The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-06-14
4 Night Of Terror.
"IIelp !! Help y

"IIelp Ilelp'
Weird and wailingly sounded the terri
fed appeal, borne upon the whistling wind
through the heavily falling rain. Over
the level, sodden marsh until the despair
ing cry was swallowed up by the growing
storm. Over the rugged, rock-strewn as
cent until, repelled by the frowning cliff
above, the agonzed shrek, weirdly dis
;0rted by the whirling, tossing tempest,
came back to the ears of the one whose
lips gave it utterance as though mocking
her dire extremity.
Again the shrek was whirled by the
fierce wind across the low bottom-land
through which was doggedly plodding
dripping horse, whose head, like that ol
its rider, was bent low against the pelting
rain and the cold, biting wind; nor did
the appealing cry pass mheeded. The
horse abruptly halted, and both heads
were uplifted in eager listening. Their
pause was not Of long duration. Once
more the terror-stricken voice rang out,
this time with uumistakabe distinct
ness.
GA woman-in trouble - cried the
traveller, striking his armed heels into the
horses tlanks.
Sinking deep into the spongy, porous
soil, now little better than bog, the will
ling animal plunged along the flooded road
passing only when its fore-feet touched
the edge of the turbd, swollen stream that
flowed along the base Of the rocky preci-
pice beyond.
The horseman peered eagerly through
the pelting, binding storm, protecting
his eyes with one hand. lie could see
nothing but the whirling water, coffee
colored, streakcd here and there with
foam, dotted with drift-wood, with sodden
logs, with trees the leafy tops and brist-
ling roots of which told how lately they
had been undermined by the treacherous
food. And as he gazed, breathlessly,
choking, strangling cry guided his
eyes.
Near the centre of the stream stood
single, sturdy pile, solo remnant Of the
bridge for which the traveller had been
heading. Pressed close to this he now
saw white, terrified face-the face of q
fair young girl, whose arms were clasped
around the slippery post with grip Of de
spair, as she cried:
'tSave me-for the love of God -
The traveller uttered an encoura ging
shout. Bending over he cut the martin
pales, then hastily knotted the rcins loose
ly upon the horses neck. He cast ~ hasty
glance up the river, and saw that the
coast was comparatively clear. Then he
cried, aloud:
"I will come for you. When I shout
noaD, turn around the post and trust all to
me-"
A faint cry came back in token that
lie was understood, and, fearing to wait
longer, he made the truly desperate ven
ture.
Though snorting and trembling with
fear, the good horse was too well trained
to disobey its master, and, at the encour-
aging cry, he plunged forward, founder
ing through the treacherous mud of the
overhowed bank. Twice it seemed as
though he would stall, but then the edge
of the customary bank gave way beneath
him, and they we're plunged headlong into
the swiftly-whirling waters.
A low cry of despair broke from the
girls lips as her last hope seemed to vanish,
but then she saw the horse and its rider
reappear, head toward her, and gallant
ly breast the powerful current to regain
the advantage lost by that unfortunate
plunge. 1t was indeed hard task, but
the good horse proved equal to it, aided by
the steady hand and encouraging voice Of
|, its master.
At last--it seemed an age-the pile was
neared, and the young man shouted aloud
the signal. With blind faith, the maiden
: allowed the current to sweep her around
the post, and in an instant was torn from
r her hold by the hungry waters. Bat a
strong hand closed upon her arm and held
her head above the surface; then
A sharp cry broke from his lips as he
l again lifted his eyes, A huge dead-wood
tree, with widespread branches, was bear.
| ing swiftly down upon them-was within
! its own length before discovery, even less
; than the distance to the nearest shore
But one minute-one half minute later