Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1878-01-30
THE 4 d OF FATE.
BY JUDGE JARVIS.

BY JUDGE JARVIS.
A rider was threading his way over a road
which Law along the hills at the base OF the
Rlue Ridge Mountains, in the region known
as the Piedmont of Virginia, about the
sources of the Rappahannoek river
Thu man himself might be described in the
same language, as far as it would apply.
Rryoud this his age was about twenty.three,
his hair brown and full in lock, his eye of
grayish blue.
His way quickly brought the traveller to
a stream now running over its banks. Slip
ming easily from his saddle, he frightened the
rirths. slackened the crupper, and, gently
batting his animal, addressed a few affection.
ate words to him. Remounting, he fixed
himself firmly in the saddle, gathered his
bride in a manner to impart to his CON-
panioa his own energy and determination,
and moved into the creek.
Turning up the stream, he proceeded for
about a hundred yards along the bank, and
then struck boldly across in a direct line,
with the horses head slanted up current.
The depth of tie water did not sensibly in
crease in the course of eighty yards, and the
stranger was congratulating himself upon
the probability OF getting over without a
w~etting, when the animal in two steps in.
. creased the depth until he could no longer
hold his footing, and sprung boldly into the
middle of a deep. rushing channel. In an
instant the rider had seized the name of the
horse in his left hand, and slipped smoothly
out of the saddle to the lower side, where he
loated along.
Man and beast battled bravely with the
tlood for a moment, when the former was
startled to fell the horse finch and turn with
a terrified snort down the current. A quick
Jerk upon the left rein served to procure
but an i~nstant's pause in the precipitate
course of the beast. but in that instant the
stranger became aware of another presence
by the touch of a clammy object against his
hand.
Raising his head above the neck of the
| charger, he saw dimlv outlined upon the
waving and shimmering surface, a dark and
undefinable object. The next moment the
desperate plunges of the beast had obstruct-
ed his vision, when, with the self-command
of one accustomed and nerved to the hard.
ship of athletic sports and a soldiers danger,
me swung his leg over the back of his ami
NAL and gathered himself INTO his saddle.
Reaching out his hand, he was about to
seize the object of his horror, when ii expos
ed the CHASTITY features of a woman.
For an instant only he hesitated; then,
recovering from the thrill, he grasped the
head firmly by the loose, flowing, tangled
mass of raven tresses, and raised itaboye the
water upon the pommel of his paddle.
Turning his head again up stream, he re
newed the combat with the tide. Twice it
seemed as though man, woman, and beast
must all succumb, aud twice the noble strug-
giles of the animal cheated the trugid grave
of its victims.
Finally. the hoofs once more cIunched the
firm bottom of the stream, and ten PAGES
brought the party safely to the shore.
Feeling the forehead, he found it cold
the hands were also chilled, but he thought
he felt a slight iutter OF the pulse. Tearing
open the dress, he pressed his haud against
the heart and found it still warm.
His efforts to resuscitate her were soon re-
warded, and, after a few moments, the
woman made an attempt to speak, which re. !
suited, however, only in a moaning cry.
At this point ne began to look for other
assistance, when he observed a light upon
the hill above the creek. Once more raising
the body to the pommel of his saddle aud
mounting behind it, he sought the road.
One stepped aroundt to receive the woman,
and another entered the house to procure
the stimulaDt.
whats this" said the one who was as
sisting the traveller in dismounting the
woman.
"Send for the nearest physician at once"
They lifted the motiunless but reviving
form into the house, and deposited il upon
a sofa.
The stimulant was soon brought. and, up
on a small portion of il being administered,
the woman indicated an increased vitality
by a broken gurgle. This, after a while,
gave way to clearer articulation, in which,
however, only syllables were emitted. These
were In turn succeeded by one or two sharp
cries OF pain, which gradually subsidized iato
a moaning chatter of wailing, incoherent
sentences.
At this point the stranger, in raising his
hand to her head to brush the tangled hair
from her brow. noticed a clot of blood upon
the wet skin of his finger; rubbing it OIL, he
found no trace of a wound.
She must be bleeding" he calculated;
"see il there is a cut anywhere"
An examination soon revealed a CHASTITY
left side of the head, above the ear. and Just
behind the temple. The locks were matted
over it, and the blood still oozed slowly
from it's mouth.
Pending the arrival of a doctor, the
stranger clipped the hair from around the
wound, and, after bathing it with feminine
tenderness, he gave the patient over to the
charge of the ladies of the house who were
in attendance.
al presume you are the host, sir" said he,
at once, addressing the elder of the two.
"If YOU will be kind enough to let me have
a bed, until | can rest an hour or two and
dry my clothing, | shall resume my journey
under great obligation to you. Matters Of
Importance urge me TO lose no time, and
shall only delay until my horse can recruit
{ L., f-AA t-k E.,
the incident of finding the unfortnu1t
lady in the creek, / should have continued
on the road without consulting my comfor
SO far
"Will YOU tell me how you happene,
upon the adventure, and how you accoun
for the lady's wound and present condi
tom"
The traveller gave IA brief account of tn
events, without, however. throwing an,
light upon his own identity or business.
"May | ask your name, sir?" inquire
the host, whom we will introduce to tn
reader as Mr.. Thornton, or Squire Thornton
, as he was dubbed by his neighbors in homo
Of his being a justice Of the peace.
al beg pardon for the misconstructior
NV name is Gaspard Durer, a short tim
since a soldier in the French service. ID
you see anything in my appearance or an,
tbiiIS CisC tiiS NdSN WhtCI JuStlut
D yon in interrogating me officially
"Until one who is found with a body tina
: has been murdered or dangerously ssaulte
= has accounted satisfactorily for his presenc
: there, there is a legal suspicion fixed upo
him"
- r. y II IS y
Y elf ] mast be detained to satisfy the Law
q | yield to the annoyance with as little in
|. patience as possible where the officer O
the law exercises his duties so courteously.
" After u few more remarks were passed
the squire bade his son Eddie conduct tn
gentleman to his room and see him well pr,
vided for the night.
After the traveller had le'', the vagran
still fingered. Shifting his hat r~estlessl
but mechanically, he seemed to resume
conversation which had probably been il
y terrupted by the Strangers exit from tn
stable.
"'Pears to me now"-an expression whic
d indicated the result of some mighty refie,
70 ton for his calibre-"'Pears to me as h
amt tellin' the truth. lie amt name
Casper Deray, because he'd a said SO fus