Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-07-07

self Then, amid the cries of the people,
he strobe quickly to the very centre Of
the treacherous sand. There ne paused
and turned towards them.
"Well!" he cried, in the tone of a con-
quer, what of the shiyering sand now?
1t has not swallowed me up yet, and.
But perhaps it prefers natives to strang
ers"
ooh, mi'sieu, do not mock, and you
so near your lasti" caied the old villager.
"God has guided your feet to where you
are. Pray to Him that he may guide
you back again.
ooh, will reourn as ] CAME" he re-
piled but when he looked for his foot
marks he fohnG them here, there, and |
everywhere, as if the surface had shifted |
in all directions.
''Do not move, mi 'sieu! oh,do not move
until you have rope round you" cried
the old man, as yillager began coiling
one for q throw. 'If God has given you
firm footing, stand on it till you get re-
lief"
"Tushn cried Ralph TO himself, what
a laughing stock shall make of myself,
if, after coming here to prove them fools,
I let them drag me back like a bullock.
And if this spot is firm, SO must the rest
be-"
AS he spoke he made two quick steps
toward the people; but the secon, seem
eel as if made in water, and he strove to
staegcr back
1t was too late Next moment, while he
threw up his arms and uttered wild
CHI I,
into the sand as if by some irresistible
power beneath.
His cry was answered by one from Ed
ma, who, bursting from the crowd OF
women who would have held her back,
dashed towards him.
A moment she halted on what seemed
firm footing, and held out her hands to-
ward HIM And then as she saw that he
scarcely took notice of her, but sank yet
lower, she gave low cry, like that of a
bird in pain, and with three steps was by
his side, and wildly trying to drag him
from his living grave.
This only tor a moment. Next instant
size too, felt herself dragged downtown
into the heart Of the cruel sand. Her
breath grew faint, an attempt to cry out
again ldiltu uci; 'ttl III Wudl SCCulCu
mere puse-beat of time sbeifelt herself
as if buried deep in the bowels of the
earth.
"Mother of Heavens! they are both
lostw cried the old dame. "But it is well
for Morlaix. The shivering sand will
trouble us no morel"
AS the old woman spoke, the last V IS
tige OF the devoted couple disappeared
beneath the sand. Then, while the peo
PIE uttered an 'sAmen" to the old wo-
mans prophecy, the shivering sand itself
began to sink, and ia less than half a min
ute had entirely vanished, while the sea,
as if boiling viDlently rushed In where
it had been.
cit is very pititul, very pititul!" NUT
tered the old man who had tried to argne
with Ralph; "but he was headstrong, and
would have his way, And she-ah. poor
young madam. l would give thousand
francs to see her alive and we'll again.
AS the old man said this he turned and
gazed out upon the sea with a yearning
look. All at once he started.
"The bodies do you see theme" he cried
wildly, as he pointed to a spot in the bay
about a hundred yards out. "The sea
has robbed them from the sand and
thrown them up again. A boat! boatN
Instantly boat from the schooner
alongside was run out, and the old man
and three others leaping il, pushed off
disappearing again.
Scarcely had they reached this place
when the two fair heads appeared above
the water. Next moment they We're
seized by strong hands, and one at a
time lifted into the boat. Then this was
rowed back quickly to the beach, the
bodies taken ashore, and with very little
hope of success, every effort tried to re-
store life.
Presently, to the wild JOY Of every one,
young madam moved one arm and from
between her lips came a sort Of signing
! breathing. The same moment Ralph
shivered all over, and his ewes half open
| ed.
''Sauedl saved!' shouted the crowd,
while the women went down on their
knees in the sand and wept with JOY.
| After little more eXertion, and when
the signs of life had become quite GER
tain, the two victims were removed to
their own home, where in due time they
became thoroughly alive again.
In week they were both out and about
again, the only difference being that they
were little paler than before, and that
Ralph had become less certain that what
he had formerly called superstitions we're
altogether without foundations.
8: 4 * x
Strange to say, the shivering sand new
CT appeared again; but in the place where
it had been, there is now a steep-edged
| pool, where boats and smacks lie as in a
dock. 70 show their gratitu'e 70 the two
victims who had rid them of the evil
thing, the villagers had a painting of
Ralph's sinking executed, and hung in
their little town hall, where 1t hangs to
this day, the glory and pride of the good
folks of Morlaix.
|