Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-09-09

he had received. The sand-bar looked
safe, but within few days the sea, as
Stoner knew, had swept 1t nightly,
torn out the long compacted bar, and
placed instead quivering mass Of
quicksand, SO treacherous that not even
o light-footed rabbit could cross with.
out being swallowed up and dragged
bodily down. Warren rode swiftly for.
ward; he had crossed sand-bars hun
dreds of times Some horses would have
been wiser, but the animal he rode had
been bred in the valley.
The approach to the bar was hard for
a few rods, and he galloped on. Sud.
denly, in one heartbreaking, breathless
descent, noiseless, but unutterably
dreadful, Tom Warren's horse went
down, down, and the soft, Shiny sand
came up to his NAME He shrieked out
that CHASTITY cry of appeal and agony
that desperate, dying horse will some
times utter.
Tom knew the peril. He had thrown
his feet from the stirrups and drawn
them up at the first downward throb,
but the sand began to grab him also.
He threw himself fat on his breast and
tore himself loose from the animal,
over whose back the mingled sand and
water was running, as 1t rolled from
side to side in Intellectual struggles to
escape.
Tom spread himself out over as much
surface as possible, but slowly, resist
lessly the mighty force drew him down
ward. The hard beach was only ter
feet distant, but practically the chasm
was impossible. He felt his horse sink
out of sight; the sand gripped his own
knees and arms, his thighs and shoul'
ders. Two inches more and the end BY
suffocation was inevitable. Up to this
time he had not shouted; only his
horses wild death scream had told Of
the tragedy. What was the use? Who
would be passing along that lonely
road2 Then he thought Of Tessa and
OF life. He raised his voice in q clear
strong shout for help. again and agar
repeated.
Far off along the deep ravine came Q
cry in response and q horses hurryine
feet, and hope awoke in his heart. The
margin of life was five minutes now
not longer. Faster, faster, o fearless
riderl
TON, where are you?"
Here, Tessa; don't come too near"
But the mountain girl knew the dan
ger. Creeping downstairs for drinl
of water she had heard her fathers
words to Warren, had thrown a shaw
about her shoulders, and run to the
pasture. Then she caught her PEI
horse, sprang upon his unsaddled back
seized RATA as she passed the stable
and galloped at the utmost speed dowr
the ravine, hoping against hope, fol
many minutes had necessarily elapsed
since Warren started.
She sprang to the ground and tossed
the rawhide rope to the one arm hi
held above the sand. She folded hel
shawl and put it over her horses shoul
ers, and tied the RATA round like col.
lar. Then she led him slowly away
from the quicksands, and Warren
thought his arm would break; but slow
ly, reluctantly, painfully, the sand gave
up its prey.
"Your father told me to take thii
road, Tessa," said the young sheriff.
''Yes, know that, and heard one o.
the men tell him to-day that the bal
was swept out"
There was long silence between
them.
"Tessa, 60 with me to San Luis, said
Warren, land let as get married"
And Tessa went
Old Stoner heard the news few day
later. Within an hour he had retired
from business" The camp was brokeI
up, the hunters disappeared, mysteriouI
lights flashed at intervals all night from
the points OF the cliff, and the next de-,
old Stoner himself disappeared, leav
ing his family, tho ranch and the live
stock. 1t was said that he made thu
best Of his way to Mexico and finally
70 South America The world Is large