The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-07-26

afraid to dive ?"
The girl whispered that she was not
So just as several shots were fired a
once, they both went under water, tc
rise many yards down lie stream. Al
it was now nearly dark, this was quit,
sufficient; but to make matters sure
they divcd once more, and at lengtl
came up under the shadow of a Walla
chian willow that dropped from th,
bank. Michal caught one of the long
strong branches, and soon got ashore.
Now" said he, sitting down, and no
needing the shouts that were passing tt
and fro across the lines, between the pur
suing party and the Mokan herdsmon
who, in great alarm, were asking wha
this attack meant: "Now, tell me, child
the story Of thy misiortuncs Has
thou done anything wrong2 / viii pro
tecl thee all the same"
His heart Was overHowing with the
recollection of his own escape, an1 he
made as ii he would embace the child
but the gesture with which she rcpclled
him and moved littla further off on tic
grass-whilst, in sign of friendship, she
still left her hand upon his arm showed
that he was mistaken as to her age.
'My namo is Floriora(the Little Flow
er)," she replied. My fathers name is
Lagir. Ny mother is dead | am the
slave of tho Lord Bibiauo. BE has sold
me to the Pascha, and have run away
Is this ',yrong2"
II was not necessary in that country
to relate any further incidents Michal
underst oo'. the story at once it is one
of the singu,sr parts of mis- character
aud one Of the Incidents of his life which
made him hero among tho people, that
immediately without any fatal delays,
he determined to abandon the property
ho had spent arduous years in amasslng,
in order to be enabled to savo this young
girl-who already owed her life to him
from misery and shame. He knew
that if he returned with hor to the camp.
all his companions, however much their
feelings might prompt otherwise. would
insist that the fugitive slave should be
returned to her owners; otherwise they
were in danger, not only Of the loss Of
tbolr permission to Craze. but of confs-
cation of all their property He did not
wish to involve tribe by whose kind.
ness alone lie had grown rich in a dan
gcrous dispute with tho authorities of
the country and the idea of giving up
the little Flower never occurred to him
There vas no time to lose The pur-
suers. who had lighted torches. were go.
ing up the river to a spot where was a
ferry boat, and they would soon he down
TO search for the girl, alive or dead. Be-
SIDES, probably III obedience to orders or
threats frcm the other side, number Of
the hcrdsmen we're coming along the
great hedge Of bushes and trees that
lined the river at that place, calling for
Michal, aud tell him to bring out the
slave They knew his powers of swim.
ming, and guessed that in the gloom tie
shots from tho enemy could not have
taken effect Miclal rose, and taking
Florida by the hanI led her cautiously
along tho waters edge, round the end of
tue point
" Now said he. the plain bc%ind is
full ofpeorlo, and we cannot cross it
without being seen. Some Of my friends
would let us escape ; others, more selfish.
would delay US Can you swim again.
down stream, with your hand on my
shouldor2n
She answered that sho could. submit
ting herself implicitly to tho faith of the
stranger who had saved her. and tacitly
accepting his sacrifices, perhaps because
she kn,w she could reward them. They
dipped noiselesaly into the stream, aud
in !eisurely manner began to cross.
The passage was effected without diff
Guilty, and on emerging. they found them.
selves many hundred yards below the
extreme limit of the camp, tho position
of which could only be distinguished by
mass of smoke. rejecting dull red
glow Their difficulties were, however
not yet over; tho estates Of the Lord
Biblano stretched all along that part Of
the river, " far, far away" said Floriora
and it would be impossible to traverse
them during the night She knew. how,
ever, village of her own people, where
she might perhaps hide in safety. But
Michal who probably knew that the III
gans were not always faithful ono to thC
other. said that he preferred hiding il
the woods. They accordingly proceeded
tor some distauco--ali night long, indeed
and, as the dawn began to whiten tn,
east, hid themselves in a thick mass O
trees to pass the day.
When the sun had risen, Floriora saw
with some terror that they were not far
from the country villa of her lord but
Michal told her this was tho place whert
their pursuers would be least likely t
look for them. And in truth they speu
the day on the edge Of little glade il
the forest, without seeing any liyin,
thing, save a few birds, squirrel on thi
tree, and some bright green lizards
Michal, as soon as it was light, contem
plated Floriora with amazemeut. lie
beauty seemed to increase as the nornin,
broke more oheerily through the trees
aud when the sun suddenly darted
sheaf of golden beams through a cleft il
the branchy canopy upon this maide
companion Of his, he could scarcely re
frain from utterins cry of wonder. Sh
was small indeed as child, and del
catoly formed, but had evidently attain
ed the age whom young girls, as they 6
down to the springs, look fartiyely owe
their shoulders to know if they are fol
lowed from afar of. Mchal compute
the relative value Of the treasure be La
lost and the treasure be had gained, au
found that he was richer man than o
the previous eve, Some will wonde
that he should thus at once assume
Z taht e, A..