The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-07-13

through her heart, pen could hardly
tell.
They breakfasted early, earlier ever
than usual, and Margaret shook the pill.
lows and made her mothers position
comfortable with more than usual care
her mother had looked at her of lats
very wistfully, but she had asked nc
questions, and Cranbourne's name was
hardly mentioned between them.
"Good.by, mother DEAR" she said,
kissing her withered cheeks, and then
her lips, "I'll be back soon; I'm going
up the canyon toward Wainwright's.'
"Good-by, daughter"
1t was the mildest of fall weather,
warm and pleasant; and Margaret's ster
grew lighter and her tall form straight.
er as she walked. She had an easy,
graceful walk; those who loved hel
liked to watch her.
At Wainwright's, not in the house,
but near it, she met Gomez.
His ill-favored face lighted at the sight
of his goddess "Me ask you to come,'
he said.
"What for" demanded Margaret,
with a sinking heart.
Then Gomez told her, in broken En-.
glish cked out with many gestures, tina,
he had shot Cranbourne, that he had
meant TO kill him, and that now he was
going to follow the stage, and take sure
aim at his false heart. She, who had
been wronged, should be revenged.
Margaret's eyes flashed with theil
old fire. "If you do" she said, 81
will kill you. l could kill you now!
How dared you tell me thisP l lore that
man; how dared you touch himP Your
Gomez drew back a little, looking
troubled and doubtful but not angry
the old spell of her magical eyes was
upon him, and he was wholly her slave.
If she had asked him to save the life
Of this man whom he hated, hated unto
death, he would have done 1t.
"Promise me you will let him go in
safety" painted she.
lie nodded.
"You promise?"
eyes"
"Then good-by."
"Adios."
And Margaret sped away again toward
home.
The way up had been steep and
rocky I; she knew of a shorter though
more dangerous path through the Other
side of the wild canyon.
she had heard the clock at Vain,
wright's strike for half-past seven, as
she left, and she was anxious to be a,
home.
"The brook must be low enough tc
wade through she thought, Sand il
will save time.h
She felt strangely, and louged to &c
home; she vas too healthy to think o
dying, but as she hurried along tn,
dangerous path, where a loose rock OF
a misstep would have proved fatal, sh'
could not but think how merciful Goo
would be if she could fall and neveI
open her eyes again.
She had reached the brook, taken OF
her shoes and stockings, and was jus
ready to wade in, when she heard
rumbling underneath her feet, as if
regiment of cavalry was tramplins
there.
"Earthquake!" she thought she hat
felt many of them, and was not alarm,
ed she was, besides, in dazed, wretch
ed condition, when scarcely any thing
would have alarmed hcr.
She started into the brook, although
she felt the ground rocking beneath
her feet, aud the great powders which
lay loosely on the sides of the steep hill.
began to roll and jump with a dreadful
noise; any one less unhappy would hav,
realized that she could scarcely have bee,
in a more dangerous place. "There!'
she thought, pausing halfway through
the water to look up around her, "it'
over. | hope Mrs. Mill is with poo
mother"
But it was not over; it was but tn
breathing-spell of a couple of seconds
when the real earthquake commenced
Margaret stood still, her bare fee
slipping on the messy stones. TIL
strange noises, the great rocks tumblin!
about her, the swaying trees, Devil
dered and confused her. She realize,
her danger, but dared neither advance
nor retreat.
She thought not of heaven at tina
awful moment; neither of the ven
geance nor the infinite mercy of God
the very remembrance of her sin and tn
knowledge that she must answer for
seemed to have passed from her.
"My God, my Cod" she cried
have mercy upon him! Father, lie
not your mercy fail him."
A great rock above her head spill
and fell with a terrible crash tn
earthquake lasted but forty seconds
but to Margaret it seemed hours; grea
cracks were opened in the earth
springs dubbed up in the bed of tn
creek, and the water rose rapidly; an
other great bowlder from the cliff abov
her broke and fell; Margaret saw
come with q dazed terror; then-sh
knew no more!
The water rose in the sloping bank
of the creek as high as in the depths {
winter, and swept down the canyon
perfect torrent, bearing earth and tn
branches of trees, and all things befoI
it; far, far down, below Last Chanc
Diggings, the miners lifted out of ii
muddy flood, the next morning, o poo
human body, all bruised and broken
Margaret's friends heard, and came
look at it; the fair, rounded face WI
cut and bruised beyond recognition, b.
thew knew the ring ON her finger. IL