Richland beacon., 1880-06-12
dwelling, and handkerchief was waved


which for some distance was not over
his horse back but it soon drew deeper,
forcing the animal to swim. Forian
urged him forward, and, drawing near
the house, the door was thrown open,
and he cried out in affrighted surprise,
for there stood Miss LinwOOd and Har
Tlet Gelder!
Harriet cried. Florian, "fol
heavens sake, how came you here?'
ave came to see sick woman" re.
piled Harriet, with prompt cOolnesa
"and the water rose before we"
1T il rising now, and FAST" he inter.
rupted, excitedly, land there is no time
TO waste. My horse will carry two;
which of you shall I take firstT'
"The sick woman first" said Harriet
quietly.
Flirt, coquette, as she was called, and
not without cause, yet the element Of
herOism was in her nature. She was as
calm and cool now as she had ever been
in her life, while her aunt stood trembl-
ing with excitement. FlOrian trembled,
too, a. he looked at the feeble old woman,
whom Miss LinwOOd was assisting from
ber chair to the door, and whom he had
not noticed until Harriet called his at
tention to her. He trembled with the
appalling fear that there would not be
time to 60 and return twice, before the
swiftly rising waters should have torn
the frail structure from its foundations:
for there was already an inch of water
upon the floor. But he only cast one
glance at Harriet's calm face, and stopped
70 lift the sick woman up before him.
Without . word he turned his horse
toward the shore, and the good beast,
with its double burden, struggled back
through the food.
Harriet and her aunt waited, shiver-
ing as they watched the water growing
deeper and deeper upon the floor, and
heard the waves wash with an ever
louder sound against the frail four walls
that stood between them and death.
They saw FlOrian reach the shore, place
the sick woman upon the ground, throw
off the heaviest of his clothing, and turn
his now unwilling steed toward the
house again.
They were standing knee-deep in water
when he once more approached the al
ready shaking building. He did not
speak q word, but looked silently from
Harriet to her aunt, his white face
growing whittier yet as Harriet said, in
steady tones, "Aunt Hannah first"
Harriet" commenced Miss Lin.
wood.
"Go. Aunt HannahW
Harriet, won'tp'
\
Harriet Harriet! For pity sake"
"You are delaying her, Miss Hannah"
exclsimed Florlan, hoarsely. Come,
she will not yield, If she dies!'
With q groan, Miss Linwood gave up.
and he lifted her upon his horse. 1he
turbulent waters washed into the room
and Harriet staggered and clung to the
wall for support Florian's face was
ghastly, as he bent forward and placed
his hand upon her shoulder, whispering.
in chOked voice. Kiss me Harriet.1
She put her arms around his neck and
kissed him-a long, passionate kiss,
which was their first, and might be their
last.
He strained her to him, saying, "Har.
riet, do you love meP'
"Yes. Florian."
She then leaned against the wall
again, as he went. and hid her face, try
ing to shut out the sight of tho'e yellow
waters, creeping mp the side of the room,
higher and higher with every wave that
70 led in through the door.
As Fl0rian reached the shore Q car
riage was approaching in the distance,
rocked from side to side, with the
furious speed to which the driver was
lashing the horses.
"lt il the carriage from Linwood"
said Miss Hannah; I'VE have been afraid
of . frsshet, and they have taken alarm
and come back to look for u.s.
Florian did not hear her; he was urg-
ing his exhausted horse into the food
again. The poor beast trembled and
hesitated; but Florian spurred him
6ercely on, shifting him with bic
clenched fist, and shouting at him in his
frantic excitement. He was half mad
with agony - he look, d across the
turbid waters 10 the half-submerged
house and aw that they had risen above
the top Of it, doQr, and Harriet had
climbed up through the loft to the roof,
where abe clung In monentary peril OF
death.
When the hurrying carriage reached
the spot, and Miss Linwood's ooachman
leaped TO the ground. Florian was half
way back to Harriet Mistress and man
stood with pallid faces and hearts that
hardly beat, silently watching the beau.
tiful girl - she chung to the frail sup
port, and the young man, with his white
face, and his golden hair blowing back,
- he daahed nadly through the flood
While they watched, . great billow
eame rolling In from the river. roaring
fearfully, and tossing its yellow water,
- it dashed upon Harriet's refuge. Mia
Linwood screamed, and her servant ut
tered . hoarse cry, for where the house
had been was . whirling wreck of boards
and tinbes, and Florian's horse VA
struggling, riderlea, toward the shore!
But another moment and they saw
that Harriet yet clung to the floating
roof, and Florian was beside her upon it
Seixing q long board. q the waten