Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-11-07

natural magic, he says, that enables
these favored ones to bring out the hid
den capabilities of things about them
and particularly to give look of com
fort and habitableness to anv place
which for however brief period NAV
happen 10 be their home
. did cheap and simple material take
new character and virtue from their
hands; so were rough walls hidden bv
! chlatz of tasteful pattern and homo.ene-
o4s TINT; SO did refinement supply the
p ace Of costly equipment. Jack Rev
nolds realized all this the first time he
entered the building. To be sure he
saw it under favorable circumstances.
The daughter Of the house had come
out e. meet him as he approached. When
she saw it was her own favorite horse he
had brought home, her face was lighted
up bv smile which went straight to his
hear. before his visit came to an end
he discovered that her name was Edith.
What more he discovered about her no
one but himself would know; but it
could not have been otherwise than
pleasant, for he arrived at his home in
the highest OF spirits. He counted the
days until he thought he might call
agaln, and he made them as few as be
POSSIBLY could. II was strong evidence
of broncho Sans partiality for his young
friend that he took but mild exception
to what must surely be distraction to
an embryo cowboy; but then Sam him
self had seen the young lady. and her
grace and sweetness had made an i'm
preston on even his case hardened sensi-
-blIities.
Thar amt no kind O. use in talkin'
about it, said he; 'It's human natur.
I'm an old man now but | was Young
oEce myself an | know He's a fellow
thet's got sand, an she's real good ap
pearia gal an | allow it amt no ones
business but theirs
The road UP the valley was narrow and
roAgh one side was often much higher
than the other; the prickly cactus bushes
trenched on 1t: and many burrows and
holes lay as pitfalls before the rider All
riders, however, had not such horses as
Comanche. He knew what was expected
of him. With a splendid stride he went
over the difficult path as if over English
turf, clearing this treacherous gully with
spring, swerying TO avoid that pile of
earth washed down by the evenings
rains, leaving one landmark after
another behind in his headlong course.
They talk TO this day Of the time in
which he made tue distance. :
Jack sat him like the good horseman
he was. His excitement was intense, but
every faculty seemed under perfect con
troll. One thinks and remembers at such
times with unwonted quickness and Wv
ldness. Not knowing what duty or peri
awaited him, nerved for whatever it
might be, he still found himself wonder
ing whether Sam and the other man
could get the horses to place of safety.
Then he thought for what seemed to
him long time, but was probably a few
seconds, of his far-awav home Then
the absorbing theme of what he must
soon encounter took the place of al
else. The horse began to breathe lit
tie hard. but his pace never slaekened
At tone time Jack fa0c ed he heard hoofs
behind him. but he dismissed the i lea as
absurd. The next moment he saw some
thing which ma1e rs heart beat fast.
" ba had shown itself IN the gray light
of dawn as slender turbld riil was now
large stream, and growing higher
every moment. inst!nctiveIv he called
to his horse Faster the noble animal
sped on; the water was around his feet.
There WAS d turn in the valley where it
narrowed; a surging torrent reached his
knees rs he rounded the point of the
cliff. In five minutes he slacSencd his
pace, for there, parting the flood which
eddled around 1t, tugged and tore at it,
hurled gsssand stumps and tree trunks
Al 1t was Sim sons rluch and at the
window on the lower side was Edith.
In the lee. as it were. of the house.
shallow In second he wasaat the win
heaving tianks and aboring breath.
There was seant time for ceremony, but.
the expression Of 10y on the girls face
tod the story and be managed to reach
her hand with his. Only few words
passed at first. Her mother had spent
the night with sick child at ranch
on the hill. At daybreak, alarmed at
the prospect Of the wash out" the
hands had gone to look after the stock,
and the Mexican woman to escort her
mo her bac1 Then the flood had come
suddenly and cut Off their return
Jack always said his plan If rescue
was a pure lasuIratlon: ~ the right.
separated from the house bv wide and
deep torrent, the ground sloped from
mesa. Couid he reach that slope2 lie
looked around tn corner Of the house,
the horse barely main q ming his foot
lag- Halfway up the slope, ana fes
rods above the house stood the stout
stump Of q cedar, and his lariat hung st
his saddle bow. How ne blessed his
practice with II The first cast Was sue
cessfus. the Hoop lay over the stump and
pail tichtcnrd il IN d momcn he
was back al the window in another.
Edith, stepping from the sill, at behind
him and cl.ng 10 him. Again he guld
ed tomanche 10 the corner, he wound
the .araat around he pommel Of the
Mexican saddle lie drew q lone breath.
ana he rode mo the torrent. lie thor
oagh bred As >,vect Of his fee. before he
hal gone ten gards. but be swan stroncIv
and bold :; the lariat was tau. as bow
string. bat ! ne l. /. seemed an hosr
before the middle of the stream was
reached. His heart beat fast: the girl
said nothing, but he felt her clasp