The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-01-16

EANeSN>~AAS OSSN>A~A
age he had addressed to her as they rode
home. Had one ever before so dear, SO
kind parent? The tears came again;
but she drove them back with half in
voluntary laugh "Not now, not nowi'
she said. mo, not at all! They shall not
come at all, for I will save him.. Oh
God! help me! I am but weak girl.
Why did the letter come SO late? But I
will save himl Help me, Heaven
guide and help!' She glanced at her
watch as she passed from under the
shades of the oaks and, as she held the
dial up to the moonlight, gave a scream
of Joy. It was just past the stroke of
nine. She had still an hour, and half
the distance had been accomplished in
half that time. She had no fear of her
horse, pressing on now in the swinging
fox-walk which he took whenever the
character of the road or the mood of his
rider demanded, there was no sign of
weariness
As he threw his head upon one side
and the other, as if asking to be allowed
to press on, she saw his dark eye CLEAN
with the fire of the inveterate racer. His
thin nostrils were distended, but his
breath came regularly and full. She had
not forgotten, even in her haste and
fright, the lessons her father had taught;
but as soon as she could control her
horse-she had spared him, and COM
PEELED him to husband his strength
her spirits rose at the prospect. She
even caroled a bit of exultation, as
Young Lollard swept on through for
est of towering pines, with a sand cush-
ion stretched beneath his white feet.
The fragrance of the pines came to her
nostrils, and with it the thought of frank
incense, and that brought the hymns of
her childhood "The Star in the East" )"
'.The Babe of Bethlehem, ''The Great
Deliverer" swept across her vision,
and came the priceless promise, ssI will
not leave thee nor forsake." Still on and
on the brave horse bore her with untir
ing limb. Half the remaining distance
is now consumed, and she comes to a
place where the road forks-not once,
but into four branches. It is in the
midst of level old field, covered with
thick growth of scrubby pines. Through
the masses of thick green are white
lanes, which stretch away in every direc-
ton, with no visible difference save in
the density or frequency of the shadows
think which of the many intersecting
this and then that for few steps, con-
suits the stars to determine in what direc-
tion Glenville lies, and has almost de-
cided upon the first to the right, when
she hears sound which turns her blood
to ice in her veins. A shrill whistle
sounds to the left--once, twice, thrice
and then it is answered from the road in
front. There are two others. O God!
if she but knew which road to take! She
knows well enough the meaning of those
signals. She has heard them before.
I'll e masked cavaliers are closing III upon
her; and. as If frozen to stone, she sits
her horse in the clear moonlight and
cannot choose. She is not thinking of
herself. It is not for herself that she
fears; but there has come over her hor-
ribIe, numbing sensation that she is
lost-that she does not know which road
leads to those she seeks to save, and at
the same time there comes the certain
conviction that to err would be fatal.
There are but two roads now to choose
from, since. she has heard the fateful sig
nails from the left and front; but how
much depends upon that choice! "It
must be this" she says to herself, and as
she SAYS it the sickening conviction
comes. ''No, no; it is the other!" She
hears hoof strokes upon the road in front,
on that to her left and now, too, on that
which turns sheer to the right. From
one to the other the whistle sounds =
sharp, short signals. Her heart sinks
within her. She has halted at the very
rendezvous of the enemy. They are all
about her. To attempt to ride down
either road now is to invite destruction.
She awoke from her stupor when the
first horseman came in sight, and thank
ed God for her dark horse and colorless
habit. She urged Young Lollard among
the dense scrub vines which grew be-
tween the two roads from which she
knew that she must choose, turned his
head back towards the points of intersec-
ton, drew her revolver, leaned over upon
his neck and peered through the
overhanging branches. She patted
her horses head and whispered
to him softly to keep him still.
Hardly had she placed herself in hiding
before the open space around the inter
secting roads was alive with disguised
horsemen. She could catch glimpses OF
their figures as she gazed through the
clustering spruces. Three men came
into the road which ran along to the
right of where she stood. They were
hardly five steps from where she lay
painting but determined, on the faithful
horse which moved not muscle. Once
he had neighed before they came near;
but there were so many horses neighing
and snufing, that no one had needed it.
She remembered little flask which
Maggie had put into her pocket. It was
whisky. She put up her revolver, drew
out the flask, opened it, poured some in
her hand, and leaning forward, rubbed
it op the horses nose. He did not offer
/ to neigh again.
Once the men, who stood near her,
spoke:
ssGentlemen, 1 am the East Com.
mander of Camp No. 5, of Pultowa
county.
And I, of Camp No. s, of Wayne"
u And i, Of No. 70, Sewer. -
You are the men I expected to meet,
said the ffst.
This IS ,Bentley's Cross, then, pre-
?s
The same =
miles from Glens;11e, be