Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-12-21

shoot the fellow, he said to himself
"Well, goodhy, Stonor, said Warren
suddenly. 81 suppose the beach road is
as good as evcr?"
Perfectly safe, only when you cross
Toro creek keep on the sand bar It's as
hard as iron l crossed there today"
'"Thank You. Adiosl'
Simple, smiling speech, these words
Of Stoncr's. and yet they were intended
to send Warren to his death more surely
and safely than by bullet of pistol or
pellet of secret poison.
S,oncr took an extra swig of brandy
and went to his rest Warren rode down
the rugged hill to the bottom of the ra-
vine, then turned seward, and at last
the wide culch opened broadly to the
shore of the Pacific.
The cliffs were from so to 300 feet
high and full of waveworn caves War.
rem drew rein on the beach, and for
fully ten minutes watched the ocean
sway and rise His thoughts throbbed
with dreams of Tossa. He would take
her away from her narrow and hurtful
surroundings. He would lift her into
happier and better circumstances He.
would force Stoner's consent, marry her
and make her happy.
He rode rapidly south, and in half an
hour the mouth of the Toro appeared,
in the midst Of sand dunes, breakers
rolling in and the steady river flowing
out. Hero was the long sand bar, ten feet
wide and stretching across hardly an
inch higher than the watcry surface
Warren WAS beginning to have some
suspicious Of Stoncr but not such a. to
lead him to doubt the simple directions
he had received. The sand bar looked
safe, but within few days the sea, as
Stoner knew, had swept it NIGHTLY
torn out the long competed bar and
placed instead a quivering mass Of
quicksand, so trcachcrous that not even.
q light footed rabbit could cross with
ont being swallowed up and dragged.
bodily down. Warren rode swiftly
forward. He had crossed sand bars hun
drcds 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
few rods as he gallopcd on Suddenly
in one hcartbreabing, breathless de-
scent, noisc'ogs, but unuttorably dread
ful, Tom Warrcn's horse went down,
down, and the soft, Shiny sand came up
to his name He shrickod out that
Ehastly cry Of appeal and agony that
desperate, dying horse will sometimes
utter.
Tom knew the peril He had thrown
his feet from the stirrups and drawn
thom up at the first downward throb,
but tho sand began to grasp him also
He threw himself flat on his breast and
tore himself loose from the poor animal.
over whose back the mingled sand and
water were running, as it 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 ten feet
distant, but practically the chasm was
impossible He felt the horse sink ont
of sight The sand grippod his own knees
and arms, his thighs and shoulders.
Two inches more, and the end ly suilo-'
cation was inevitable. Up to this timci
he had not shouted. Only his horses
wild death scream had told Of the trag-
ely. What was the use? Who would be
passing along that lonely road? Then he
thought of Tossa and Of life He raised
his voice in a clear, strong shout for
help again and again repeated
Far off along the deep ravine came 81
cry in response and horses hurrying
feet and hope awoke in his heart. The
margin Of life was five minutes now
not longer Faster, faster, oh, fearless
rider
tom, where are yOu?"
Here, ToSsa Don't come too near >"
But the mountain girl knew the dan
ger. Creeping down stairs for drink of
water, she had heard her fathers words
to Warren, had thrown a shawl about
her shoulders and run to the pasture
Then she caught her pet horse. sprang'
upon his unsadded back, seized RATA
as she passed the stable and galloped
at the utmost speed down the ravine
hoping against hope for many minutes
had necessarily elapsed since Warren
started
She sprang to the ground and tossed
the rawhide rope to the one arm he held
above the sand. She folded her shawl
and put it over her horse S shoulders and
tied the RATA around like collar. Then
she led him slowly away from the quick
sands, and Warren thought his arm,
would break, but slowly, reluctantly,
painfully, the sand gave up its prey.
Your father told me to take this
road, Tessa v said the young sheriff
eyes, know that, and | heard one
of the men tell him today that the bar
was swept out "
There was long silence between
them.
'Tessa, go with me to San Luis, 1"
said Warren, "and let us be married. ;"
And Tessa went
Old Stoner heard the news few days
later. Within an hour he had retired
from business. The camp was broken
up, the hunters disappeared, mysterious
lights flashed at intervals all night from
the pOiDts pf tba f.Iifr aud a., ,,,,-. H..