Bridgeton pioneer., 1884-12-18
LOVE OR MONEY;
A PERILOUS SECRET,
BY CHARLES READE.

u sore struggle IL was. ne HtN GI allow
ed himself to kiss her, though he was
sore tempted one day, when he bought
her a cream-colored pony, and she flung
her arms round his neck before Mr..
BARLEY and kissed him eagerly; but he
was so baShful that the girl laughed at
him, and said, half pertly, Excuse the
liberty, but if you will be such duck,
why. you must take the consequences"
Said BARLEY. pompously, you must
not expect middle-aged men to be as
demonstrative very young ladies; but
he has as much real affection for you as
you have for him"
"Then he has good deal, papa" said
she, sweetly. Both the men were silent,
and Mary looked to one and the other,
and seemed little puzzled.
One morning Mary BARLEY and her
governess walked to a neighboring town
and enjoyed the sacred delight of shop
ping They came back by a shortcut,
which made it necessary to cross a GER
tain brook, or rivulet. called the Lyn.
This was a rapid stream, and i'll places
pretty deep: but i'll one particular part
it was shallow, and crossed by large
stepping-stOneS. tWo-thirdS Of which
were generally above water. The village
girls. including Mary BARLEY, used all
to tr;p over these stones, and think
moth f it, though the brook went
past Z, fine rate. and gradually widen
ed as il flowed. ill it reached a down
right fall: after that, running no longer
down decline. it became rather Ian
guild stream.
Mary and her gOverness came to this
ford and found it swollen by recent
rains, and f0amiug and curling round
the SteppIng-stOneS. and their tops only
We're out OF the water now.
The governess at once objected to
pass this current.
We'll, but" said Mary, "the other way
is a mile round, and papa expects us to
be punctual at meals, ana | am, oh, so
hungry Dear Miss Everett, | have
crossed it a hundred times"
But the water is SO deep"
1T is deeper than usual; but see, it is
only up to my knee. | could cross it
without the stones. You goround, dear,
and I'll explain against you come
home"
Not until I've seen you safe over"
THAT you W Ill soon see," said the girl,
and, fearing more authoritative inter-
ference, she gathered up her skirts and
planted one dainty foot on the first STEP
ping-stone, another on the next, and so
on to the fourth; and if she had been a
boy she would have cleared them all.
But holding her skirts instead of keep
ing her arms to balance herself, and
wearing idiotic shoes, her heels slipped
ON the fifth stone, which was rather
Shiny, and she fell into the middle of
the current with little scream.
To her amazement she found that the
stream, though shallow, carried her off
her feet, and though she recovered
them, she could not keep them, but was
alternately up and down, and driven
along, all the time floundering Oh.
then she screamed with terror. and the
poor goyerness ran screaming too, and
making idle clutches from the bank but
poWerless to aid.
Then, as the current deepened, the
poor girl lost her feet altogether. and
was carried on toward the deep water.
tlinging her arms high and screaming.
but powerless. AT first she was buoyed
up by her clothes, and particularly by
pettlcoat OF some material that did not
drink water But as her other clothes
became soaked and heavy, she sank to
her chin, and death stared her in the
face.
She lost hope, and being no common
spirit, she gained resignation; she left
screaming, and said to Everett, "Pray
for me-"
But the next moment hope revived,
and fear with it-this is a law of nature
for man, bareheaded and his hair
nylng, came gallOping on barebacked
pony, shouting and screaming with ter
r0r louder than both the women. He
urged the pony furiously to the stream;
then the beast planted his feet together,
and with the impulse thus given Hope
threw himself over the pony shead into
the water, and had his arm round his
child in moment. He lashed out with
the other hand across the stream. But
II was SO powerful now as it neared the
laSher that they made far more way on
ward to destruction than they did across
the stream; still they did near the bank
u little. But the lasher roared nearer
ano nearer, and the stream pulled them
TO 1t with iron force. They were close
TO it now. Then a willow 'bough cave
them one chance. Hope grasped il, land
pulled with iron strength. From the
bough he got to the branch, and finally
ciutched the stem of the tree, just as
his feet were lifted up by the rushing
water, and both lives hung upon shat
willoW-tree. The girl was on his left
arm, and his right arm round the will
low.
Grace" said he, feigning calmness.
Put your arm around my neck, Mary"
Yes, dear" said she, firmly.
Now don't hurry yourself-there's no
danger; move slowly across me, and hold
my right arm very tight"
she did so.
Now take hold of the bank with your
left hand; but don't let go of me-"
es, DEAR" said the little heroine.
whose fear was gone now she had Hope
to take care of her.
Then Hope clutched the tree with his
left hand, pushed Mary on shore with
his right, and very soon had her in his
arms on terra frna.
But now came a change that con-
founded Mary BARLEY, to whom man
was very superior being; only not al
ways ineligible.
The brave man fell to shaking like an
aspen leaf; the strong man to sobbing
and ,gaSping, and kissing the girl wild
iy: oh, my child my child!"
Then Mary, of course, must gulp and
cry little for sympathy; but her quick
changing spirit soon shook it off. and
she patted his cheek and kissed him.
and then began to comfort him, if YOU
please. Good, dear, kind Mr.. Hope"
SAID she. La! don't go on like that.
You We're so brave in the water, and
now the danger is over. I've had a duck
tlnt iS oil IIot