Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-03-02

ba. it flashed acroo ny I venld
Be bettsr 10 end life IN = = tp0s.
cue fellow e-eatsre. O. = 1sakk
as the hand of my ffisx E1oy.
dofed my boots. my ~ and
| plunged into the seeshin + cir.
cling eddies bore ne lo1 I'D oa-
ward. bat I vaa stro.& f, - md /
struck out bravely untlt IL rS CTSnB-
fsce-gained it jast il ol ~
ltraiaing sag hshit nf -
s1ss, & g. .<,ms = :
head. ca IL dfoopine aeec5 q loeks'
upon my shoulder. while. th0 rushing,
flaming torrent. bore ms along oscr rocks
that bruised and tore our ,AesA, through
deep swirling pools that ssrovs 70 suck q
under. and down steep casc5ies. where
the waters broke with . hising. roar,
though they merrily cleaned md flashed
in the crimson glow Of the setting sum
Bruised and battered by the GIlision with
the cruel rocks, the life-breati we'll nigh
stiaed in my throat. and my srength "a
pidly giving way. ye. / clung tightly 10
the pretty stranger then unconscious In
my arms. fully resolved that grim Death
himself should not part us. Over another
waterfall the fast-fowing fioa carried u.
and when we issued from the flying foam
at its foot. to fsebly Goat Va, Ill that
could do. Ny brain was all in q whirl,
all power to resist was fast leaving me
when the current bore US under the bank
at place where bushes reacned almost tc
the waters edge. I Igraspet root. bu,
the swift stream bore me rom my hold
and gave up hope.
can instant afterward however,
found myself caught in tn, bushes of q
tree that had fallen partly across the null.
lab. and to it / clung with the mad des.
peration that love Of lifaabne can instill
in the heart of man. l still held the lady
clasped close to me. though I feared she
never more would breathe again. I was
not one to relinqsish the prize I had Sc
strenuously bat,led for. so, using whs,
little power | still possessed. l pushed her
up. and laid her on wc,l-forked branch.
.
''At this point the nullah's bank was
low. and only tall trees dotted the plain
beyond its brink. AS I straightened my
self ] saw. to my exceeding joy. three
horsemen coming swiftly across the pate
na. hallooed loudly. attracted their at
tention and they rode swiftly down when
they recognized the perilors predicament
I was in. Ny head was dizzy. and I was
Meilnigb e1ercopsa Eifhaxhsustion !; but
I managed to retail hold until l felt
4 pair of strong arms nech me, and bear
me ashore. Then I sank into a deep
swoon.
when my senses returned, l discover
ed that was lying upon a couch in my
own quarters. and BY my side was stand
ing Lieutenant Howson. Two other gen.
tlemen were seated near the verandah
with their backs toward me.
"'Who was she Ned Is she dead 2
I asked when remembered what had oc-
Cured
ERE my friend could reply. the two
gentlemen / had noticed rose from their
seats and came quickly toward where I
was lying. One grasped my hand
glanced upward, and saw the collector
bending over me.
81; was my wife, my brave fellow, and
in few days I hope she will be sufficient
ly recovered to thank you personally for
having so gallantly rescued her from ter
rible death. She only arrived yesterday
morning and was riding over to the Colo
nel's with Captain Raper. Dr.. Middleton
and myself. when her horse bolted and
this accident occurred. As for that mat
ter between you and me. Holroyd. you
may call me a coward. or whatever you
choose, but tell You plainly I viii never
raise my hand against you-you, who
have proved yourself such hero-you 70
whom | owe an everlasting debt Of graft
tude; for you nobly risked your own life
in saving that of my precious Bertha. and
may God bless you for the gallant action
you performed he said. and his fine,
frank face cleaned, and his eyes giisten-
ed with tears, as he gazed upon me.
Il tried to reply, but I was terribly
pros,rated. and choking sensation in
my throat stayed ny utterance. I sunk
back upon my pillow, and closing my
eyes, mentally thanked Heaven for har-
ing aided me to preserve unto my late
enemy life valued far more than his own.
Some weeks passed before I regained
convalescence but Mrs Fraser. who had
not sustained such severe contusions a,
myself nursed me so tenderly that I a,
length recovercd my pristine vigor Many
years have gone by since then and Mrs.
Fraser's locks are grayish now; but he,
daughters have the golden hue her moth
ers wore when first we met. and her face
has the same sweet expression. The