The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-06-18
CHAPTER XIV,

The mighty rCIluN, which alter Il SNORT
struggle, OverpOwCrGd the rush Of water
from the windows, and carried Grace Car
denis helpless body away from the tree,
drove her OF course back towards the
houses, and she was whirlcd past Titles
window with fearful velocity, just rs lie
was going to leap into the flood and per.
ish in m insane attempt to save her. With
loud cry he seized her by her long float
ing hair, and tried to draw her in ut the
window; but tho mighty water pulled her
from him fiercely, and all but dragged
him in after her; he was only saved by
clutching the side OF the wall with his left
hand the food was Ike some vast solid
body drawing against him; and terror be.
gan TO seize on his heart He ground his
teeth; he set his knee against the horizon.
tai projection Ofth0 window; and that freed
his LETT hand; he suddenly seized her arm
with it, and, clutching 1t violently ground
his teeth together, and, throwing himself
backward with jerk, tore her out Of the
water by an effort almost superhuman.
Such was the force eXertGd by the torrent
IN one side, and the desperate lover on
the other, that not her shoes only, but her
stockings, though garterGd, were torn off
her in that fierce struggle. ....
lie had her in his arms, and cried aloud,
md sUbbcd over her, and kissed her wet
cheeks, her lank hair, her wet clothes, in
wild rapture. He went on kissing her
and sObbing over her 80 wildly and so long
that Coventry, who had ut first eXulted
with him at her rescue, began to rage with
jealousy.
please remember she is my wife," he
ShrirkGd don't take advantage OF her
condition, william
Your wife, you scoundrel You stole
her from nc once; now come and take her
from me again. Why didn't you save her?
She was near 10 you. You let her die {;
She lives by me, and for me, and for her"
With this he kissed her again, and held
her to his bosom. "D'y sec that ?-liar
coward william"
Even across that tremendous body of
rushing death, from which neither was
really safe, both rivals eyes CLEANED hate
ut each other.
The wild beasts that q flood drives 10.
gethcr on to some little cmncnCc, lay
down their natures, and the panther
CrOuChcS and whimperS beside thGI'NntC-
lOpe; but these were men. and could en-
tertain the iicrCeSt of human passions in
tile very jaws of death.
To be sure, it was but for u moment; i
new danger soon brought them both to
their senses: IN elm-tree whirling past
grazcd Covcntrys planc.trcc: il was but
Il Craze yet II nearly shook him or into
the flood, and he yelled with fear: almost
ut the same moment higher wave swept
into Littlc's room, aud the rising water set
every thing Awash, and burst over him IL
he kneeled with Grace lie got up,
drcnched and haIEblindCd with the turbid
water, and, tIking Grace in his arms,
waded waist high 10 his bed, and hid her
down on ii, .
It was a moment of despair, Death
had entered tint chamber IN Il new, un-
lorcseen, and inevitable form. The cell
ing was low, the water was rising stcadi-
"; the bcdstcad ilOatcd; his chest Of draw
Grs tloAtGd, though his rifle and pistols lay
on II, md the top drawers were Iull of the
tools he always had about him ina few
minutes the rising water must inevitably
jam Grace and him against the ceiling,
and drown them like rats in hole. Fear
fulas the situation was, 4 sickcning horror
WIS added to it by the horrible smell Of
the water it had foul and appalling
odor, a compound fcarthinessIand putrcs-
Ccnce; it smelt like newly-opCncd grave;
il paralyzcd like scrpGntS breath.
Stout as young Ilittlc's heart was, il
laintcdnOw when he saw his ledstead,
md his drhGeEs, and his Chnirs, allSlOwly
rising towards the ceiling, lifted by That
cold, putreSCcnt, liquid death.
But all mell, and even animals, possess
greater powers Of mind, rs well rs OF
body, than they ever exert, unless com.
PEELED by dire necessity; and it would
have been strange indeed il heart so
staunCh, nnd brain so inventive, as Lit.
ties, had let his darling die like rat
drowned in a hole, without some new and
mastery attempt first made to save her.
To that moment Of horror and parlly-
sis succeed IN activity Of body and mind
almost incredible. lie wadGd to the
drawers, took his rifle, and fired both bar
rcls at one place in tho ceiling, bursting II
hole, and cutting II narrow jOist almost i'll
two Then he opened q drawer, got All
axe and n saw out, and tried to wade ~
the bed; but the water now took
him off his feet and hG had to swim to it
instead; he got Oh 1t, and with his axe
and his saw he COntrivcd TO paddle the
floating bed under the hole in the ceiling
and then with u few swift and powerful
blows OF his axe soon enlarged that apcr.
ture sufficiently; Int ut that moment the
water carried the hcdslcad away from tho
place.
lie set to work with his saw and axe
and padded back again,
Grace, by this time, was upon her knees
and in Il voice, the sudden iirmncss Of
which surprised and delighted him, asked
if she could help.
Yes" said he, "y0u can, On with my
coat"
1t lay on the bed. She helped him o.,
with II, and then he put his axe and saw
into tho pockets, and told hGrto take hoI,
If his skirt.
lie drew himself up through the aper
lure, and Grace, holding his skirts will
her hands and the bed with her feet
climbed adrOitly on To the head OF the bee
IA French bed made Of nlahogNny-an
Henry drew her through the aperture.
They were now on the false ceiling
and nearly jammed against the root; Lit
tie soon hacked n great hole in that Jus
above the parapct, and they crawled gu
upon the gutter
They were now nearly MS high rs Gov
entry on his tree; but their house wa
rocking, and his tree was firm.
In the next house were heard the dies
pairing shricks Of poor creatures who saw
no way Of cvading their fate; yet the wa
was as open to them US to this brave pail
"Oh, my angel" said Grace, "sav
them. Then IL you die, go TO God"
IAN right" said Henry. Come on"
They darted down the gutter to the mex
house, Little haCkeda hole in the slate.