke off under his foot and fell in the abyss below. 'Go back, Monsieur
Rodenai,' cried Jeannette, seeing his danger. 'Will you came back too,
Jeannette?' 'Moi? C'est aut'chose,' answered the girl, gayly tossing her pretty
head. 'Then I shall come out and carry you back, wilful child,'said the surgeon. A
peal of laughter broke from Jeannette as he spore and then she began to dance
on her point of rock, swinging herself from side to side, marring the time with a
song, I held my breath; her dance seemed unearthly; it was as though she
belonged to the Prince of the Powers of the Air. At length the surgeon reached
the centre and caught the making creature in his arms: neither spoke, but I
could see the flash of there eyes as they stood for an instant motionless. Then
they struggled on the narrow foothold and swayed over so far that I buried my
face n my trembling hands, unable to look at the dreadful end. When I opened my
eyes again all was still; the Arch was tenantless, and no sound came from below.
Were they, then, so soon dead? Without a cry? I forced myself to the brink to
look down, over the precipice; but while I stood there, fearing to look, I heard a
sound behind me in the woods. It was Jeannette singing a gay French song. I
called to her to stop. 'How could you!' I said severely, for I was still trembling with
agitation. 'Ce n'est rien, Madame. I cross I'Arche when I had five year. Mais,
Monsieur Rodenai le Grand, he raise hiss eye to look this time, I think,' said
Jeannette, laughing triumphantly. 'Where is he?' 'On the far side, gone on to
Scott's Pic[Peak]. Feroce, O feroce, comme un o loupgarou! Ah! c'est joli, ca!'
And over-flowing with the wildest glee the girl danced along through the woods
in front of me, now pausing to look at something in her hand, now laughing, now
shouting like a wild creature, until I lost sight of her. I went back to the fort alone.
For several days I saw nothing of Rodney. When at last we met, I said, 'That was