Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-12-16

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from me-. / groaned aloud, and start
ing up In a fever, drew my companion s
arm through mine, and rushed on.
Five minutes at headlong pace, and
checked myself suddenly, took off my
cap, and passed my hand.ver my throb-
bling temples.
The last hues of the sun yet fingered
in the west; here and there the stars
from their unreasonable height looked
down TRANQUILITY upon us; all around was
growing sombre in our path the path
at best but poorly defined had entirely
disappeared. We we're lost, lost in the
bush, and night coming on. / felt
Aadelene's hand tighten on nv arm;
she comprehended it all without one
word. ~
mons sommes perdus, Henri, nest
co pas?"
"Yes," muttered between my teeth,
''we have been perdus for long time.
But, added !, ''try and be calm, we
shall find the path" 90 =
She locked her hands upon my arm
and she was not afraid, looking at me
with her trustful eyes; and / stood ques-
tioning what it was best to do. The
moon was rising. large, clear, and efful-
gent; and remembering the Canadian
proverb. that people lost in the bush
invariably travel in circle, luminous
idea struck me.
eve will walk, keeping the moon in
our faces Madeleine" said: ''then, at
least we shall be sure to strike a straight
path which will lead us somewhere"
We walked on, our progress more
and more impeded by the dense under
growth, by slumps of trees and the dead
leaves which thickly strewed the ground
| had been impressed for some time
that the ground was becoming singular
ly uneven aud humid, and suddenly,
with thrill of absolute horror, real
lied that we were actually in the midst
of cedar swamp. To go back was i'm
possible, for the moment we turned our
faces from the moon we were entirely
without guide as to direction-there
was no way but on. At every step the
water rose higher and higher until it
reached our knees. To walk at all with
our wet garments, and the clayish soil
adhering to our feet was exceedingly
difficult; and fallen trees, over which
and under which it was requisite to
pass. ~obstructed the way. Madeleine,
who knew the country well, assured me
that the swamp could not be very large,
and that we should not lind the water
any deeper. We had walked, perhaps,
half a mile in this way, consuming
heaven only knows how much time in
so doing, when Madeleine uttered a
stified cry and leaned heavily upon me-
disengaged my arm, raised her light
form and spoke to her, but there was
no response. Her eyes half closed, and
the moon shone full ON her face white
and cold as marble.
"Ah y said to myself with bitter
despairing mOckery, 'the problem is
solving itself-no need to think it ont.
If / ever reach a human babitation it
will be only dead girl that / hold in
my arms ! Then if they don't hang me
here for murder, which, considering
the circumstances, is very like. shall
go home with heavy and desolate
heart to mix again in the frivolities of
fashion and with the life of this poor
being, whose only sin was loving me,
upon my soul.
Physically was almost exhausted by
fatigue and emotion, but despair gave
me strength. L staggered beneath my
burden, but strobe on, pausing now
and then to lean against fallen tree.
Ii wOnld be idle to attempt to describe
what L felt, but every other emotion
was mastered by the anguish that white,
deathly face and cold insensible bur-
dens caused me.
At last, OH thank God! at last. nv
foot trod firmer soil. The ground shot
abruptly upward, and clamberlng on it,
L laid my unconscious burden down, and
rising To my feet looked wildly around
for aid. 1t was no dream-there, not
far off, curling light and vapory against
the clear sky, rose the smoke OF chin
ney. To leave Madeleine was impossi-
BILE, for plainly distinguished in the
distance the bowling of wolves. / shout
ed ''Helrp tall L was hoarse, and after
the lapse OF about ten minutes heard a
faint reply. Then L sat down and took
the poor girls head upon my knee.
The beautiful, clustering hair, how
closely it chung to the marble brow.
Dead dead! the drear, dreadful word
1t taught me all she was to me.
Light cleaned through this tangled
bushwOod, dog came bounding up to
me, and then men-settlers whom /
knew-appeared. We made a sort of
litter of fagots, and bore Madeleine to
their little house. 1t was dawn. We
had passed the entire night in the most
dismal swamp.
By the aid of the most assiduous at
tentiOn and every restorative that could
be obtained, Madeleine recovered, but
she however between life and death for
many weeks, unable to be moved from
the settlers cabin. When finally she
was convalescent, could sit in an easy
chair, and lay her thin hand in mine, I
sent for the old prefer who had known
her from a child, and solemnly recog-
nized her as my own. At no light cost
than that of nearly her life could the
depth of my love for her have been re-
vealed. x
A year after we went home to Eng
land. There is no more brilliant wo-
man in all our circle than Madeleine
Moreland, and no one could over i'm
agine that she had ever been a s'Cana-
dienne habitante," or that she was the
heroine of the strange adventure that
might have fatally marred, but, in real
ity, made our happiness. WAIF.