But presently he appeared to me
perfectly willing that Ruth should go. Maybe he was as keen that she
should not appear at a disadvantage beside Mrs. Falchion as was her
father.
A signal was given, and the cage came slowly down the cable to the mill.
We could see Boldrick, looking little bigger than a child at the other
end, watching our movements. At the last moment Mr. Devlin and Roscoe
seemed apprehensive, but the women were cool and determined. I noticed
Mrs. Falchion look at Ruth curiously once or twice after they entered the
cage, and before they started, and what she saw evidently gave her a
higher opinion of the girl, for she laid her hand on Ruth's arm suddenly,
and said: "We will show these mere men what nerve is."
Ruth nodded, then 'bon voyage' was said, and the signal was given. The
cage ascended at first quickly, then more slowly, swaying up and down a
little on the cable, and climbing higher and higher through the air to
the mountain-side. What Boldrick thought when he saw the two ascending
towards him, he expressed to Mr. Devlin later in the day in vigorous
language: what occurred at his but Ruth Devlin told me afterwards.
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