Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-12-03


the less surprising as, owing to the twists in
the road and the many sandy bluffs that stood
out between Us and the skyline, our view of
the strand was limited to that portion of it
Immediately before US.
Emma was excessively agitated, though she
did her best to hide her fears, and was per-
petually standing up in the carriage to gaze
forth over the yellow stretch Of sand, dappled
already by the Pickering shadows Of evening
The sun was sinking and the wind rising
The white clouds overhead had grown thicker
and darker, growing like the web of the Par
ce, till they covered the whole sky. l felt
uncomforta BILE, and the more so because, for
Enmas sake, | felt it necessary to keep a
cheerful countenance; but began to recog-
nize the signs OF an approaching gale. The
wind, as the old fisherman had remarked was
westerly, and it came every minute In strong
er and angrier gusts, sweeping the dead leaves
from the trees, and making a melancholy
signing among the sedges and tamarisks of
the lonely shore. l looked out to sea, and
even at that distance fancied l could see
the dark-blue line of the advancing tide gain
on, swift and smooth, over the level strand,
where neither rock nor single barred its
way. ...
"Where can Harry be? l don't see him
o, George, your eyes are better than mine "
said Emma, trembling, as she stood UP TO r
the tenth time to strain her gaze across the
low flats.
a see nothing" answered l. "Stop,
there is something in the distance-a dark
object; but it cannot be man and horse, it
is so small, and so near the water, where no
sane person would venture, with the tide
coming in at such rate. Some sea-bird,
driven in by the storm"
"Then there is going to be storm ?"
asked Emma, with such white lips, and such
evident distress, that | could have bitten off
my tongue for my lack of caution.
She was very pale; the hectic bloom on
her cheeks came and went, and her eyes were
strangely brilliant. In her delicate state of
health, all agitation was hurtful, and l groan-
ed inwardly at Hilton's mad prank, though l
did my best to put a good face on the matter
l laughed at the idea of any apprehensons
from the storm, whether Of peril to Harry or
ourselves, and spoke confidently of the adven
turous horseman's safety. / expressed my
self sure that he had already reached Az
ranches, and would have the laugh on his
side when we came in, with wet Clothes af-
ter drive through the rain. In fact, |
played my part admirably, in my own opin-
ion but | could not deceive WOman's quick
intellect, and my sister laid her trembling
hand on my arm with
Hush, George, pray. You brighten me,
dear, for | see that you are afraid for him.
Oh, it is all my fault; l should have begged
him, urged him to stay with US. And if he,
if he should"
Just then the eldest of the English school
boys, who had raced past US some little time
before with his noisy crew Of young comrade,
came tearing back with his pony in lather
of foam and heat.
go, Captain Lethbridge," said the boy
" we have seen gentleman on horseback try
ing tC escape from the sea, and Pm sure it's
Mr.. Hilton ; and the poor horse seems so tired,
and the tides coming in dreadfully fast, like
a mill-race."
tried to stop the boy. 1t was of no use.
The words were spoken, and Emma gave a
scream so piercing and heart broken in it's
agonlzed accents, that it haunts me to this
hour, and will haunt me to my dying day.
Lashlng the vigorous little nag into a gallop,
in an instant gained the point whence our
young informant had come, and there I sprane
out, and assisted Emma to scramble up steep
ridge of sand that overlooked the whole of
the desolate fat now terribly encroached on
by the advancing tide.
A few drops of rain fell, and the wind
shrilly by, and the sea-gulls and gan
nets flew hoarsely screaming around, and
huttered off inland on their white wings.
The muttering growl Of distant thunder re-
but we cared nothing for rain or
thunder. Our eyes were riveted on horse
man who was making his way, slowly and
painfully, through deep and moist sand, in
which his weary steed sank fetIock deep at
every bound.
Hilton There was no mistaking him: but
how came he there, and how had he fingered
so long among those dangerous wastes? No
doubt he had missed the safe way, hardly to
be found, even by natives of the country and
had wandered long among the treacherous
quagmires and pools of sullen waters, for |
could see that his noble horse tagged YEARLY,
and that there was stains of mud and sand
upon his heaving tanks, as if he had floun-
dered through more than one of the Uses, as
they are locally called. The sea was behind
him, swift and pitiless, like low wall of dark
blue water, crested with foam, and seeming
to devour the shore as it swept onwards.-
w orse still, the coming tide was "quicken-
ing" the sands as it advanced, for we saw
pools appear where dry banks had lately been,
and the surface heaved and glistened, and the
horse had to make desperate efforts to ad-
vance shorewards.
L shouted loudly, to encourage the Door
fellow; but the wind drowned my voice and
now the thunder rolled, and the lightning
flashed redly over the sea, and it seemed sud
denly to grow dark, while torrents of rain
came dashing down. But we did not heed
them. If my own life had been trembling in
the balance, could scarcely have felt more
cruel anxiety; and as for Emma, l hardly
dared to steal one glance at her pale and an
guish wrung features as she stood on the
highest point of the rock, clinging to me for
support, and waving her handkerchief poor
thing, while her eyes pierced the twilight
riveted on the figure of that lonely horseman,
on whom the sea was gaining with fearful
rapidity.
"Why does he not head straight for the
shore? All, now he takes the right course
but the horse can scarcely answer to the
spur" L muttered between my set teeth
"Oh, push on for Heavens sake, press
on y l shouted with the full strength of my
lungs, using my outspread hands as trumpet
and Hilton heard the call, started, and knew
US, for he gave an answering hail, which only
reached US as an inarticulate cry
But the voice of human sympathy. or the
sight of her he loved, seemed to revive him.
for he lifted the steed with the rein, and
pressed on more steadily; while Immediately
afterwards the horse seemed to find frmer
footing, for he no longer sank beneath the
surface, and as he broke into quicker pace
he shook his head with loud neigh of tri-
umph. The carriages had by this time come
to halt but the horses were alarmed by
the lightning, which was now almost inces-
SAINT, and they were with difficulty kept under
control, while two or three of the party came
scrambling on foot up the bank, uttering loud