The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-11

her danger-his first instinct was of self
preservation.
Not only was be but a very poor swim
mer, even If any art or skill would avail
against the power of those gaping Jaws OF
the millwheel, but to delay 50 mloh as one
moment was, or seemed Co him, to lose the
advantage he had gained over the pursuers
he believed upon his track-to fall into their
hands, perhaps, beyond all power to save
himself
1t was only a brief instant the struggle
lasted. That it had to be fought at all was
sure no mark against the lad. for after all
his life was very dear to him then, even IN
the dazed, half mad condition into which
Royal had tortured him-dearer than ever
, because OF the knowledge of his innocence,
) and the contrast to what had so lately been
his living death in his supposed guilt.
And after all 10 was more than his own
safety he held in his hand, but what was
dearer by far-thAt of those he loved. as he
was proving in this very danger of his
flight
That he conquered was then all the more
honor.
Conquer he did.
To the winds with all but the knowledge
OF the terrible fate which awaited a frail
woman before his very eYes-which he
must do his best to avert-if it was even TO
share.
10 was well he set to his task so fully alive
to all its danger, for very nearly, very
nearly was the full price of such heroism
paid.
How he reached the now unconscious
woman he scarcely knew. Her progress for
the moment must have been stayed by the
reeds and bushes. But reach her he did
though almost as he grasped her by the
nearest fold OF her cloak the stream bore
| them each alike-on ward, nearer and nearer
TO the more terrible death.
Nearer and nearer. Not even the strongest,
Oh Il -
| headway against such tide, no power on
| earth. it seemed, could save them.
Full well Leo knew this And the
| woman. whose senses had now come back
TO her once more, recognized it more clearly
than he.
With last instinct of her noble nature
she cried out to her preserver to let her go
and save himself
But he paid no heed, only babe her trust
to him and be of good cheer, though his
heart more than sickened at the fate which
was so near and SO terrible.
Onward and onward. Nearer and nearer
| Another moment and it would be too late
With an agopized prayer, but never los
ing his hold upon the woman, for whom, in
vain it seemed he had given his life. the
lad closed his eyes. and prepared to meet
his fate.
| Onward and onward. Nearer and nearer.
A stop. A crushing sensation and all would
be over.
Onward and onward. Nearer and nearer.
| A stop.
What was this3
Surely this was not death. The roar and
splash of the water seemed suddenly TO
grow fainter, that terrible. helpless, drift
ing onward. TO cease.
What was itl
Scarcely daring to think, much less to
hope, Leo opened bis eyes.
Nothing but a miracle could have saved
them. And such it seemed had been &C
complished.
At the very moment the gaping Jaws of
| death W ould have seized their prey, a hand
upon the machinery had, as it were, closed
| them.
The days work was done-the mill wheel
stayed still
The two-rescuer and rescued-were safe
| from that danger at least.
But new one threatened them. Unsup-
ported by rush Of the tide, Madge once
more unconscious, began to sink, dragging
| down her rescuer with her.
Greater than ever was his impulse to let
| go his hold upon her. But resisting it he
struck out blindly with his free hand in a
vain hope of trying to keep aioat
To his surprise and joy his fingers struck
| sharply against some hing hard and sub
stantial. Instinctively he closed them round
| it; not moment too soon, for even then
his arm, upon which the girl hung a per-
fectly dead weight, received a horrible
1 wrench.
But he never needed the pain in his almost
| delirlouS Joy at chs second rescue
| Yes. saved. This time entirely, for not
only was it that he chung to the mill wheel
| as TO a rock, but crossing the bridge from
| the mill itself were the miller and his men.
| who. in answer TO his shout for help sprang
| at once into boat moored to a stake in the
bank, and came as fast as oars could bring
1 afR
In few moments the double rescue was
entirely accomplished,
But to what ends When the woman in
whose hands was the doubleday, double. as
he was to learn-safety of her rescuer-lay
like one dead-incapable of giving so much
| as one sign of warning to him
He. indeed, did not wait for any such.
Pressing upon the kindly miller some
money to ensure her being attended to-he
| would not stay SO much as to dry his wet
clothes or to bind up the ugly cut on his
forehead, which in his efforts to raise the
| girl we'll out of the water till the boat came
near, the wheel had inflicted
His sole aim was to get on his way as
quickly as might be-his fear now double
| for not only had he lost far more time than
he could afford, but had as well no idea how
far behind were his real or imaginary pur-
| suers.
Away he sped once more-0allant res
cuer that he was-like hunted hound.
And so it seemed chance once more after
all favored Royal-had saved him from this
great sin and at no risk to himself This,
none the less, that it was no fancy OF the
lads at all that he was being tracked. At
the moment of the delivery of the lads Ill
| omened confession at tine police station.
there had been present within it a spirit
OF authority, who had not only in
spired the somewhat sleepy officers of
| justice therein to action-but imbued with
| feeling of interest for which he was utterly
unable TO account, had himself taken the
lead in the matter. He had not counted
| upon the affair taking the turn It had, l. g.,
In lieu of the latter proving mere trick-a
chance clew leading 60 the tracking of the
| author, as IL we're, across the country.
Still less did he dream, when that track
ing led across bridge over a mill stream,
that justice, in being beforehand in the
matter. was, in reality, overrunning itself
the confessed and escaped murderer-safe
fran capture then at least in the danger of
the rushing tide below.
ITO BE Concluded
| The TeStimon
| Published on behalf of Hoods Sarsaprillaa
| ara aa reliabla and as yUortbu xour oon6