Telegram-herald., 1891-11-15

handed the latter tslsgrSn. Hello.
Frank. this - for you" sAid the alta
che. q be passed u ever. frA1k took
the yellow envelope aud opened 1t with
that curious trepidstson felt BY ell srsv.
siers on receiving sneh . saissias. but
sAe instant he glanced II IL eontepts
be sprsng to his feet with . shout snd
hurriediy calling ont TO the sstonikhsd
Jack" .sGood by. old fellow, good-by;
I'm Of for England In ten uinutea-
dAshed into the street; Tor this vss the
nessAge:
.rIsvooD Lincoln Ess.. Aysl u -.
10 Mr. rr<sk HesasA brisisA issssiss.
1sme itsiy.
.,come 10 ms. All y rel AsspI.
And nov. leaving Mr.. Jack Digby 20
ponder over Il In vain. We must 20 back
in our story and explain the how and
wherefore Of this wenAreus telegram.
The reader VIII remember that Mr..
Crsydon's cottsgs hes been described
q standing on the bank Of the Humber.
soms distance down stream from Lin
wood hall
The river, or estuary rather. " at
this place fully two miles wide st nood
tide. but no more than one mile at low
sbb. Exactly 10 the center OF the
stream. when the channel 10 full. and
therefore about . mile from either
shore, there u little mound OF rock
which rises above the general level Of
the bottom, and yet At spring tide Is
Submerged 70 depth Of seven or more
feet. Between this rocky islet or
mound, and the Linwood shore there
L. when the tide Is ont, no river 81 all,
the bottom here being much higher
than that of the true river beyond the
islct. Consequently at such times this
tide channel 10 . ncrs waste Of sand,
aud the young people Of the neighbor-
hood were IN the habit OF walking
across 1t to the rock, where they were
sure to find. retained in is frmness,
numbers Of curious shells and marine
plants, ever being brought In by the
sea.
One Saturday. op which day. - she
sometimes lnughingly phrased il.
Agnes did not ''kccp school," she was
sitting in the April sunshine on the por-
tico Of her fathers house, her hands
busy with somc light work and her
thoughts far away with q certain wan
derer beneath Italian skies, when, hap
peniug TO glance across the now empty
bed of the river, she saw two children
whether boys or girls. she could not at
that distance tell-just leaving the rock
and. apparently. running towards her.
At the next instant she heard. TO her
horror, the well-known roar Of the in
coming spring tide, and ut once realized
the awful fact that it must ovcrwhelm
tho little fugitivcs long before they
could reach the shore; for, even now,
she could see the foam-covered edge OF
its fast advancing waves not half Q
mile below. The distance was too
great to signal the children intelligent
ly. much less to call to them. and Agnes
could only watch their progress in an
agony of dread. But now they, too.
caught sight Of the rushing waters. and.
after hcsitstiug moment turned and
ran back to the mound. where they
would be safe for. possibly, twenty min
utes. On this day Mr.. 1raydon had
Rone to tho city Of Hull. and there was
not q living soul about the place. ex-
cept a little maid-servant and Agnes
herself, nor was help Of any kind near
enough at hand to be OF use in this
pressing emergency.
Fortunately. however. Agnes Gray
don was no milk-and-water miss. From
earliest childhood she had been care
fully trained In out-of-door exercises,
and was ss much 1t home on the water
a. in her saddle, and now she deter
mined to save the iInpcriled children
II it lay within human power.
Her own light, serviceablc skin was
In the boat house ct the foot OF the
bank; and, catching up . couple of
woolen shawls, she ran down, seated
herself in It and waited for the, now.
too tsrdy tide to set it ahoat. A
moments consideration will enable tho
reader to understand the fearful nature
and imminence Of the danger.
Agnes must. pcrforcc. remain help
less and inactive until the tide should
cover the whols expanse between the
bank and tho island with . depth Of
water everywhere sufficient to carry her
boat. She would then have to row .
full mile: and the question was
whether she could make the distance be-
fore tho rieing food should inundate
the rocks deeply enough TO sweep the
children away?
The problem would soon be solved
for now tho first curling wavelets
hiased along the sand under the boats
bottom and in few moments the light
craft was free. then, In . brief space,
there was room for the oars 70 dip, and
the 1.-the young rover shot away
away! away! in the solitary race. life
the prize, and the forfeit DEATH Tho
curved spruce blades flashed and
quivered in her strong little hands, and
scattered sparkling drops Of spray. as
with rapid, telling strokes shs sent the
beautifully modelled skin along its
Watcry ~ Irse.
With uncovered head--for she had
never once thought OF her hat--and her
lovely unbound hair falling In bright
cloud over her shoulders. she bent TO
her work with the strength and skill
born Of long experiences: and. as che
now and again looked around, tried to
believe that she should be in time, al.
though she trembIcd to think how
frightfully great was the risk OF failure.
The matter might have been . compar-