The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-11-18
. -, yenpea,,re 81, his worth.

and wseak OFT my ven esasaee VI 1'' = = 8
less carcase. ..,...,,5 q ssaa,,e1l
on. making but little progress nowsssr, w, w
the way had never been Lraeeiisa ps I'LL. .so
/ less by some footnlan. Toward dayligne anI
way improved. and soon al.er suhIIse
,;dIv nv frequent inquiries I learned that
/ nsas on the track of the villain, but some
hours behind him. ] was gaining on him,
however. AS the day waDed heard oil HIM
nearer and nearer. hopedto oyertake him
before dark, but failed.
I did not despair. kept on, and some.
where between eight and nine O'Clock reach
cd a village situated on the border OF bay
I rode down to the bay to give my horse
drink, but he only touched his lips to the
water. when he lifted up his head, turned
square around. and, with dilated eyes, swell
ipr nostrils, and elevated ears. gazed to-
wards the woods which surrounded the viz
lacc. And 7, too, turned in the same dircc-
ton, for low, rumbling sound, inexplica-
bile TO me. broke the Sabbath stiffness. Loud.
or aud louder it grew as we gazed, until it
was likc the noise Of mighty, irresistible
waters. sweeping towards US. The inhabi-
tants of the village were aroused. Though
conscious of some terrible danger, they were
ignorant of their awful DOOM. Even the
domestic animals took the alarm and fled,
tramping many poor unfortunate under
foot in their mad flight.
But the worst was yet to come.
Dumb with awe rather than fear. stood
facing the mysterious r0ar-stood alone, Tor
nv frightened horse had broken away and
fled-Whle ficrccr and more terrible became
the horrid mystery.
But the worst was not yet.
Suddenly, swift rs the iightning's flash,
burst upon us with deafening crash, like
the uprooting and downfalling Of ten thou
sand forest giants, and with it a sheet of
lamc--one wide, lurid sheet Of scorching,
mcrciess, deyourlng lirc-envcIoping the vii
lage and everything thcrein-a sickcning
holocaust.
Only when the tornado of wind and fame
struck the village did I realize my danger.
Fortunately, I was close to the waters edge,
else / never should have told the story.
With few others rs fortunate as myself
rushed into tho cooling element waist deep.
Jacob! Jacob save me! For Gods
sake don't leave me here"
Those were the words that smote my ear,
shrill above the roar Of the devastating fire.
I turned in ms flight. 1t was as light as
noonday-a hot, sckcning light. it l may so
term it, and lying on the bank but step
from the water l saw John Richards beg
| ging of me to come TO him.
ooh, Jacobi just try once to save me
only once! I'll ask no more"
Could you have refused, even though it
seemed like certain death to venture back
| into that burning heat? No one. Then,
| could ~
One noble man returned with me, and to-
gether we dragged poor John through the
water in comparative safety.
"God bless you," murmured John, as he
felt the cool water cnyeloping him. "fou
have saved me from terrible death, and
will repay you. Bend your head down,
Jacob. The money is all right
"Wbat tell me that again !" demand
ed. forgetting everything but the idea of
having my honor sustained.
q took it, Jacob. | knew Belle loved
YOU, and couldn't bear it. That letter
sent was to get you where could carry out
my plan. might have left you in the hut,
but Belle would always remember you then,
while shadow of suspicion upon you
would have ended it all. But give her up
to you. am not good enough for her, even
lie She wanted me; but if | live, I'll do bet
ter. You will not tell Belle or tatherI"
"No, John"
BY this time the heat was so intense that
we had to wade deeper into the water, and
keep our heads wet to save our skin from
blistering. All, sir, it was terrible. Manya
poor being fled down into the water that
night and never returned.
Well. I hardly know how we lived through
that awful night, but here am, us you see,
considerably scorchcd, and somewhat stiff
and sore, but quite a man after all. There is
John, too, in that bed in the corner. He
will get over it, | guess. shouldn't be tell
ing you this now, only he said ! might. He
| has turned over Il new leaf, and does not
want any secrets weighing him down.
There is Belle, too, just coWing up the
walk. They put my bed here. so that
should DC the first to see her when she came
and the last when she went away. Isn't she
| beautiful? All but that is nothing to hcl
| goodntSs. She has saved John, and ME, they
say; and she is my promised wife.
Do not blame me now for saying there
never was an evil that good did not spring
| ont of If