The bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-1877, 1877-07-05

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signal cannon as warning. Good bye"
CHATTER H.
WILD RIDE.
Mechanically | gathered up the reins,
nodded TO McCausland. for was too
stupifed 10 reply in words, and started
upon my wild ride. Three hours hence
and the water would BE- pouring down
the valley through which my course lay.
No wonder | had to ride for my life, and
perhaps the lives of hundreds of my fell
low creatures depended on mine. AM
mering Junction was some miles away.
My route lay through an unknown coun
try, across moorland intersected by food
ed streams and swept by the fierce wind
and rain.
must do 1t, l thought as my horse
picked his cautious way amid the loose
stones down the steep by-road we had
ascended the previous day | should
need all my strength, though, to execute
my task, SO l pressed on. A valuable
slice out of time had been expended
| when reached the broad highway and
urged my horse to speed had to turn
off again. knew, but fancied Ishould
easily find the path Beside, was there
not sign posi-? Therefore, urged by
dreadful tidings, and with the fierce
wind and biting rain by turns and all
together assailing me. | urged my horse
onward. reached the turning and pull
ed up to read the direction should take.
nearly tainted with horror as | read
The fatal finger pointed up the cross
road was pursuing--"To Holmesdale
and Scaham. "The opposite index pointed
ITO Ruddall and Ammering. could
scarce credit my senses Surely WIS
right We had come up the previous
day, and up the hill to the Reservoirs.
4 ! had merely 10 reverse the route we had
believe fhe, tia haai Ii EaA Ese M SI
my own stupidity, flashed. upon me. We
had come from Holmesdale; was now
bound for Ammering, which lay at the
opposite side. ,
This was terrible mistake. 1t was
now past six o'clock. One of the three
precious hours had elapsed, and further
from Ammering than when ] startedS I
was seized with despair. Whatever could
| | do now! Two hours remained and |
had three uphill miles to ride, and then
about seven more across The moor. before
| could reach the junction, and before
that the trains might have started, and
then
i burst out into a cold perspiration at
the thought, and then, desperate, and
half conscious, | rode madly back to the
Ammering road and up the hill again.
But the storm fiend was abroad and had
arrayed all his forces against me.
AS we gained the more open ground
the blast came down with such violence
as to s'agger us. 1t tore across the hill
side, and Missed among the gorse and
swaying grass. The rain came down
more determinedly than ever. At length
reached small cluster of stone cot
tages, and halted under the lee Of the
last one to take breath for fresh strug-
gle over the moor, which lay before me-
A staight road lay over tia good road,
but crossed at intervals by rapid streams
which had overhowed their usual limits,
and swelled over their boundaries in all
the pride of "spa,e" across the flinty
stones which had defied them all the |
summer long.
The submits Of the neighborjng hills
were shrouded in vail of mist, but far
in advance, on the level, could trace |
the railroad line. From the elevation at
which stood could trace the channel
of the Apps river down the valley, and
could guess the spot at which the flood
would strike the railroad, and the branch
line over the spur of the hill could
just distinguish the junction in the mid
die distance. A dark smoke appeared to
be rising from it--an engine, perhaps,
waiting to start train, and was linger-
ing on the hill. All this and mure
could perceive as rested on the summit
Somewhat refreshed rode manfully for
ward into the storm.
How my horse kept his feet do not
to this hour understand. The wind,
which had been high before, appeared
to have gathered new force while we had
haliad and IL ershad .a.a.. IL. L