The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-10-04


ture, reminding the reckless viscount OF
the effect which the words that were just
about to break from his lips would have
upon the two ladies. But when they
had retired, Montague could contain
himself no longer.
GLORIOUS ideal Well do Itch, Sed 81
do it2 l should think we would
After the 'Gueule d'Enfer' rapids in Can.
ada, this thing'll be jokei Never seen
it yet, and never shali,' Ell? Well give
Mr.. Johann another story to tell to-mor-
row, one that'll last longer than any OF
his present stock"
Our two heroes were not the men to
loiter over any enterprise, however des-
perate, upon which they had once re-
solved and they lost not a moment in
setting out in quest of boat. But to
find one was no easy matter. Some were
unseawOrthy; others failed to please the
critical eye of Sedley Burdett, who, with
all his recklessness, knew better than to
leave any chance uncared for in a match
where life itself was the stake. More
than one conscientious native, on learn
ing the nature of the proposed expedi-
ton fatty refused to have anything to
do with it, nor was it till late in the af-
ternOOn that they at length met with a
less scrupulous Individual, who, on re-
ceiving the full value of his boat in adj
vance, and handsome gratuity for the
use of her, consented to let the English
madmen" have their way. He agreed to
leave the boat in readiness at a conven-
lent spot, and then took his leave.
1t was considerably past eleven O'Clock
that night, and Burdett, unmindful of
the tough work that awaited him next
morning, was preparing for bed, when
Montague, (who slept in the next ROOM
burst in with flush of unusual excite
ment in his face
'Sed, old fellow, we must alter our
time of starting. Those meddlesome
asses, the local authorities are going to
put spoke in our wheeli'
do you mean that they'll try to stop
us ?" asked Burdett, with the natural
amazement of an Englishman at any
one presuming to oppose his will.
II do, indeed That prating fool of a
boatsman (see if don't punch his head
when it's all over must have let the cat
out of the bag, for as l came through
the hall just now, heard the landlady
say to her husband: ''Ought we to let
them go? It's really no better than a
suicidep and the old sinner answered
with chuckle: BE easy, my Gretchen /;
when these young, distracted ones get to
their boat, they will find it in charge of
certain Gerichte-D iener (pOlicemen) who
are less foolish than they, and no harm
will be done!"
Just like their COMPOUNDED cheek ~
cried Burdett. what shall we do then ~
do? Why set the alarm clock two
hours earlier I'm safe to hear it where
ann and start at four instead of six; and
We'll Just meet the 'minions of the law
on our way back to breakfast, and a iol-
ly sell it'll be for theml Ny word, eve
~ mortal thing seems to have conspir-
ed against this venture of ours; but I'll
go through with it, no matter who stands
in my way"
For one moment thrill of supersti.
tiOus awe shot through the stout heart
Of Sedley Burdett. Could it be that
these countless hindrances were really a
last barrier vainly opposed to the fatal
which was hurrying them both
to destruction? The unnatural excite
ment of his comrades manner, the fever
lsh lustre of his eyes, the heated flush in
his usually pale face, were all terribly
suggestive of one goaded to his doom
by irresistible frenzy-flashing upon
Burdett's mind with CHASTITY vividness,
the sudden memory of long forgotten
painting of the young German knight
lured to his death in the hungry waters
of the Rhine by the siren song of the Lo-
relief. He opened his lips to propose
the abandonment of the whole project :
but the fear of ridicule chat fear which
has destroyed many gallant mani with
cred the wholesome impulse, and the
favorable moment went by-forever.
Morning at iast-a bright, breezy, glo-
rious summer morning, over which all
things in heaven and earth seemed to
rejoice. The blue skies, the waving
woods, the green sunny slopes, the broad
bright stream of the great river itself,
all seemed to smile a welcome to the
eyes that might so soon be closed forev-
er. Even the two English athletes, alb
sorbed as they were in their peri1ous en-
terprise, felt the influence of the hour,
and muttered with involuntary admit
ration:
."What a royal dayr'
One vigorous stroke sent the light
boat far out into the swift dark current,
down which it shot like an arrow from
a bow. Rocks, trees and houses seemed
racing past on either side No need to
strain at the oars nowi all that could
be done with them was to keep the boats
bow perfectly straight, so as to offer as
little space as possible to the rush of a
current which seemed well able to carry
away an entire city.
Suddenly there came dizzy plunge
"a shock that threw both men from
their places-and then all around was
one boiling whirl of foam, and the boat
was flung to and fro, and dashed up and
down, amid an uproar that seemed to
rend the very sky. For one feverish
moment life and death seemed to hang
by hair; and then the two daring men
found themselves floating in on the lit
tie border line of calm water that sepa-
rated the first fall from the worst peril
of the second
"Hurrahp' shouted Montague, gleeful.
"; who says it can't be done now
Keep her head straight, Sed, my boy,
and we'll come out all right YETI
The triumphant cheer was answered
by cry of dismay from the shore and
the two oarsmen looking up beheld Ma
ricn Wentworth rushing distractedly
towards the edge of the high bank that
overhung the second fall, followed by
MOntague's English servant. At the
sound of his betrothed's voice, Mon.
tague turned his face towads her, and
waved his hand cheerily; and seldom
has any painter conceived such a pic.
ture as the one at that moment branded
forever on the memory of those who saw
1t. The stern black rocks on either
hand, flecked with living green by the
shrubs that chung to their craggy sides
the vast hill of leaping foam half way
down which the frail boat lowered like
a leaf; the rainbow arch that spanned
the black, bowling gulf beneath; the
glory of the sunrise. stealing softly into
the pure, peaceful sky, in strange con.
trast with the rock-rending uproar be
low; the stalwart figures of the two lads,
straining every nerve to achieve their
perilous task; the handsome, reckless
face Ofthe last of the Montagues," with
a gay smile on its short curved lip, and
an Ominous glitter in It's large dark eyes
Good morning, my petp'. cried he
gayly; "you're just in time for the end
OF the play"
These were the last words that Wis
count Montague ever spoke. That mo
mentary negligence had allowed the
boats head to deviate slightly from the
direct line, and in an instant the whirl
of the current threw its exposed side full
against the tremendous rush of the cat.
aract One frantic struggle to regain
the lost ground, and then boat and men
vanished forever in the mists of the roar.
ing abyss below.
From that fatal hour life was over Fl,
the Flower of Kent's All that remain
ed Of the once bright and beautiful orr
was . pale, joyless phantom BODY as
II were, without soul Neither the ten.
der care of her heart broken mother nor
the skill of the most accomplished nhv.