Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-06-04

away. I'd never have known if Jake
Robinson hadn't warned me. hitched
up and came out as soon as / got the
news. Thank God !"
Faith Murray felt glow and melt
ing at her heart as she listened, but she
made no reply. The situation certainly
seemed hardly to favor much converse
ton, for Curt was driving fiercely up
theriver again, and everywhere the signs
of the approaching breakup" we're
growing more and more fearful and
threatening.
"Why don't you drive down ?" she
asked.
"The rapids are only half frozen"
replied Curt, "and we should surely
be lost if we got into them. Besides,
the water is shallower up here, and the
horses will find their footing sooner
after we break in"
"After we break inl' repeated Faith,
to herself. "Why, the sleigh will go right
to the bottom. He is terribly cool
about it I"
1t was cool subject, perhaps, and
Faith felt the icy shudders creep over
her, In spite of her courage, as she noted
how far they yet were from any possible
landing place.
And now the booming, moaning
sound that Faith had heard once before
that evening, began to fill their ears,
and the sleigh slid hither on the undulat-
ing surface, and Curt dashed his faithful,
powerful span to their utmost exertion.
Every minute seemed an hour but
now, at last, Curt exclaimed, exult-
ingly:
Hurrah, Faith We are beyond the
deep channel, l think. Back there the
current is swift, and the ice will break
and pile. It's breaking now See it !
see the great cakes go over and over ?"
But, Curt" responded the almost
shivering beauty, "don't you see that
the ice is parting from the shore ahead
of us, just because it piles up out yon-
der? can tell by the moonlight on the
water. o Curt, dear, it is dreadful to
be drowned, but it's even worse to think
that I've brought you out here, too.
Can't you swim ashore o Curt, I've
been so very bad to you ~
You wait moment p shouted the
single minded young athlete, as he gave
his team the lash again. If we can
only get little nearer the edge of the
ice. Ha there it comes Down in the
bottom of the boat, Faith, / must use
use my oars ? now-quick-hu :"
Faith Murray had hid her face in the
furs that almost covered her as she
stopped, but she heard a wild, fierce,
frightened neigh; great splashing
plunge, as the horses went into the wa
ter the cracking of ice, mingled with
the roaring sound of the flood and then,
instead of the arctic bath for which she
had prepared herself. she was conscious
Of an easy, rocking, floating motion. and
the music of rowlocks, as the oars were
swung strongly back and forth by the
sinewy arms of Curt Rowland.
Then, at last, her establishment got
the better of her fear and she looked
timidly out from her hiding place but
the color came fast into her cheeks again
as he did so.
"The boat, Curt ?" she said.
"Yes, the old boat herself" he re-
piled. s. put it on instead of the sleigh
box, to come after you with, Just for the
fun of it, and covered it all over with
robes and blankets. / only expected a
good laugh, but now it has saved both
our lives. You didn't mean to put your
foot in my sleigh and the boat at the
same time, did you, Faith ?"
90 Curt, forgive mel" was all the
answere that came just then, and Faith
feltspecially relieved at the remark which
instantly followed.
"There are the hOrses-safe on their
feet in the shallow and making for the
shore. Well be there, too, in five min
utes. Just look at the lanterns along
shore! There must be twenty menu
Down went Faith Murray's head
among the furs again, but in spite OF
the roaring water and the rattle of the
rowlocks, she could plainly hear the
exultant, happy, almost cooling tones OF
a deep, musical voice, that repeated her
name over, and over, and over, with
other words that seemed to be fitted
wonderfully well both to name and
voice.
"The boat and the sleigh, both 70
How strangely her rash and cruel words
had come to naught, and what man
among men was Curtis Rowland
When at last the square prov of the
skiff grated on the ice and gravel at the
margin, and the strong arms once more
caught her up and bore her onward
Faith Murray's blushing face was ready
TO nestle close to Curtis shoulder, and
she whispered
"No other boat but yours, if you i
forgive memo, not so long as live =