The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-01-19


Peak shaft. My father and are Interested
there and at the Eagle. He leaves the man.
sgement here good deal to me, as he has
other interests at home in the East. Ny
name Is Paul Elchard." Then, as If he were
suddenly conscious that there was Q lack Of
reason for saying this, he flushed q little.
my name is Trean Hartman" said tho
girl, simply, and he bowed again, and, turn
ing, with more Of color in his cheeks than
he came with, he strobe swiftly across the
little plot of green to the road, vaulted on
hfs horse, and act his face toward the west
ern mountains. For q few moments the
girl stood motionless upon the porch and let
her eyes follow him, q kind Of light rising
in them as If she saw q pleasant vision, then
they darkened as II cloud had swept over
her and she turned and entered the house.
But almost instantly she came out again,
and turning down through the orchard,
stepped upon wall Of stone that ran beside
It, and looked from under the archwsy Of
her hand toward the ford below.
In moment the galloping horseman en-
tered . clump Of trees, then reappeared and
rode straight into the foaming creek. Near
the water the track Of recent passers turned
down the stream to new and safer point,
but In the failing light he did not observe
this. With the first plunge hiS horse was
swept around and lost his feet, then caught
upon portion Of what once had been the
shoal, struggled, sank, then caught again,
but lost it, and, whirled around by the boil
ing food, turned over with his rider under
him. In q heartbeat Of time they were
dashed into q sort Of swirling bowl below,
the man struggling with the horse, but
thrown against the overhanging bank and
bounding of with the shock; then they were
1,o<I, NIroHv HeYhf I'M nd At,ne
down and outward, the man striking
against pile Of logs half buried in sand
and scooped up silt, where he caught and
hung, while the horse went whirling down
the torrent, but got his feet at last and
scrambled up the bank and shook its
dripping hide. It seemed but little in
jured, but its master, half conscious and
with some threads Of red triclkling down his
temple and across his white neck, still clunR
to the logs, seemingly more from instinct
than clear reason, while the water wrenched
and tugged at him as il bound to pluck him
loose. The horse moved about and began
to nibble at the sward half-heartedly, but
the master still held fast to the logs and
labored for breath. Suddenly the young
woman who had watched from the orchard
wall sprang down the bank with q face
colorless from the swiftness Of her coming.
Oy0D
edge curious note Of horror came through
her lips, and she bounded across the logs
and caught the lsshed and bufteted figure.
In her fright she seemed swift and strong
almost beyond women, or rather the under
lying power of this slow, hard-wordng,
mountain -matured girl flowed through all
her being, and she lifted the man up and
acr6ss the logs much as II he had been Q
child.
fare you hurt badp' she painted, as she
hung over him.
For answer, he turned his face, all pal
lid and pinched with pain, toward her, and
tried to get up. He seemed to hear and see
her, but could not speak save with the ego
ny In his eyes. At that, the look Of fright
and horror deepened In the girls face, and
half lifting him she painted: 20, II father
was only herel" and the injured man strug'
gled to his feet, and they went wavering NJ
the bank and stopped.
~ am crushed In here r. be gasped, with
his hand pressed against his heart ~
struck the rocls-it u dark to me, let me-
| Ne-downl' p and he sank forward upon the
grass and was STILL.
10, he'll del he'll dep cried the girl
"Vatheri fatherin and her voice went ring
| ing In long, trembling echo across tho val
| lsy and up the canyon. "Esthsri fathaSl'
Then she held her breath and hearlSnsd
NNQ, he's MOI come vel" she painted, and
| bending down she laid her hand tnidly
upon the man,s face "He's tainted I" shl
ssid, and Strengthening mp stood stin IN tn
| gathering twilight Fflmy spirits seemed
| descending out Of the air and eroupin(
| under the trees, the silvered tops Of the cot
tonwoods began to grow leadsu, and tn
| great laks Of light that Alled the VALLEY
went slowly from pale rose to cloudy amber
| while the vast flakes Of gold that lay upog
| tie mountain heights flickered, and seemef
turning into ashes. Suddenly the MAJ
started mp with sound Of agony, end tn
| girl, with startled, half.soothing exolama
ton, put ont her hands and caught him.
" Are you better nowr she asked. n
looked ct her In dased way. II am Treaz
Hartman" she ssid, vcould you ride to tn
house II I helped Jon 70 mountl''
He looked round him curiously and hi
eyes grew clear. "Yes, I think 10" he Il
bored out Then she brought the hors'
quickly end Led II down deprsssipn a'anos
under the haplr
aNcw," - said. III you can stsp int
the saddls from The edgo ] win bold you
horse stsady."
slowly and With his tsstA ~ 70 hssp bael
TIE groan that cane up ftoB HE heaFt ~
ypang nan loNoRoa himoG1 Into ~ oo66ll
~ La torWaxA ~ ppur hnnAs q ~
s; . s; : & : s; S; 81; :