Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-12-03
sTAUNToN, VIRGINIA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1875.


try the ice, but 1 reckon I've come as far
as need. Can you give me Sleep and a
breakfast?"
ssOf course 1 can,'' promptly responded
Curt, sand you've done right good neigh
bolly thing. It's Jack Robinson, isn't
it?"
"That's my name," heartily responded
the stranger, ssand I've only tried to do as
I'd be done by.
"Well, them" said Curt, ''you can 60
| into the house and go to bed. I'll hitch
up my team and see if / can make out to
keep the sleighing party from mischief.
There must be time enough for that, yet,
seeing the quilting comes first-''
"I'll stable my horses" replied the phil
anthropic Jake, shut I don't go into no
,ed, so long as there's anybody likely to be
in danger. Drag out your sleigh-is that
it? Well, there's room room for more than
| two, there is 81
| Curt Howa-d's movements were always
more rapid AMI decisive than they seemed,
and it was marvellous how soon he and
Jake were whirling down to the customary
| crossing.
In one thing Curt had been wofully II is
taken, and that was in the probable hour
for the quilting party to break up. Even
while he was putting the harness on his
good team, there were terrible perils gather
ing around the gay sleigh riders.
| Not only had the sbee" dispersed, but
already had dozen different sets Of bells
rang fast and far on the frozen river, and
already the first symptoms of the coming
''rise'' were beginning to show themselves
in the omnous groaning of the ice as the
tide beneath groaned and strained at it's
frosty letters. Beyond a doubt they would
be broken ere long.
| "Hark!" exclaimed Curt, as he drove
ont from the shore. ''Did you hear that?
We shall hardly have time to get across,
| Pm afraid"
"Then they won't need no warnin',"
coolly replied Jack.
sHark!'' again cried Curt Rowland, but
hoarsely, this time, and with something
like pain in the intensity of his utterance.
81 did hear it! There's a team coming
| down the river on run!'
| Jack Robinson himself heard it now, and
exclaimed:
st does sound mighty like a runaway,
1 declare. Just bark at them bells!''
Curtis breath would have come much
| faster, and his heart would have jumped
more fiercely. if he had known the whole
The horses of-the sleighing party had re-
cognzed the signs of approaching danger
much more promptly than had their mast
ers, nor had it been at all difficult, in most
ca ,es, for their skilful drivers to head the
| frightened, but willing brutes towards
safety and the shore.
The single exception had been in the
young and stylish, but ill-broken span over
I which Sile Herring held the reins; for the
gay young lawyer was not only not a
"skilful driyer'' but he had failed to un-
derstand the situation at first. and had
dashed his colts mercilessly for their tremb-
ling refusal to go forward. Even when he
consented to wheel them them land ward
the would not stir, for great heave and
groan Of the ice around him had nearly
scared the senses out of both him and the
quadrupeds.
IG moment me re the fright of the lat
ter was a wild RUNAWAY" right down the
river, certainly had one good result. for it
bore the sleigh and its occupants swiftly
away from what was fast beaoming an
ang y tu,nult of cracking, tossing, grind
ing fragments.
All this Curt Rowland did not know,
but nevertheless, he drove straight forward
Instantly. with dim idea OF giving help
to some one. Well for him that he did so,
for in less than half a minute he found
himself spinning along at almost racing
speed behind a light sleigh, in which there
shortly arose female form which he knew
only too we'll, while clear, voice exclaimed:
80 Curt, the ice is breaking Drive
ashore right away ~
And he shouted in reply.
s'Head 'em for the island. Sile-you can
draw them in there. I'll follow right on
Don't be scared, Faith, .oont leaue you -
And then another form had risen in the
sleigh, and Faith Murray herself caught
the falling reins as Sile Herring DIR opped
them and jun ped out upon the ice.
1t was a rash and foolish thing to do,
and Curt reigned in just long enough to
say:
''That's it, Jake; jump out and drag
him ashore, while 1 go ON after the runa-
way"
Jake obeyed ,heroicaly, and he. found
that Sile Herring did indeed require ''drag-
ing" to get him ashore, after that wild and
jump upon the ice.
] Faith was alone inner sleigh now, and
Fbut little sorry for that, to tell the truth,
or even that she held the reins in her hands,
for she knew how to manage them far bet
ter than the panic stricken youth who had
deserted her, while the colts themse Ives
were getting the first frenzy of their fright
race out of them. The brave girl knew
very well what Curt meant by the ''island;'
q low lying bit of duck-marsh aud drift
wood hardly above the waters edge, not a
great way further down stream but in the
I very middle of the river. She thought it d
strange stopping place, at first, until she
recalled how bluff and steep the banks were
on either side of he river for miles below
the accustomed sci ossing."
Straight for the island then, and Curt
Howlands sleigh was close behind her
but even as her wild young team sprang
up the low ACTIVITY there came to Faiths
ears sharp, quick swapping sound, the
reins were jerked from her hands, land she
found herself suddenly sitting still in hel
light cutter, while the colts went madly
hanging at their heels. No uncommon