Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-01-29

OuiI IloWiau' > SielkH was close DehlhC
her; but, even as her wild young team
sprang up the low ACTIVITY, there cam,
TO Faiths ears sharp. quick, snap
ping sound the reins were jcrked from
her hands. and she found herself sud.
denly sitting still in her light cutter,
while the colts went madly on, with
the pole and its attachments banging
at their heels. No uncommon thing
for irons" to snap, under such cir.
cumstances. and, i: Faith was dismay.
cd for n moment, Curt Rowland felt q
good deal more inclined to hearty
thanksgiving.
Jump in. Faith, jump in" lie
shouted, cheerily, as he drove along
side the cutter. Don't you see you'll
be my only passenger"
Even in that moment of awful peril,
however, Faiths obstinacy yielded
slowly and she was replying, half ar
gumentatively
/, 'NBut Curt, how will you ever get
..shore: Don't you see that the ice is
breaking! Won't we be safer on the
island when she found herself
s'aught up in strong arms aud lifted,
with or without her will, to snug
place among the blankets and buffalo
robes at the bottom OF the big sleigh.
The river is rising. There is q
great flood coming down." exclaimed
Curt. ain half an hour the island will
be under water, and everything on it
swept away. I'd never have known if
Jake Robinson hadn't warned Inc. !
hitched up and came out as soon as |
| got the news. Thank Godv'
Faith Murray felt glow and melt
ing at her heart rs she listened, but
she made no reply. The situation GER
tainly seemed hardly to favor much
conversation, for Curt was driving
Hereby up the river again, and every
where the signs Of the approaching
"brcak-up" were 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 af.
ter We break in
"After we break in ~ repeated Faith,
to herself. "Why, the sleigh will go
right to the bottom. lie is terribly
cool about it -
II 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 fiom any
possible landing-place.
And now the booming, moaning
sound that Faith had heard once be-
fore that evening, began to fill their
ears, and the sleigh slid hither and
thither on the undulating surface, and
Curt lashed his faithful powerful span
, 10 their utmost eXertion. Every min
ute seemed an hour ; but now, at last,
Curt exclaimed, exultingly:
"Hurrah, Faith We are beyond the
deep channel, think. Back there the
current is swift, and the ice will break
and pile. It's breaking now! See it I,
see the great cakes go over and
over''
But Curt responded the almo..
shivering beauty, don't you see that
the ice is parting fro IL 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
J hn Hrnwnal hnt ,t'r 20
think that I've brought you out here
too. Can't you swim ashore 20 Curt,
I've been SO very bad to you! ~
"Iou wait rnoment?" shouted the
single-minded young athlete las he gave
his team the lash again. IF we can
only get little nearer the edge of the
ice.-Ha I, there it comes Down in the
bottom of the boat, Faith, must use
my oars s.-mow-quick-hurrah :"
Faith Murray had hid her face in the
furs that almost covered her as she
stopped. but she heard wild, fierce.
frightened neigh; great sDlashing
plunge, AS the horses went into the
water; the cracking of ice, mingl ed
and then instead of the arctic bath 70 r
which she had prepared herself, she
was conscious of an easy, rocking,
floating motion. and the music of row.
locks, AS the oars were swung strongly
back and forth by the sinewy arms Of
Curt Rowland.
Then, at last, her astonishment got
the better of her fears and she looked
timidly out from her hiding place but
the color came fast into her cheeks
again as she did so.
The boat, Curt!' she said.
"ies, the old boat herself" he re.
piled. Il put it on instead of the
sleigh-box. to come after you with, just
for the fun Of it, and covered it all
owe. with robes and blankets. l only
expected 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"
20 Curt, forgive mew was all the
answer that came just then, and Faith
felt specially relieved at the remark
which instantly followed.
''There are the horses-safe on their
feet in the shadows and making for the
shore.-We'll be there, too, in five
minutes. Just look at the lanterns
along shore! There must be twenty
menw
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
exuItant, happy, almost cooing tones
Of deep, musical voice, that repeated
her name over, and over, and over
with other words that seemed to be fit.
ted wonderfully we'll both to name ant
voice.
'The boat and the sleigh, both !"