The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1881-02-19


time is left. You may yet escape"
mo, no; let me stay-me. They
will not, cannot harm me! I am inno-
cent. Take my horse and fly. I will
wait" cried Laura.
"No, children p cried Velletri, inter-
rupting them; "you speak thought
lessly We can fly no further We
must leave our horses. Let us climb
the mountains. See-look up yonder !;
we can find refuge there"
He pointed to a steep declivity, on the
summit of which there was projecting
crag. Itlay five hundred feet above them.
Instantly he leaped from his horse, and
Laura, too, dismounted. Then, as
though the time was too precious for
words, he led the way, leaving Santana
to assist his daughter. Then the fugi-
tives began their toilsome ascent.
The way lay through deep and thaw-
ing snow. 1t was the month of March
and all the snow was rapidly melting.
All around, amid the solemn silence,
they heard the solemn sound of falling
avalanches. Trembling at the fearful
noises which BODIED no good to them,
they hurried onward. They assembled
two hundred feet, and then reached the
foot of the declivity which they had no
ticed. There was wall of rock rising
preclpltously for nearly hundred feet,
and then the steep declivity went back
at an angle of forty-tive degrees for
three hundred feet more Here the
snow lay, a tremendous, accumulated
mass, full forty feet in depth. It's
white face shone terribly upon them as
they walked underneath and saw the
water trickling in innumerable torrents,
and the vast mass about to fall upon
them. 1t seemed as though the touch
of a child's hand might send the whole
down in resistless fury.
Haste-haste Oh, what fearful
journey Here lies our only pathway
through" cried Velletri.
There was no answer as they all
pressed forward more quickly. It took
not long to pass beyond the shelving
rock. Then they turned upward to
reach the top of the declivity. The
Snow was very deep where they walked.
In some places racks projected, afford
ing foothold, in others there were
deep interstices. On the right lay the
smooth expanse Of snow which covered
the declivity. They assembled quickly,
and soon Lauras limbs failed her The
long ride had weakened her; she
trembled and sunk, after vain attempt
to go forward.
Not word was spoken Their ex-
citement was too strong-their feeling
too deep. Velletri turned with an ago
nizing look as his daughter fell, but
Santana raised her in his arms and rush
ed up with fitful exertions the remain
der of their way They reached the
summit. Painting, and almost fainting
with the dreadful toll of the ascent,
they turned with common impulse to
look down.
Lost, lost y
A choking sensation came to each.
They had not seen nor heard their pur-
suers, in the excitement of the ascent.
but their pursuers had seen them. They
had quietly dismounted and had reach
ed the foot of the mountain. They
were following their tracks. They saw
how little hope was left.
almighty God !" cried velletr,
raising his eyes to heaven, Protector
of the innocent, help us, for we can no
longer help ourselves !"
And To- even as though in answer to
the solemn prayer, they saw the vast
mass of snow slowly tremble. A light
n1ng thought darted to the mind OF
each. The thunder of falling avalanches
sounded all around. The vibrations OF
their fall had loosened this. 1t seemed
suspended but by thread. Even as
the children of Israel looked back upon
the pursuing Egyptians, so now did the
fugitives look back upon their foes.
And they again cried unto the Lord.
Even as they cried again their foes were
visible. They came on quickly. They
were at the path which went under the
declivity. They looked up and saw
their prey.
"Ha, ha Ecco la p cried all.
They rushed on. Aiming their guns
at their covering victims, they fired a
laundering volley. The echoes spread
far and wide The soldiers rushed I'm.
der the declivity; and the three fugitives
held their breath in awe-in horror
For the echoes Of that discharge or its
strong vibrations had shaken the treach.