The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-12-20

But before they could descend the slope
10 cross the dry arroyo i'm front Ii was
running from bank to bank and brim-
ming over with o sudden Hood OF red,
muddy water.
And even above the noise OF the food
before them they heard a sound like the
angry shouting of furious multitudes.
Looking backward and up the creek
whence the sounds came they saw q
great, tumbling, ~shuddering wall
pnshing before it and bearing upon its
crest all imaginable sorts of debris-ad-
vancing down the dry creek bed with
such q thunderous onslaught that the
little mound on which they stood shook
and seemed fairly to lower under their
feet. They looked about them. The
arroyo ran into the creek below. Above,
both ii and the creek had flooded out
until they joined. Their little mound
was nm island, momentarily growing
smaller, surrounded ON every side by
raging torrents, in which were driven
and whirled whole trees, full grown
cattle, with sometimes a fence post
whose trailing wires had caught in
their barbs all name of CHASTITY wreck
age.
Up came the water about them;
down fell the big hail.
Its a cloudburst above, darling,
said Bob. 1T won't last long-the
water won't v this RISE"
I'm not afraid, Bob, said May,
with very white lips. Elm glad /
came anyhow. Ii we've got to die,
Wen die together, and the way I've felt
for the last three weeks I'm sure that's
q heap better than living apart"
Bob jumped off his pony and lifted
May from hers. The hail was coming
bigger and beat cruelty upon them.
He wrapped his slicker about her, push
ed the ponies close together and shell
tered her with them and his own body
as best he could. !
I'VE won't die, /" he said, ''but, poor
little girl, what an awful storm I've
dragged You ont intol"
just then, from the farther bank of
the creek, above the awful bowling Of
the storm, came this intelligent COM
mand in old man Loves ear splitting
tones:
May Lowell You come here to me
this minute!' And May Laughed hys-
~terically.
We'll, he cant get at us anyway
but the hail can. Oh, look at your
poor hands! Oh, Bob, l can't bear it
put the slicker back oni''
why, honey, said Bob as the tears
came in earnest now, I'D get pounded
just the same anyhow, and You must
let me have the comfort of keeping some
of it off you-it amt a patchin ON the
way your pa would do me if he could
get me right now"
While the storm ragged and the water
rose nearly to their feet, Hank Pearsall
had the almost exclusive benefit of old
man Loves remarks, since only his
widest shrieks reached the young cou-
pie, who were too much absorbed in each
other to heed either him or the storm
very much.
These remarks disagreed with Mr..
Pearsall, who was VIGOROUSLY q mar
of Judgment and observation.
What's the matter with that young
fellerf'' he queried angrily. Watch
him a-standin to the north ard nv his
gal, a-keeping the hail often heri He
amt no chumpi If he keeps that lick
up right through, he'll make a better
husband'n what You yer did,"
About this time, the hail ceasing, the
expectant justice came down to the far
Their bank Of the arroyo. The water
was going down yisibly, but its roar
was still considerable.
"Ho, Bob!" yelled the justice, above
its sound, "got your license?"
Bob took it out and waved it above
his head.
Old man Love could not from where
he stood hear a word, but he surmised
what had been said, and the sight of
the document was a livid red rag to the
bull.
Il dare We to marry 'em, he scream
ed. II dare ye to do It'll" And in an
ecstasy OF rage and anxiety he forced
his pony down into the foaming creek
among the whirling drift, where he
was promptly pitched of by the terrified
creature, which instantly returned.
Pearsall, at the risk Of his own life, had
to fish him ont, receiving plenty Of
abuse for his pains and returning II
with bitter irony.
In two minutes time the shallower
arroyo was fordable, though the creek,
down which big drift continued to
come, was not. Bob set May on her
pony, mounted his own and prepared
to ride out. The sight Of the Justices
plains Cupid, with boots, slicker and
cowboy Incorporating to take charge
OF the pair was too much for old man
Love, and dismounted as he was he
plunged,si in q delirum Of rage, into the
creek, spluttering and yelling:
stop! Hold oni You just darei"
May hesitated, frightened, but old
Hank Pearsall yanked her father ont
again and set him on dry land, snort
ing:
"Doggone We! | pulled y out onct
beforel What fer CANT 70 stay outf
Huh7
When ye try buckin agin . boy like
that, backed by q Texas norther, you're
--AA -M NA &L& MXG So