The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-11-22

eu oDliqueiy toward the Iowa shore
and consequently it was toward IL,
Iowa shore that she looked for a frs
sight of the lighter, and her heart be
gan to beat painfully and audibly Il
sight of any dark object drifting on
toward the beetling cliffs of the oppo
site State, and more than once she he'll
her breath to listen if there was not
shout breaking over the water-a sIlou
that had wall of despair in it.
Therefore it startled her to that de
gree that she almost fell from her chair
when slowly drifting around TIE poin
she beheld the lighter. How small aut
how frail it looked when contrastes
with the widtl, and the power O
the river. Aud how her heart dit
throb with sympathy for and compass
sion of the active figure which would
run forward and spring out over til,
side, and hold on to the ridged beam Al
the prov, while his comrades would al
come and cling like lceches in a row
to guide the clumsy thing by theil
weight, aud by reaching out their feet
as sort of doubtful sweep. And then
the prov righted, and the stern in dan
ger OF swinging out, the active figure
would Chamber up the slippery sides,
run along the giddy craft, and be over
and down into the water again, MAX
ing such desperate efforts as a man
makes only when his life is at stake,
and as very few men have the ability
to do, even then.
With sickening despair for them,
Miss Burton withdrew her gaze to fix
it upon the muddy torrent of Mad War
rior, and never did that irate chief
seem SO desperately bent upon mis-
chef as he did now, racing and foam
ing away as if he knew just what was
coming slowly and painfully down to-
ward his mouth, and as if he were
determined to hurl it away to where
the great river could once more CRASH
it in its mighty current, and bear it
away like feather.
Miss Burton arose aud ran down the
stairs, and quite overthrow the well
preserved man, by rushing in upon
him and saying in a very excited, and
not at all lucid way:
"Run and shout to them that thew
must trust to the eddy above the creek,
and not try to pass the current"
Now, the we'll preserved gentleman
was not good figure for running, and
he knew it. Moreover, lie had no
earthly idea where it was that he was
expected to run to, or who it was that
was to take advantage of the back wa
ter, and therefore he stood and stared
helplessly ut Miss Burton, till her cor
Tempt of him overcame her fears for
The others, when she left the room with
IN ejaculation which sounded very
much like "stupid idiot"
She ran up to her window again, and
ier face was almost CHASTITY in its
white terror when she looked out.
They We're now within a hundred
ards OF the eastern shore, but already !
he bulky, nnmanageab!e craft was be-
ginning to feel the force of the Mad
Warrior, and to swing slowly toward
he current.
1t was at this moment that the ac-
i've figure standing upon the PROV,
With his hand shading his eyes, to
lear his vision from the binding eff.
ects of the bright April sunlight,
anght view of the rushing waters of
he swollen creek.
He gesticulated to his comrades, who
fastened to join him, and then point
ng to the backwater, he began to
brow off his outer garments, in which
o was initiated by his comrades.-
he lighter had already turned her
row straight out from shore, when
he active figure ran rapidly to the
tern, and, springing out as far as he
onld, the water closed over him in q
recession of wavelets that had not
nbsided till he was at the surface,
brayely and we'll, and occa-
Onally shouting word of encour-
cement to his friends, who had taken
water much after the fashion of a {
quad of frightened frogs.
Miss Burton watched every stroke of
he swimmer; noted every foot Of dis
lnce gained with searching eyes,
nd when at last he crept feebly up
le bank and sank down upon it, she ]
20 let her forehead droop upon the !
II, as if too weary to hold up her
lad any longer. But when she did c
ell able to look again, there were six s
cures lying side by side on the sand,
I'd far out upon the river, moving c
Viftly away, as if it were glad to be II
ae, and should never be bound TO i
rvitude and to man again, rode the y
,hter. And she knew him-the ac- '
re one, the spirit that had so bravely
fled the river and so ably defended n
mself from it-know him now from t
e others, for while they lay prone $