Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-05-29

terrified girl, cor the stag will be upon u.s."
The words had scarcely left her mouth
before crashing was heard in neighbor-
ing thickct, and before the females could
move more than few steps from their po-
sition, huge antlered stag, dripping with
blood and foam burst out of the copsc, and
made towards them. The attendant
shrieked, and clasping her mistress robe,
stood unable to move. Had the maiden
been equally paralysed, their destruction
would have been unavoidable. But in that
moment of peril, though the cheek of the
lady Margaret became a trifle palcr than
usual her presence of mind did not desert
her. Selling her attendants arm energet-
cally, she dragged her toward a huge oak
behind them, whose giant trunk would af-
ford momentary barrier against the infu-
rated animal. Had the lady Margaret
been alone and unincumbered, she would
have succeeded in her endeavor, but her
nearly senseless companion so retarded her
progress that the stag had almost overtaken
them while vet several PAGES from the
tree. Another instant and their fate would
be sealed. But at that crisis she heard
whizzing by her ear, and an arrow, sped
by an unseen hand, pierced the heart of the
stag, who leaping madly forward with
last effort, fell dead at her feet. At the
same moment a light and active form,
arrayed in a dress of Lincoln green, sprang
out from neighboring copse, and lifting
his cap to the ladies' begged to enquire
after their alright in tone so courtly for
one of his apparent station, that Margaret
looked Involuntary closer at the stranger.
He was apparently about twenty-five
years of age, with an open and generous
countenance, enlivened by one of those
merry blue eyes which were characteristic
in those days of the pure Saxon blood of
their possessor. A aunty cap, with
long white feather dropping over it, was
set upon the strangers head; while green
coat, made somewhat after the fashion of
hunting frock of the present day, and
crossed by wide belt from which suspend
ed buge, set off his graceful form. AL
together the intruder was as gallant look
ing forester as ever trod the grecnsward.
The hounds are in full cry" continued
the stranger, without shrinking at the scru-
tiny of the lady, "and will soon be upon
us. VIII you suffer me to be your protec-
tor from this scene?"
The lady Margaret bowed, and pointing
to her attendant, who had now tainted 1.
thanked their preserver for his offer, and
signifed her Willingness to accept it.
The youth made no answer, but Selling
the PROSTATE maiden in his arms, he point
ed to the copse from which he had emerged,
and hastily followed Margaret into it.
The branches where they passed in their
retreat, had scarcely ceased vibrating, when
the hounds dashed into the space they had
left, and in moment after gay train of
hunters followed with horn and holloo.
Meantime the young stranger, bearing
the form of Ruth in his arms, hastily ira
versed the forest, by paths that others could
scarcely have detected, until he reached the
margin of an open glade, at whose eXtrem-
ity stood a low-roofed lodge, such as was
then used for the residence of the keeper
of the forest. Here the stranger hesitated
a moment, but finally perceiving that no
one was in sight, he pressed across the glade,
and only paused when he had deposited his
now rcviving burden on cot in the lodge.
The next moment he turned to depart.
"May-may we know to whom we are
indebted for this timely aid!' faltered the
lady Margaret crimsoning as she spoke,
with an agitation of manner unusual to the
high bred heiress.
The youth hestated moment, looked
wstfully at the maiden, and seemed on the
point of answering, when footsteps were
heard approaching. Hastily bowling to
Margaret he calculated.
I'VE may meet again, farewell" and van
ished from the portal. His form disap.
peared in the forest as the keeper entered
and saluted the lady Margaret and his
daughter.