The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-04-28

SOou' " AZ YOU uudIi Inc Wuen come
again 2"
never thought of myself or my own
feelings; Iput all thoughts of Ben out of I
my head, remembering my father, and
said, .'Yes i"-nothing more. I don't /
know whether Mr. Cardle would have
kissed me or no;-he had no chance
for hardly had spoken that word when
there was knock at the door, and open
ed 1t to admit-Ben Sample himselfl
We were all three of US rather i'll at
ease for a moment. Mr.. Cardle knew
Ben, l suppose, and must have heard
| something about his old feelings for me,
for he stepped back to the window and
frowned, never speaking or nodding to
Ben, who stood there with his hat twirling
in his hand, awkward and abashed. He
only found his tongue when asked linn
| to sit down; then he said -
Nay, / can't stop. l only came to
bring yonr fathers message that he won't
be home to>night. The rise in the river
has broken loose the great raft at Logan's
Ford, that was to be fioated down to-
morrow morning, and he's gone up with
all hands to moor it. He can't be here
tonight"
That was awkward news to me. ]
had never thought of staying in that lone
ly place without father and it was little
consolation TO think of Mr.. Cardle AS
protector. Just as [ had question on
my tongue, Ben spoke again: ass-
''You don't know how fast the river is
rising he said. ''Out on the stones the
water is almost to the tops of my boots,
and is rising higher.
''Do you think there is any danger in
staying here tonight ?" asked, in some
alarm.
MAYBE no.," he answered doubtfully,
shut never knew the river to be SO high
before"
''Ben, Ben. what shall I do" took
no notice at all of Mr.. Cardle, and felt no
safety except from the presence of Ben
didn't father send any other word %
''None at all.
Sand won't you stav?'
''After what has happened, Bessy? /
shouldn't think you'd wish it"
Then he must have seen how grieved
and sorry 1 looked, and how alarmed l
felt, for he added, right away:
''Yes, / will stay, Bessy, if you wish
it, though trust and believe there's no
danger"
thanked him with look, and before
could say anything more, Mr.. Card!c
spoke.
s'Do you think there's any danger of
the river upsetting the house 2" he asked.
SIT surely will if it rises high enough"
Ben replied. ''1ark, hear that -
Generally, when the door was open, we
could hear faint ripple of current, but it
now bad boarse, loud sound that was
heard it.
81 don't like that" he said. sIet me
go out and see."
He was not gone three minutes, and be
came back with his face full of trouble
''The water is within twenty feet of the
door, he said. 81 don't suppose could
wade from here TO the bank. We must
leave here at once, and when you're safe,
I'll come back and save some of the things
If the water gains like this, all the floor
will be under in an hour"
He went out again / knew what for.
TIE west foundation wall of the house
was next the river, and father always
kept skiff tied there. / understood from
what Ben said, that ne meant to bring
the skiff round to the front and take US to
the shore. was putting on my hood and
shawl when he came back His face was
as pale as ashes, and never noticed me at
first, but looked all round the room and
into fathers chamber.
"Where's that fellow Cardle?" he asked.
had not noticed that he was gone he
had been standing by the window just be-
fore Ben went out the last time.
81 thought it," Ben cried, and his face
looked half sorry, half mad. ''Bessy, do
you know what has happened The skiff
is gone and that man with it,"
i looked terrified into his face, and then
followed him to the door and looked out
with him. Itwas almost night, but what
there was of daylight left showed us a
mad, white. capped torrent of water, rush
ing through the channel between US and
the shore-so near to US that we could
have stepped off the lower step into it, and
roaring and whirling in manner that
was fearful to see. The rain had ceased
and didn't then see how the river could
rise SO Dut L UNDERSTOOD it afterWard,
when they told me that it was all owing
to a sudden thaw up in the mountains that
had melted the snow in the gorges and
, poured hundreds of new streams into the
J river all at once. We looked a moment,
and then came back into the room.
was afraid, Isuppose; but not so much as
/ thought at first. Somehow felt a
| sense of security with Ben Sample there
! that robbed the situation of all the terrors
/ it would have had without him. hard.
ly thought of Jacob Cardle, and how NEAR
i, and heartless he was TO abandon US 81
= and deprive US of the means of safety
) when Ben wanted to save US together