Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-11-10
CHAPTER u.-COntinued.

Lawrence found himself half buried
under a heap of fragmentary things,
branches, sticks, leaves and what not
in the midst of fallen trees. He arose
with difficulty, still holding Lucie, now
limp and mOtionless, in his arms. The
clouds were as black as ink and rushing
low overhead. He could not see well
enough to know whether she was living
or dead.
Where was he? He tried to gaze
around, but there was nothing in view
save the vague outlines of splintered
tree-poles, upturned roots and heaps Of
branches. In every direction his way
was blocked. With a groan he sank to
the ground, pillowing the girls head on
his knesS.
-Luciel Luciei" he called, speak to
me, dear. speak. Are you hurt?"
Her heart was beating, but she did
not move or speak.
Again the panther began to howl and
rage; but another heavy throb Of the
gale seemed to force it into silence.
The lightning was threading the clouds
in the distance, and by the reflected
light Lawrence saw how pale Lucie was.
The panther seemed to be whetting
it's teeth and flashing itself into ecstatic
rage. It was so near that every move
ment of its feet and every stroke of its
jaws when it opened and shut its mouth
could be distinctly heard as the wind
fell away.
The track of that hurricane is still to
be seen in the hummOck woods of the
Teche country. 1t is a narrow opening,
as straight and otherwise not unlike the
line of a railway clearing. The young
trees that have grown up in it are of
different general form from those the
wind destroyed, and the ancient forest
walls on each side of it show that the
at 10 ~ c-fr
less than 200 feet wide. Lawrence found
himself on one edge of this path of de-
struction.
With amazing rapidity the clouds
were swept on and away, leaving the
sky clear and bright, with the moon
swimming along white and brilliant
amid the stars.
Trembling, nerveless, every bone in
his body and limbs a center of pain, his
flesh torn and bruised, the young man
tried to push back the girls tangled
hair. He stopped and kissed her white
brow; then, gathering force again, called
loudly:
Help! helpl hallool helpl"
But, Mars, cayn't help nothin' ner
nobody. Dey's er tree on de tip top O.
my pusson, an er holm me down.
cayn't mObe, responded Tom, negro
of the place.
Lawrence yelled again and again,
though each effort racked him with in
describable torture, so bruised and torn
was he. Then the panther redoubled
Its cries and ripped the fallen branches
with its claws.
Such strain was not to be borne
long. Lawrence struggled with fine
courage and desperate resolution, but
presently his eyes were blurred, his
head reeled, and he fell over insensible.
1t may have been the slight but de-
cided shock to her head when, as Law
renee tainted, Lucie was let fall from
his knees, or it may have been a mere
coincidence between his failure and her
revival; at all events, the girl lifted
herself to sitting posture, and, waver-
ing weakly to and fro, gazed around
with panied, confused stare.
Not far away, in some low, sheltered
tangle Of greenery beyond the track Of
the wind a hooking bird ventured to
trill family a phrase or two of its
weirdly sweet nocturne.
The moon shone down through the
awful rift in the forest upon the pallid
and beWildered face of the girl.
~Ohl Oil" she criedl ~Oh-oh, moth
erl" 1t was the call of child to parent,
the old, old cry of helplessness, and it
rang through the crushed wilderness
with infinite pathos in its quaver.
She passed her hands across her face.
tried to rise; looked down; then started
and screamed. The upturned face OF
Martin Lawrence was cleaning strongly
in the moonlight.
dat yo' Miss Lucie2" called Tom
dat yo' ober dar? Is yo' hurt, hOney?'
Toni Oh, Tom, come, come! quick
quick"
Dress de Lori"
There was a sound of struggling mus
cles and tugging limbs. With th'
power of a giant the negro was wrench
ing himself from under the weight tina
held him down.
The painting snarls OF the old man
eater were not SO loud now; but the,
were terribly distinct.
Tom came stumbling and tumblini
over logs and boughs and drifted heap
of debris toward the spot where Luci
sat.
VIVA is yo'. honey wha' is yo
Miss Lucie?"
Look out To- dat paynterl He clos
roun' var.
AS he spoke he fiourished a heav
club (the fragment Of live oak lin
thicker than 8 mans arm and four fee
long, as if it had been a mere play
thing. His face was distorted with fu
rious excitement.
just LnSn HIS eyes Acl4 APOA oAO Pe-H
Their, which was struggling teebly no.
with its entire hinder parts crushe
under heavy log dashed upon it by tn
hurricane. All around 1t the earth wa
torn with its mighty claws, and tn
bark and wood Of the log were SCARE
and splintered where its teeth ha
ground them.
Tom stared a moment.
~Oho! da' yo' is, yo' ole villyanl"
stormed forth ~Da' yo' is. is yo'! G'
mo- an yo' kin carry dis yo' time, ht
YOU Well, I jes' gwine TO ter sort
help you out.
He raised the club with both hanC
and advanced.
A hoarse, gurgling howl of agor
leaped from the foaming. gnashir
mouth of the crushed brute. To
dropped his club and retreated.
-Bress de Lori" he calculated.
done fought yo' had mel"
e 1,rrk