Weekly Trinity journal., 1873-12-27

How clear and bright the water looked
that mirrored back her form. 1t seemed
to invite her to that repose, within its
depths, which earth denied her. How
strangely she felt to-day how her head
burned and throbbed She could look
at enc moment in the limpid waters and
see each pebble on the gravolly bottom ;
then her head would swim and all grow
dark before her vision. The thought
crossed her mind, why had she como TO
this spo, Was it only to die ? To be
found by him, perhaps, when the cold
grasp of death was laid upon her +? She
shuddered at the thought, and moving
cautiously to the edge Of the slowly rising
water dipped her hadkerchiet down into
it, and laving her burning brow, found in
its icy coldness, some measure of relief.
But not altogether, for there was yet a
dimness of vision which had not passed
away. For the water, which had at first
appeared 50 clear and limpid to her sight,
was now Opaque and yellow, rising rap
idly rs if hungry for her, while the sound
of its rushing filled her ears. She has
tened to climb back up the embaukmcnt
again, and then She knew that it was
not deception Of the Imagination, but
Il reality that she saw. Sottened by the
heavy rains the embankment of the up
pur reservoir was giving way, anG the
dis>olving earth through which channel,
rapidly deepening and widening, was cut
ting its way, was what gave the water be-
fore her its yellow tinge. She took in the
consequences at a glance. The breaking
OF the upper reservoir would be followed,
in turn, by that of each of the others,
when the combined waters of all would
sweep down to the creek in an angry tor
rent whose fury nothing could withstand.
She knew that il this torrent came upon
George and his partners unawares, while
they We're at work in the deep and mar
row bed rock cut of which Sims had
spoken, it would give thcm no chance
whatever of escape. Turning away, she
stepped cautiously down the bank, until
she reached the beaten path down which
She started with the speed OF a frightened
deer, knowing we'll that life and death
depended on her footsteps.
1t seemed an age to her, although it
was but a few minutes, before she stood
whore She could look from the high, per
pendicular banks, down into the claim. -
There was no ore in sight, and she knew
She must go farther with her message OF
warning, for the dull thud Of the heavy
picks, mingled in with the sharper, meas
ured clang Of the sledge aud drill,
told her that, rs She had feared, they
were all working in the deep cut. One
glance behind her assured her there was
no time to be lost-already the waters
were pouring over the embankmcht on
which she had stood-leaping and flash
ing in the sunlight as they came. She
ran swiftly down the steep crooked path,
and in moment moro stood on the bare,
shelly bed rock beside the ditch
"Oh, Mr.. Sims" She cried, tor he was
the only one she saw q" Where are the
Others ? The reservoirs are breaking"
" No ?" said Sims, looking up, with his
pick poised in readiness for another blow,
" is that 50? lt's only squirrcI-hoIe,
reckon"
" Indeed, it is not" She cried earnest
ly. " Do tell George to come upl 1t is
running over the big reservoir all around
like a wall"
" The ID it is - CALCULATED Mr..
Sims, quite startled out of his sense OF
propriety. Hey, boys Bin George !
kentuck Grab yer tools and come out
Tho reservoirs are busted and things will
go flukin' here in just no time ~
They did not need to be told second
time, but started without standing on
the order of their going.' Sims was the
first to reach the spot whore she stood
just as the roar Of the advancing torrent
smote upon their ears.
Where's George 2" she asked, her
" lie was bringing up the lowest lev
ell" answered Sims. " Hes got little
farther to come than them fellers," point
ing to the two blasters, who had just
climbed out. My God, he's stopped, y
he continued, as with deaiening crash
the turbid stream burst over The bank.
She looked down with face Of despair.
To think he should be only a moment
too late. lie was just beneath them and
as he looked upward their eyes met, for
the first time in many days.
" Come up on the timbers. cried Ken
tuck, " you can't make it in any other
way"
lie understood the motion accompany
ing these words, which were lost in the
overwhelming roar of the descending wa
tiers. Gathering his strength for a mighty
effort, he sprang up and catching one OF
the lower timbors, swung himself upon
it just as the stream (Which had been for
a moment checked by a low channel
back,) passed swiftly under his feet.
From brace to brace he came up like a
squirrel, and soon the strong arms Of his
partners had him safely landed. He
turned to the spot where he had seen his
wife standing, and a cry Of agony burst
flom his heart as he saw her lying, pale
and iie.ess, with her check to the ragged
rock.
" Take her up, boys" said Kentuck,
who OF them all seemed to be the most
cool and collected. " We aint out Of the
woods, yet by long chalk. That ditch
hasn't vent enough to carry what'll be on
US in minute more, and we'd better git