Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-08-18


long, green line of turf whirls under their
flying feet Field after held, held after
field
The gate stands open at the further end,
thank heaven for thati Through it they
dart like a ffash-through it and on. Through
the stumpfield the road winds now; sweeps
round to the left through the hollow, Horse
and rider bound on. Down the decline with
a rushing plunge. bound through the hollow
with a fiery sweep The blackberry vines
trail round the stumps right and left Under |
the leaves the fruit lies ripe and sweet On |
| they 20. Up, now, out of the hollow, striding |
fiercely, aboring a little in the soft, new
ground, cloud of dust trailing behind.
Through the gate, now, at the farther end,
| into the wood beyond. For the next half
mile the road is slight descent, winding
among the trees. Down it goes Robert,
| firing, running keen and free, doubling,
striding fierce as fire. The tree houghs arch
the path The green leaves brush KITS face,
her cheek is wet with dew. A sharp branch
cuts her mouth; it bleeds but she knows it
not Trampling, trampling, on they lily.
| The gate of the wood beyond stands wide
Through it they tramp-sharp around 10 the
left, with plunge Sharp To the right again,
instantly after, pass the chip sCrewn opening,
where the woOdmen hew railway ties. Up
there on the left is the blackberry hill, mat
ted thicket of vines, heavy and sweet with the
luscious fruit. The great trees stand apart;
the moonlight sprinkes through Rider and
horse fly on, like swallows skimming flight
The shod hoofs CHATTER and tramp.
The pathway swerves to the right The
ground sinks on the left parts in two shore
ward ridges The road runs down the right
| A shallow valley drops between wifeus,
opens broad and clear of trees. There lie the
salt grass meadows, dotted with pools, grown
thick with the rank salt grass. Wonder she
sees the line of the beach that rose above the
plain Of the meadows and hid is the sound
beyond.
On they tramp-brave horse, brave, eager
heart-,Ip slight rise with q lift Gaining
the level, they turn bend Right before
them. not twenty rods away, the bars stand
five rails high One instant Kit celebrates,
naSnore. Every second is precious A min
ute may lose her the race. The pale horse
gallops terribly swift, stays not for fence or
| WALL Shall we wait to let them down: She
, can't-she can'ti She shuts her eyes, clings
closer, cries an unworded PRAYER, urges
the brave horse on He understands, sees
! what is 10 be done; he will do ii il mettle
> can. Kit holds her breath, and ciings She
feels herself hurled forward in a wilder
squirt of speed, then lifted and borne through
the air with one great flying bound They
strike with heavy rebound. Robert stag
gers little, Kit is near being flung 10 the
earth but she clIngs with a desperate
strength and keeps her seat Robert gathers
hiTnSalf har wi has ta, n,
+ before
D The bars are behind and the track is cleal
n all the way now-all the way The tootng
h changes; it is sand now, soft sea sand. All
+ there is the opening Just ahead, the CLEAN OF
A water beyond The bushes leap back on eithel
4 hand; rider and horse as one, shoot our from
L the gap as from bow Through the white
, fetlock deep sand, over the stony ridge tn.
q fierce rush carries them. down the slopin-
r tide sands, into the very wave. Whoa
q Robert. whoal Gently, gently Brace YOU
g brave feet in the dripping sands, swerve L
J, the right, to the east
r Away to the east there, mile away, alons
q the lonely shore Won see Gull reef, stretch
q ing out from the land At the farther end
V partially hidden behind that highest rock
II cleaning white in the moons white light
/ Nhdt no YOU sttf a SAIL a SAIL W Ilht l
Il itl What does it meant Kit knows |
g. means life and hope-hope yet! Her hear
It leaps up There is hope, there is hope,
l. cries. Thank GodI Thank Godl
But they must not stay now or spare. On
a again, on Forward. brave Robert: speed
r. speed Stride as YOU never strobe, gallo
1t with fire, double and spring with might
- For life, for lifel Freely and wild he run.
Dbl
~ atiame, finer and nerve OF steel power c
- steaml Eyes wild and shot with blood, eac
u breath fierv gasp each spring the leap of
," wild chamosl
~ Oh the mad rush of that ride for hft
~ VIII she ever forget the hurling flight IN
tween sea and shore, the gale on her cheel
the hurricane in her ears
~ A mile! milel Between sea and shor
~ on the firm tide sands, And still the pa
~ horse runs before with his CHASTITY skeleto
10 rider. Faster, Kit, faster yet! Pray Go
" they be not too latel Summer hTpe2rs tie
ne from before, watt them on from hehinC
az Shelving sands, clog not the steed's BRAY
feet; give him smooth footing, and firm
, Tide ripples, wash up and lave his hot hoOf
- Hasten them, earth and air-help them, fC
hfe's sweet sake
=, Oll InrN uiSl, npblS gathering llNe bil
"a Kits eyes are on the sail; she sees only tina
>, The moonlight lies calm and white, The sun
-, mer waters mur1Hur on the sliding sands.
- life on that lonely shore save only the OF
ha mad flight High banks leap up on the RICH
n hundred feet sheer. Heyond, IN the WOO
~ hit hears the whIppooTwliIs mourntul son
- the owls uncanny cry. The sound makes h
" shudder-so weird so Wild it sounds like &
., omen Of death. Half OF the mile is benin
~ The reef draws nearer-uearer every strid
~ The boat swings slowly round the high ro,
u, into sight; the sail flaps over, Kit sees a h
nv man form man lies forward on the lit
- deck, leaning over the side, gazing intent
ho' down through the shimmerlug deep. 81
h'G5,, shoulders, but hopes. That Is not the acti'
wa of a sane man, but it Is Il posture of life II
va W. of death.
III Quick, Robert, quickl Faster, faster T
ledge draws on. The end is near The hOr
III writhes forward to a wilder pace Eve
10 nerve charged, every cord, every fiber strun
takes the last quarter mile with madden
OF, rush, goes home with the swoop of Il haw