The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-10-21

house to save those who lived In coftag :,
too low to shelter them. Something mus hs,
be done quickly II he would save ms
Mars ,aS% Pf he saia. "~oun you be
afraid 10 stay here alone with Nahce'
while | try and get some help, .,,ow.
%, Rupert? shrieked the child, 'a woyId
Ing her arms around him. 'you wouiu
surely be drowned, and SO would STSse;
What can you do in such an awful noon nor
81 Gould try and swim to the ne, " more
san ba said the boy and az mere s are pen
~ OF floating boughs and fences IN .ne
water TO rest me II tire out. Mafse.S'
retRs ast gos or we shall b all addeS
sob. II promised father that ! wouiu
take care of you" -,
But to leave us here alone! y. Rupert
i should der -
But Ruperts mind was made up i,
must be done at once" he said, or IL
will be too late. Margery. try and De y
little brave. and keep tight hold OF nance
If the waves should reach you before
can come back. Please God. / Will save
you yet" Then throwing OF his shoes
and jacket he plunged into the seething
waters.
In a minute he was swept out of sight,
and with an awful feeling of loneliness
imagery crorched on the roof. holding
Nance in her arms. The waves crept hlgn-
er until they washed against the chill
dren's feet as they chung closely together.
Whas had become OF Rupert? What
would become of them? Nance's sobs
were hushed from sheer exhaustion, and
she only moaned and shivered slightly
when the crawling water gained on them
inch by inch.
Every minute it became palmer 10 her
that they would not keep their hold much
longer.
All hope was dying fast, when a boat
rowed by strong arms approached 10
"NancyI Nancy she sobbed. they are
coming! Rupert has sent them. He has
saved U.s. as he said he would
Another minute. and the two cramped
and wearied little figures were lifted
down from their perllous resting place
and laid gently In the boat Nancy hard
~ CONSCIOUS, but Margery trembling
with the question she scarcely dared to
ask.
Where is Rupert?" she cried. lie
sent you, l know: but where is ne now"
The men looked at each other with
troubled eyes, but made no answer Mar
gery's pitiful glance wandered from one
doWncaSt face to the other, as she stroye
to understand what this silence meant.
HE must have sent you to u.s., Mar
gerry said slowly and as If talking TO her
self, else how would you have thought
To Gomez"
GAY, that he did," answered one of the
rowers. HE sent us truly. but ne spoke
no words TO tell his tale II we mad not
been a parcel of frightened fools we
would have remembered you before
He stopped, and Margery looked at
him with dazed and startled eyes. As
gently as he could he told her how the
drowned body of a little fair-haired boy
had been swept by the torrent past the
windows of the manor, farm Every
effort had been made TO bring back some
spark Of life, but it was too late. When
the little dead body was recognized all
the helpless family in the
and boat was sent for those
who might still be alive, and Margery
ard her little sister were that day re-
stored to their mothers arms.
And long years after, when children OF
her own gathered around her knee. Mar ,
gerry would tell them on each All-halIow- |
eve the story of that dreadful night, and |
of their brave little Uncle Rupert who lost |
mis- life TO save the sisters committed to
his care.-iiarper's Young People.