Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-04-18


to get the rails but where could rails be
found in that wild vicinity I?
do you think you can keep up while
run To the woods and get branches and
rails 2?
Go at once" cried Fanny. "You
must DO something. We are both going
down..
Reuw;ck Nichols, with s1perhuman
wrench, succeeded in getting on firmer
ground, and sprang to the precipitous
bank of the bayou. There was dense
canebrakc there. He took ont his knife
and began cutting wildly at the slender
canes.
"The} won't do,' moarcd Fanny from
her sandy grave.
1t began to rain in torrents Nichols
was almost beside himself.
..Oh, my God ~ moaned Fanny.
kenVlck shouted n despairing shout.
He tried TO fling himself into the cane
Drake to get up the bank. He ran wildly
along tic edge to find an opening.
Fanny was still sinking, sinking.
My God, Stanwood, is this you ?" cried
ltenwick Nicholas, MS with clothes torn to
Shreds, dripping with water, covered with
sand, his face scratched with briars, he
emerged from the cane-brake at the top of
the bayou, and met Stanwood and Irene
running painting to the fatal spot.
where is Fanny, oh, Mr.. Nichols,
where 10 Fanny?' cried Irene, who, after
her hasty trip through the woods in the
ram, looked like drenchcd angel strayed
ont of paradise.
Down there in the quicksand ~ cried
Nichols, as he seized StandwGod by the
arm, and they all three rushed into the
tortuous passage made by Nicholas in his
painful ascent. Stanwood, without n
word and with compressed lips, broke
through every obstacle, and was in mo-
ment on the sand MS near to Fanny as he
could get. He took in the situation at
glance. His sharp eye detected in the
fading light some old drift wood lodged
on the side of the bayou. There were
heavy limbs of trees aud logs, half buried
IN the canes.
Come p he shouted to Nichols. in
firm tone. as he cautioned the shriekinp
lrero against going in the vicinity of her
sister.
BE patient, Miss Fanny, and it will
all right, he said, MS he and Nichols roll
Ell the large trunk of fallen tree toward
her Quickly and silently Stanwood
placed brush and timber on each side of
the partly buried girl, until platform of
heigth had been raised.
Then lie and Nichols stepped upon it,
and taking Fanny under her shoulders
worked her backward and forward "a one
would stake, and the girl soon found
herself gradually drawn out from her
horrible prison. In half an hour. and
Just rs the timber supports they had
erected were disappearing, they drew
Fanny out and bore her exhausted. al
most falnting, to the woods above. Irene.
following, ringing her hands, and CRYING
"Oh, she's dead She's dead !"
There's nothing TO do save to carry
her to the picnic ground, " said Stanwooi.
''Ihey We all gone home, of course, for
getting us IN their hurry to avoid the
rain.
81 can walk, said Fanny, fcebly.
.She looked like ruined Venus Iii Med
lci, and very evidently needed restora-
ton. Irene hung about her neck Weep
ing for very joy. Renwick Nichols
thought they had better move on. 50
,otanwood supported Fanny on his arm.
and Nichols took charge of Irene and the
wet and bedrngSled procession began
forward movement Tor relief.
II was lark ana raining in torrents, aud
neither OF the gentleman had n compass
d knew the bearings. They groped along
however, and Their" was II prudigiuus
amount OF talking in whispered tones :
talk which was eugcudcred by the rather
romantic surroundings and the events of
The day, and talking which was almost as
to them as if they were in par
y dress and promenadlng brilliant par
Iors or moonlit galleries and garden
walks.
Fanny, my child, thank God You were
not by yourself That is the most dan.
5erous place on Sandy bayou. God bless
iou, gentlemen, for saving my precious
'hild -
Both gentlemen remained at Concord
place that night and the next day. The
major discussed of quicksands at the
ate breakfast table, and told how he him
self had once been caught on horseback
n one of the most desperately bad places
lhd when he had kissed his daughters
una mounted his horse to take the noun
.mn ride over the plantation, he winked
md said
girls p
hN JN"ipuS buu udti thrown aside the
STROUD of rain which night had placed
over the blossoming earth, and the hours
moved professionally slang, hammered in
green and blue gold the birds in orches-
.ral unity and diversity ditfusing over
lures and symphonies, and from far off
IN the woodland came the sweet, low COO
ing Of the mauve- breasted doves.
Stanwood walked the gallery with Fan
ny. Renwood Nichols was in the garden
with Irene. This disposition of individ-
lals was after all natural. Irene might
have been heard by stray wood dove,
saying softly, under her auroral bushes
I'm not bit sorry that Fanny got
into the quicksand !"
And Renwick Nicholas, who had his
hand about her waist, smiled as he felt
the quicksand throbbing of her pulse.
In the gallery, Stanwood looked into
the depths of pair of lustrous eyes. and
pressed both her hands in his, as he
smiled and leaned his head down to hear
Fanny say;
I'm almost glad | sank in that dread
ful quicksand / thought loved YOU
now know | do"
Then, like soft, sweet echo, floated
rom the woodland the morning symp ho-
ny of thousand birds.