Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1882-11-18
Eleanore gazed 1t her ia surpriSe.


To cross upon the stspping-stones
III fair weather Is quite different thing
TO attempt in such storm as this. !
1.-The water is very deep.
"A single false step. and your life
would pay the forfeit"
Nevertheless / shall try.
. ! know the way, and [ may be the
mcans of saving hundreds of my fellow
creatures from IL horrible fate.
do not try to persuade me, Eieanore.
] must co.
And though Eleanore redoubled her
terrified renonstrances, Dora went about
her prepar atoms firmly with look of
determination upon her young face that
never IA tered.
AT last she was ready, aud Eleanore
strained her small, Waterproof clad
figure close to her heart.
Heavelf protect you and keep Won,
my Jarling'' she said solemnly.
Iou 90 for duty's sake to brave
danger that, fearless as I have ALWAYS
deemed myself to be, 1 would never dare
to attempt:
II love life too well to face what
seems certain death'
"Ah, l, too, love lfe,' Dora said, as
she dlsengaged herself from her friends
clnging arms; 'but something draws
me on
Though knew | never shoul Id re-
turn, | should 60
Ont In the storm and the darkness
| Dora hurries
! The winds beats against her, now
] pushing her back, now urging her for
ward, until ut length she stands upon
! the brink of the little river that ripples
So lnnocently and cheerily along under
a sunny sky, bat whose waves now are
leaping ana tossing their foam-crests
like mad things.
The stepping stones, which but yes
t-r'lay were SO easily crossed, are before
her, and ID ra begins her perilous Jour
ney.
Come back Dora, Dora, come
terrace above.
But she does not heed.
Steadily she goes onward, but, oh, SO
slowly. Cftentimes slipping, and on the
very edge of fall ,g INTO the treacherous
water, whose inky blackness only seems
the denser when, for few seconds, the
glare of the lightning shows her what
progress she is making.
She has gained the centre of the
stream.
Her slight form is trembling with the
combined effect of the cold, which
strikes through her dripping garments,
and tie bodily exertions she has been
compelled to make to keep her footing
upon the slippery rocks.
VIII she he able to reach the other
side?
Bravcly she struggles on, and at
length the goal Is reached, and her feet
uch the other shore.
A short while later the legrapll
operator, Gaming idly back in his chair
III his warm office, Is startled by the
entrance of a small, dripping figure
looking, with its dishevelled hair and
, pallid face, like visitant from some
shostly sphere.
/ "A tree has fallen across the line op
posite Miss Gray's cottage.
| Telegraph for the seven o'clock tx
! press to stop
Then, her mission accomplished, tn,
: brave heart stops beating, and Dor
! sinks unconscious to the floor
! Four weeks have gone by-weeks 0
/ the most Intense anxiety ; for all tha
time Dora has laid between life an,
: death
i But at last the shadow has lifted, an,
I out once more into health's sunshin
she has emerged, to the heartfelt JOY {
5 the friends who have prayed for he
{ recovery lucessautly, even when the
feared their prayers would be Of Il
> avail
/ II Is bright, pleasant day, thous
{ somewhat chill, and III EIeanor's cos
sitting room, IL an easy chair, near III
G CHEEKY fire, Dora Is seated.
i She looks very lovely for the fir
glow has l.nt iellc.tc color TO her pa
# checks, anu made into aureole of gol
the short waves OF ha:r that cluster ab9l
her fair forehead.
,e The door gently opens, ard Il yoic
says, "Iay come il =
!, 1t is Mr.. Eldrldge. and it Is the fir
j. tlrle since her illn-ss that Dora has m
him.
The delicate colcr ieepens as she r
le signs her hand 10 his clasp, and answe
his words of greeting.
N They chat for while; and then,
ar Dora's great surprise, she iearns wi
sh., has not known before, that amo.