The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-11-22


Down it came the terrified horse t.
check him now were certain destruction il
full thing to see that slight girl, with hal
and dress streaming on the wind, her fac.
blanched with ply steal terror, her lips clos
ed, and her eyes ablaze with moral resolu
ton, rush ut the appalling leap.
Nearer, nearer! The stoutest man mus
have shut his eyes as they Numbered dowr
the hill to that dreadful chasm. No posi-
BILE escape, no panse, no interval! Now
And with the force of a beam hurled from
a catapult, the horse sprang from the beet
ling brow. A moment in the air, orasf
upon the rocks of the farther bank below
Horror! he's down-and the poor child
No, no! Twas but the crouching, Stun.
bling rush of his impetus he's up, and
charging sturdily the opposing hill.
More slowly now; recalled to calmel
thought by the imminence of the peril she
had SO narrowly escaped, Their ceased
to urge the noble hunter, on whom the la
Dor of the wild run began to tell heavily
1t was not yet four o'clock, the world OF
labor was still asleep, yet had he crossed
fifteen miles of the hardest country in Eug.
land since dawn. He was near his Jour
ney's end, poor fellow, and he seemed tt
understand his riders words when she said
so, as she patted his foamins neck. They
the hills of the Peak Forest, and at the END
of a couple of miles it brought them to the
door of n small moorland farmhouse nest.
ling in little nook of mingled rocks and
brambles.
Here the young lady sprang lightly tc
the ground, and hammered Justify at the
door with u stone, to rouse the sleeping in
mates.
"What on earths up, and who's there r.
n ma hi in1,f Il
head out of an upper window.
81, l, Ellen Leyland! 0, let me I'M"
Miss Ellen! God save us! Whatever
brings you here at this time o. tn morn
ing r .n
and let me in"
"Surely, surely-directly, Miss Ellen
I'll just jog up the old woman, and be
down in jiffy."
He was as good as his word, if five min
utes be the duration of n .jiffy.
Now, sit you down, Miss Ellen, sit you
down, whilst l waken up the fire. Don't
say word the missusll be down in two
minutes, and make you Il cup O. tea, as I'm
sure you are badly needing"
Ellen took the chair the old man brought
for her, and sat down, holding her person
straight and rigid, as though she feared to
relax the tension of her nerves until her
purpose should be accomplished.
She sat thus, and in silence, till the old
woman, not more dilatory than her hus-
band, came down.
"Dear, dear !" she said, taking Miss Ley
lands hand between hers and petting it,
chow pale and ill you look Make haste
and fill the kettle, John. She'll be better
of n cup o. tea. Look sharp, or she'll may
be faint" she added in an audible aside.
"No, Mrs. Warner, shall not faint ;
only give me glass of water; and tell me,
can you send IL message to the telegraph OF
Chapel lie Frith?"
"Sure but they'll not be Weakened yet
go yes, they will; there must be some
body on duty in the Office all night" said
Ellen. "But can you keep me here day
or two without its getting known about the
country2 ?"
GA month, Miss Ellen-ay year, if you
like; but sure it's something very bad as
makes you ask"
!" G cd help me! But will only trespass
on you till canssee, or hear from Mr.. Aud
ley"
"Why, Mr.. Audley's here"
"Here!' exclaimed Ellen, rising sudden
ly to her feet.
Ay, i'll this house. He missed the train
last night at Stockport, and came on here
go, thank God! Pray, call him, do"
There was no need. AS she spoke, a
young gentleman entered the kitchen.
"Ellen, Ellen !" he cried, fastening to
her in amazement. She made step to-
wards him, with extended hands but the
quivering of her lips forbade her speaking
for the instant. "My own dear Nell =
What is it, darlingR But let it rest, what