Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-02-20
Gales AND Skettbcs.
RIDE FOR LIFE.
Continued from yesterday. }

Continued from yesterday
She had always made it rule to visit
his stall every day; 50 that, although she
had never been on his back. the horse was
familiar with her person and voice. IL
was well for her that this was the case;
for as he dashed away with the speed of
the wind. she felt how powerless she was
to restrain him by means ofthe bit. Nor
did she attempt it. Merely feeling his
mouth, and keeping her eye upon the road
before him. in order that no sudden start
to the RICH. or lef, should take her by SUR
prise, she coolly kept her seat. and tried
to soo,he him by her voice.
With head outstrctched, and sincwy neck
strained to its uttermost. he few over the
ground in wild. mad race with the eve-
ming wind, as it seemed.
The night was growing chilly by this
time. As the wind struck her ut the hill
top, she remembered that she had thrown
hooded waterproof about her before
starting. She stopped her horse, and TAX
ing of her hat, gathered her long hair IN
to mass, and thrust II into the hood,
which she drew over her head. and press
ed her hat down upon it ; ttien she gathered
the reins. and they went on in that long.
steady stride which marks the high-bred
horse when he gets thoroughly down 10
bis work.
Once or twice she drew rein to detcrm-
inc which road to take. Sometimes her
way lay through the forest. and she was
startled by the cry of an owl; anon il was
through the reedy bottom land, and the
halt-wild hogs. starting from their lairs,
gave her an instant fright. The moon.
east strange shadows around her: but still
she pushed on, with this one thought in her
mind. that her fathers life was Mt stake.
and she alone could save him. She had
written to her mother to go back to Yer.
denton, and telegraph to her father; but
she put no hope in that. How she trem-
bled, as she passed each fork In the
rough and Unmarked country road, lest
she should take the right hand when she
ought to turn to the left. and so lose prec-
ious, precious moments How her heart
beat with Joy when she came upon any
remembered landmark And all the time
her mind was full of tumultuous prayer.
Sometimes il bubbled over her lips in ten
der. disiointed accents.
Father! Papa, dear, dear papa! ~ she
cried to the bright still night that lay
around and then the tears burst over the
quivering lids, and ran down the fair
cheeks in torrents. She pressed her hand
to her heart as she fancied a CLEAN Of
reddcr light shot athwart the northern sky,
and she thought of terrible bonfire that
would rage and glow above the horizon,
il she failed to bring timely warning OF
the danger. How her heart throbbcd with
thankfulness as she galloped through an
avenue of giant oaks. at n cross-road
where she remembered stopping with her
father one day. lie had told her that II
was half way from Glenville 10 Warning
ton. He had watered their horses there;
and she remembered every word Of pleas
ant badnagc he had addressed to her as
they rode home. Had one ever before so
dear, so tender parent? The tears came
again; but she drove them back with
half involuntary laugh Not now, not
now - she said "No, nor at all. They
shall not come at all for will save him.
q God. help me am but weak girl
Why did the letter come so late? But !
win save him. Help me, Heaven guide
and helpr'
She glanced at her watch as she passed
frcm under the shade of the oaks, and as
she held the dial up TO the moonlight,
gave a scream of JOY. 1t was just past
the stroke of nine. She had still an hour
and half the distance had been accom-
plished in half that time.
Still on and on the brave horse bore her
with untiring limb. Half the remaining
distance is now consumed, and she come.
to place where the road forks, not once,
but into four branches. It Is in the midst
Of level old field covered with a thick
growth Of scrubby pines. Through the
masses of thick green are white lanes
which stretch away in every direction.
with no visible difference save in the den-
sity or frequency Of the shadows which
fall across them. She tries to think which
Of the many intersecting paths lead 10 her
destination. She tries this and then that
for few steps, consults the stars to de-
termine in what direction Glenvillc lies,
and has almost decided 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 was an
swered 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. The masked
cavaliers are closing in upon her; and as
if frozen to stone. she sits on her horse in
the clear moonlight, and cannot choose.
She is not thinking Of herself. 1t Is not
for herself that she fears but there has
come over her horrible numbing sensa-
ton that she is lost. for she does not know
which road leads to those she seeks 10
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 fatal
signals from the left and front; but how
much depends upon that choice! 1T must
be this, . she says to herself; and - she
saws 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 Tie othez
the whistle sounds, sharp, short aignAls.
Her heart sinks within her. She has halt.
| ed at the very rendezvous Of the enomy,