Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-12-02


but of Hilton we saw nothing. This was
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
cae, till they covered the whole sky / felt
uncomfortable and the more so because, for
Emma's sake, | felt it necessary to keep a
cheerful countenance; but | began tC .ecog-
niZe the signs of approaching gale. The
wind, as the old fisherman had remarked was
westerly, and ii came every minute in strong
and angrier gusts, sweeping the dead leaves
from the trees, and making a melancholy
signing among the sedges and tamarisks of
the lonely shore. | looked out to sea, and
even at that distance fancied | could see
the dark-blue line of the advancing tide gain
ing, still gaining the shore, and rushing
on, swift and smooth, over the level strand,
where neither rock nor shingle barred its
way.
''Where can Harry be? 1 don't see him
., George, your eyes are better than mine "
said Emma, trembling, as she stood up 70 r
the tenth time TO strain her gaze across the
low fats.
81 see nothing" answered l. 4" Stop,
there is something in the distance dark
object; but it cannot be a 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 a rate. Some sea-bird
driven in by the storm"
Then there is going to be a storm :"
asked Emma, with such white lips, and such
evident distress, that l 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 | groan-
ed inwardly at Hilton's mad prank, though |
did my best to put good face on the matter.
L laughed at the idea OF any apprehensions
from the storm, whether Of peril to Harry or
ourselves, and spoke confidently of the ad7en
turous hOrseman's safety. l 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, at
ter drive through the rain. In fact, |
played my part admirably, in my own opin-
ion; but | could not deceive "a woman's quick
intellect, and my sister laid her trembling
hand on my arm with
Hush, George, pray. You flighten me,
dear, for | see that you are afraid for him.
Oh, it is all my fault; | 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 pack with his pony in a lather
of foam and heat
CaptaiD T.a+bhriJcyo coli Ii
g we have seen a gentleman on horseback try
ing tC escape from the sea, and I'm sure it's
Mr.. Hilton and the poor horse seems so tired
and the tides coming in dreadfully fast, like
a mll-race."
l 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 its
agonized accents, that ii hauntS me to this
hour, and will haunt me to nv diving day.
LaShing the vigorous little nag into a gallop,
IN an instant l gained the point whence our
young informant had come, and there Isprang
out, and assisted Emma to scramble up a steen
ridge of sand that overlooked the whole of
the desolate fiat, now terribly encroached on
by the advancing tide.
\ few drops of rain fell, and the wind
whistled shrilly by, and the sea-gulls and gan
nets flew hOarsely screaming around and
fluttered off inland on their white wings.
but we cared nothing for rain or
thunder. Our eyes were riveted on a horse
man who was making his way, slowly and
painfully, through deep and moist sand, IN
which his weary steed sank fetlock 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 heaylng Hanks, as if he had foun-
dercd through more than one of the Uses, as
they are locally called. The sea was behind
him, swift and pitiless, like a low wall Of dark
blue water, crested with FOAM and seeming
TO devour the shore as it swept onwards-
Worse still, the coming tide was Quicken
ing" the sands as 1t advanced, for we saw
pools appear where dry banks had lately been,
and the surface heaved and gIistened, and the
horse had to make desperate efforts to ad-
vance shorewards.
l shouted loudly, to encourage the poor
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 dashiRg 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, | 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,
riyeted 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 nv
lungs, using my Outspread hands az trumpet,
and Hilton heard the call, started, and knew
US, for he gave an answering hail, which only
reached an inarticulate cry.
But the voice of human sympathy. or the
sight of her be loved, seemed to revive hin,
for he lifted the steed with the rein, and
pressed on more steadily; while imme diately
afterwards the horse seemed to find frmer
footing, for he no longer sank beneath the
surface, and as he broke into a quicker pace
he shook his head with a loud neigh of tri-
umph. The carriages had by this time come
- a halt; but the horses were alarmed bv
tie lightning, which was now almost inces-
SAINT, and they were with difficulty kept under
control, while two or three of the party came
scramh!-ng on foot up the bank, uttering loud