Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-16

the oldest little smile Was it possible
that she thought for one moment that he
could fy and leave her to such hideous
peril?
No more was said, and when they had
finished Juanita, her heart throbbing with
this new, terrible pain and shame, that hall
choked her, gladly escaped to pack the sad
dle-bag, while Vernon went to saddle Rover
a powerful beast, and bring him to the YER
andah. There she brought him ribosa, OF
Mexican blanket, which he strapped on the
pommel, and then said quietly-an ominou'
quiet
'Get your hat and wrap, child, and walk
little way with me-"
She obeyed him in blind, bewildered
kind of way, and rejoined him.
Come" she said quickly, 'it will soor
be sundown, and dark.
Dallas looked down on the Californis
girl.
"Juanita, you could never in cold blood
have dreamed that ever meant for one sec
ond to leave you alone, of all women, in
this da- Ha!-my God!-hear that
soundr'
A sound that in those wilds might well
blanch the cheek and appal the very soul Of
those two, who for one second looked al
the mighty sound afar of, of rushing
waters, distant, sullen roar, that every
instant seemed to come nearer-nearer.
Great heaven! What an awful thing to
know that the levees about Rorke City had
burst, and the floods were out, sweeping
down the valley that lay between them and
the only hope of safety-the high ground
that rose up abruptly some distance toward
the coast range.
There was not moment to be lost. Yer
non, swinging the girl to the ribosa strapped
at the saddle bow. and vaulting to the saddle
himself, wrapped that strong right arm
about the slight form, strained her to his
heart a second, with one passionate whisper
in her ear: ''In life or death-with theel
with thee"
And then the Rover was off westward, in
full gallop across the plain, toward the
mountain range.
What breathless, mad race for life
against death that was horse and riders
alike knowing the danger, as they fled be-
fore the flood that swept on-on, down
toward them as they struck southwest across
its oncoming fury.
Hark! What is that, suddenly rising
above the sullen roar of the waters? A
shouting of mer. then the sharp crack of a
rife, and ball whizzed close and fell-ten
feet short.
"My GodP' the girl gasped; 'I see them
those rufians, and-the boysl pursuing us,
with the tide on behind them! oh, Dallas"
She hid her straining eyes on his breast in
agony.
But not one word did her lover speak; he
only set his teeth, and urged the brave
horse on to still more headlong speed in that
wild ride, as he saw that the six pursuers-
those four ruffians and the two Calvaros.
whom they must have met flying before the
flood, all half drunk-were trying to cut
across him and reach the high ground first,
each party riding at right angles with the
other, each with the common enemy tearing
and rushing on to overtake and destroy.
On! oni-are they gaining? Yes-no!
Great heaven!-the pursuers are nearer
yelling like drunken devils-and the
waters gaining on pursuers and fugitives.
Oni on! for life or death in the balance.
Ha! the ground rises now sharply-the noble
steed, laboring, painting, struggles on-the
hillside suddenly steepens-there is mar
row track winding up, but Rover cannot
climb it, save nnmounted; the pursuers are
almost at the rising ground below-they
hear-see the torrent, pouring its volumes
toward them-one desperate effort, and there
is chance. Vernon filings himself to the
ground, catches the girl in his powerful
arms with an ease and strength that God
gives in such moments, and leaps like deer
up the path, calling to the faithful Rover,
who follows him closely to the plateau
above.
A wild, stifed shrek as of the dying;
deafening roar below, and the mass of waters
rushes over the very spot the fugitives have
just left, sweeping on the furious tide those
six corpses, and rooted-up trees, logs and
debris of dwellings. Oh, for the awful
sight it is for human eyes to see!
''Saved in Gods mercyp' the man almost
sobbed, locking the quivering girl to his
heart in passion of gratitude and ecstasy.
"My darling. my love! Saved, to call me
in very truth your husband!''
And then his lips were pressed to hers
Welded to that long, sweet kiss of love
given and taken-a strange betrothal, in the
midst of danger and hardship, and death be-
low that, bad or good, had left the Califor-
MIA girl no kith or being in this world to
cling to but this lover, who would make
her his wife directly they should make their
way to San Francisco;
In their happy English home. Dallas
Vernon and his young wife speak sometimes
of their strange meeting and that terrible
flight, but only one or two very intimate
friends know the whole truth of that Cali
fornia story.-Belgrduid.'