The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-01-24


fixed himself firmly in the saddle, gathered
his bride in a manner to impart to his COM
panion his own energy and determlnatlon,
and moved into the creek.
Turning up the stream, he proceeded for
about hundred yards along the bank, and
then struck boldly across in direct line,
with the horses head slanted up current.
The depth of the water did not sensibly in
crease in the course of eighty yards, and
the stranger was congratulating himself
upon the probability of getting over with
out wetting, when the animal in two steps
increased the depth until he could no longer
hold his footing, and sprung boldly into the
middle of 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 floated along.
Man and beast battled bravely with the
flood for a moment, when the former was
startled to feel the horse finch and turn with
a terrified snort down the current. A quick
jerk upon the left rein served to procure
but an instant's pause in the precipitate
course of the beast, but in that instant the
stranger became aware of another presence
by the touch of clammy object against
his hand.
Raising his head above the neck of the
charger, he saw dimly outlined upon the
waving and shimmering surface dark and
desperate plunges of the beast had OBJ
structed his vision, when, with the self
command of one accustomed and nerved
to hardship of athletic sports and sol
dier's danger, he swung his legs over the
back of his animal and gathered himself
into his saddle.
Reaching out hand, he was about to seize
the object of his horror, when it exposed the
CHASTITY features of women.
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 it above
the water upon the pommel of his saddle.
Turning his head again up stream, he re-
newed the combat with the tide. Twice it
must all succumb, and twice the noble strug-
giles of the animal cheated the turgid grave
of its victims.
Finally, the hoofs once more crunched
the firm bottom of the stream, and ten PAGES
brought the party safely to the shore.
y
Feeling the forehead, he found it cold
the hands were also chilled, but he thought
he felt q slight fiutter of the pulse. Tear
ing open the dress. he pressed his hand
against the heart and found it still warm.
His efforts to resuscitate her were soon re-
warded, and, after few moments, the
woman made an attempt to speak, which
resulted, however, only in moaning cry.
At this point he 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 and
mounting behind it, he sought the road.
One stepped around to receive the
woman, and another entered the house tc
procure the stimulant.
"What's this?" said the one who was
assisting the traveller in dismounting the
woman.
"Send for the nearest physician at once
They lifted the motionless but revivins
form into the house, and deposited it upor
sofa.
! The stimulant was soon brought, and
upon small portion of it being admins
| tered. the woman indicated an increased
vitality by broken gurgle. This, after
| while, gave way to clearer articulation, il
which, however, only syllables were emitted
These were in turn succeeded by one or TIVE
sharp cries of pain, which gradually sub
sided into moaning chatter of wailing, in
coherent sentences.
At this point the stranger, in raising hi
hand to her head to brush the tangled hal
from her brow, noticed a clot of blood upol
the wet skin of his finger; rubbing it off, h
found no trace of a wound
"She must be Lleedingp he calculated
"see if there is a cut anywhere"
An examination soon revealed a ghastl'
wound-an ugly, gaping abrasion upon tn
left side of the head, above the ear, and jus
behind the temple. The locks were matte
over it, and the blood still oozed slowl
from its mouth.
Pending the arrival of the doctor, tn
stranger clipped the hair from around tn
wound, and, after bathing it with feminin
tenderness, he gave the patient over to tn
| oh of 1a6 of hn Uh hn vUor
in attendance.
"Ipresume you are the host, sir" said hi
at once addressing the older of the two. "l
you will be kind enough to let me have
bed, until I can rest for an hour or so an
dry my clothing, l shall resume my journe
under great obligations to you. Matters {
Importance urge me to lose no time, and
shall only delay until my horse can recru
for the balance of my ride. In fact, but fo
the incident of finding the unfortunate lad
in the creek, should have continued O
the road without consulting my comfort S
far"
"Will you tell me how you happene
upon the adventure, and how you accouI
for the lady's wound and present cond
tion?"
The traveller gave brief account of tt
events, without however, throwing an
light upon his own identity or business.
"May ask your name, sir?" inquired Il
host, whom we will introduce to the read
as Mr.. Thornton, or Squire Thornton, as
was dubbed by his neighbors in honor
! his being justice of the peace.
)
"I beg pardon for the misconstructio
My name is Gaspard Durer, short whi
; since soldier in the French service. I
you see anything in my appearance or an
thing else about this case which justif
t you in interrogating me eficially?"
e "Until one who is found with body tn
has been murdered or dangerously assaulte
has accounted satisfactorily for his presen
:: there, there is a legal suspicion fixed up
). him."
< ( "If I must be detained to satisfy the la
l yield to the annoyance with as little i
/; patience as possible where the officer of t
5 law exercises his duties so courteously."
;, After few more remarks were passe
> the squire bade his son Eddie conduct t
q gentlemen to his room and see him well pl
:, vided for the night.
}. After the traveller had left. the vagra
;. still fingered. Shifting his hat restless
}, conversation which had probably been
:, terrupted by the strangers exit from t
J. stable.
q "'Pears to me now"-an expression viii
y indicated the result of some mighty ref
c. ton for his calibre-"' to me as
@ amt tellin' the truth. He amt named G
e per Deray, because he'd a said so fu
T. Pears to me he looks like old Raoul Dupr
E. and CASTOR afore him. and, if l amt m
taken, he's been in these parts afore."
"Who's the woman, Randy"
:; az have been lookin' at her, but pears
s. me 1 never seen her afore-leastways, S
:; don't come from about here"
~ "The resemblance of Durer to the Dupu
"a is striking, and 1 thought at first he was
D; son of CASTOR, who has been absent so lol
lg What think you, my son"
"Can't say, father, but his resemblance
m m Mr.. Dupuy at the manor would be motto
ID by any one."
o. "Perhaps," suggested the vagrant, " h
: a son of Dupuy himself, if half they bri
0; from furrin' parts about him is ere
pears to me he must have more'n one.
10 "And your friend Raoul amt too &C
x for a fraud or lie," chirped the vagrant