New Orleans Republican., 1873-06-22

l her eyes open at last, she found Fred Eek
erson's whiskers nearly brushing her face
"WelIr'
"Well?"
Where am -" asked Becky, shiverine
and looking around her.
"You are in the middle of the Missis
s!ppi," replied Fred, land you are in the
! fork of a cottonwood tree and you are vOy
| aging toward the Gulf of Mexico just az
fast as the freshet can carry you"
| How came you here -
"In the same conveyance with yourself
Miss Becky. In fact, you and l and the
tree all came together, to say nothing of a
| portion OF your fathers plantation. which,
l fear, is lost to him forever"
Becky was silent. She was thinking, not
| OF the accident or their perlous position,
but her appearance when she was lying
asleep on the grass.
"Hew long were you there before this
happened ~ she asked
"As long as you were. l was up in the
tree when you came
"YOu had no right to be there" she said,
coloring; "a spy upon my movements"
Nonsense ~ he replied. You intruded
on my privacy, and while you slept 1
watched over you. like the sweet little
cherub that's alOft."
Thank you tor the service. I'm sure"
she said, bridling.
'You snOred awfully."
"Mr. Erkerson, remove your arm from
my waist"
Then put yours around my neck"
'Indeed, l shall do no such thing
Then you will fall into the river if you
do not
Becky was silent for several moments.
while their unwieldy raft whired along in
the current, rolling from side to side, and
threatening every instant to turn com
pletely over and tip them Oft. At last she
said:
What are we to dO!
81 think, now that am started. l shall
go to New Orleans" he replied
"To New Orleans exclaimed Becky
''It's hundred miles,
''ies, and the chance Of free passage
for such distance is not to be neglected.
You can go ashore if you prefer.
She burst into tears.
You are cruel" she said, ito treat me
thus"
Cruel" exclaimed Fred drawing her
close to him quickly, "crueI TO you2'
There was no help for it, and she again
relapsed into silence, quite content, appa-
rently, to remain in Freds arms. and
evincipg now no disposition to rebel. For
once i'll her life she was dependent on a
man.
Il want to 90 to New Orleans continued
Fred, after a pause, because there is a
young lady Of my acquaintance residing
there. whom have some intention of in.
viting inte this neighborhood.'
"O"
"If we don't go to New Orleans. if We
get safely out Of this scrape. l shall write
her to come any way.
"Ah ~
IL shall obtain board for her in st. Jean.
which will be convenient for me as l,ng as
remain your fathers guest. can ride
over after breakfast every morning, you
see"
'.She is an intimate friend. then" said
Becky.
IL expect to marry he. before long" he
replied.
marry her! Why you-you proposed to
me this morning"
Eyes, but you refused. l told YOU then |
you would never have another chance
Becky was silent again. 1t is a matter of |
some doubt whether, had Fred at that mo. |
ment. sitting astride that cottonwood log.
with his feet in the water and his arm |
around her waist, proposed to her second |
time. she would have accepted HIM or not. |
10 be sure marvellous change had come
over Becky's feelings since her tumble into
the river. She felt just then that one strong
arm like that which supported her was
worth thousand old and decrepid plant
ers; and she recognized the fact that man
who could talk 50 cOolly aud unconcernedly
n situation of such extreme peril was of
10 ordinary courage. But she was not quite
prepared to give up her golden dreams.
The dross was not quite washed ont of her
'oul. and she did not know how much she
owed Fred Eckeron. Besides. she did not
lalt believe him.
The clumsy vessel floated on. now root
asst sideways. and now half submerged by
he boiling current. Their precarious hold
became more uncertain as their frames be.
'ame chilled by the cold water. and every
,]unge of the log threatened to cast them
nee more into the river. In vain Fred en-
to attract the attention of some
me on the shore. The cottonwood retained
course nearly in the middle of the stream,
90 tar from either bank to render their
utCrles OF much avail. As it grew dark,
heir situation seemed more and more help |
ess. and to Becky there appeared to be no
scape from certain death. either by drown.
ng in the darkness or by exhaustion before
aybreak.
Yet to die i'll a mans arms seemed not |
7holly terror. She could hardly think if
cath must come. OF any way in which she |
IOuid rather meet it. Was it possible she
)ved him. and must needs be brought with
! the valley OF the shadow before she could
now her heart! Had she loved him all
long, While she was thinking about it.
hilled by the exposure and the night air,
ne fell asleep. When she awOke the stars
ere out, but she was warm and comforta-
le. Raising her head. she found herself
nveloped in Fred's coat.
Fred"
"Weli7" II
"You have robbed yourself to keep me
arm. You are freezing
mo. l amt. ! took it off because it was .
} awful hot:" and taking out his handker.
lief with his disengaged hand. he made q
'etence of wiping the perspiration from
g lSrow.
4" How long have been asleep!'
'.About three hours. We are drifting in | I
ore nOw."
- Shall we be saved ~ {
- don't know. Put yCu- arms around
V neck, for l am going to take mine t
7ay."
Becky did this time as she was bid. She 7
t only threw her arms around his neck
t she laid her head upon his breast with. r
t the slightest hesitation. In the dark 8
IS Fred did not know that she imprinted U
Kiss upon his shirt bosom.
Hold fast now, he cried. Hold on, p
your dear life" y
The log had been gradually nearing the n
,re for some time, and now it shot sud Il
lly under Q large sycamore tree, which d
erhung its branches in the brown flood. b