The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-10-20

seizing his hat he strobe frornthe room.
Susy listened to his receding footsteps
with disnay.n Had she, indeed, by her
incorrigible love Of coquetry. lost him
It smote her to the sonl to think 80. AS
she heard him open the front door, i'm
PEELED by q feeling of despair, she raised
the window sash, and, lenning forward,
whispered: ln..
''Oharley, Charley! you will be at the
boat tomorrow to bid me- goodbye,
won't you? Surely we are still friends?"
AS she spoke, she tore a roso from her
bosom and threw it to him. 1t lodged
on his arm, but he brushed it away as
though it had been poison, and passed
on without looking up.
Susy spont the remainder OF the day in
tears. Early the next day the hustle of
departure began. Susy was going to nc
ther on trip for her health. AS they
reached the wharf, and descended from
the carriage, Susy's eyes made them
selves busy searching for wished-for
face; but it was nowhere to be seen. The
steamboat lay painting and putting. seem
ingly impatient to be let loose. Susy's
mother, aided by the servant man who
accompanied them, had already crossed
the gangway, which lay between the
wharf and the boat, and Susy was re-
luctantly following, when the sound of q
voice behind her-tho very voice she had
longed to hear-startled her She turn
ed to look round, and missing her foot
ing. fell into the wator.
Another instant. and Charles had
thrown off his coat. and calling out
loudly, Tell the captain not to allow
the wheel to stir, and to lower me q
rope!' he sprang into the water. But Of
her whom he was risking his life to save,
he was unable to perceive any trace.
Judging that the current of the river
might have carried her little forward,
he swan round the wheel. but still he
saw her not; and despair seized his heart
as he conjectured that she might be
see through the water, and at length dis
cerned, far below the surface, what
seemed the end of floating garment,
lodged between the wheel and the round
ed bottom of the boat.
| If this were, indeed, the unfortunate
girl, the least movement of the wheel
must inevitably crush her, aud Charles,
in his terror, fancied it was already be-
ginning to turn. He dived and clutched
at the garment, but missed it. He rose
painting, and almost exhausted; but
scarcely waiting to get breath, he again
plunged below. This time his efforts
were rewarded with success-at least so
far that he was able to bring Susy's form
to the surface of the water; but she seem
ed totally lifeless Charles was now so
nearly exhausted that he had only suffi-
cient presence of mind left to clasp Susy
convulsively to him, while he kept him
self a6oat by holding on to the wheel.
But this, his last hope of support,
seemed also to fail him soon, as he per-
ceived that it was now really beginning
to turn slowly round. By desperate
effort, ho struck his foot against one of
tho paddles 80 as to push himself as far
from the danger as possible. AS ho did
SO, something touched his head, and his
hand grasped rope. New life seemed
now infused into him. He gathered all
Susy g waist-consciousnes then entirely
forsook him. In the meantime, the wit
nesses of the scene, after giving Charles
instructions to the captain, had watched
his struggles and exertions with breath
less interest. The friendly rope had been
flung to him again and again, but in the
excitement of his feelings and his semi
sensibility, he had been incapable of
availing himself of the proffered aid.
AT last, perceiving that he was quite
exhausted and must inevitably soon let
go his hold on the wheel, and then pro-
badly sink to rise no more, the captain
Judged it best to run the risk of moving
off, so that small boat could be sent to
the rescue. The result of this hazardous
experiment was successful. Susy WAS
raised by the means of the rope, and a
boat reached Charles in time to save him
also.
Both sufferers were taken on board the
steamboat, which now moved off to make
up for lost time.
And thus, when our hero rcgaincd his
consciousness, he found himself many
miles from home. OF course, bis first
anxious inquiry was for Snsy, and when
Informed that she was rapidly recovering,
his huppiness seemed complete. He
showed his contentment by falling into
q deep, quiet sleep.
About s1n-set, r. message came to him
that Miss B desired to see him. He
| found her lying OH sofa in the captain s
state-room, which had been given up to
!