Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-01-21

3
rectly over her. She dared not move
or breathe scarcely for fear of dis
covery.
straight ahead, whispered the new
conner to his comrades.
You are sure?'
Yes. know it." impatieptly.
The group broke into single file,
moving down the pathway like black
shadows. Samantha lost all sense of
her own danger in the desperate desire
to warn those below She leaped to
her feet. giving utterance to a wild and
piercing cry. 1t splintered the silence
of the night with a thousand echoes.
and died away in weird whispers
against the hillsides and in the hol-
lows There was a shout from the
officers Some plunged down the path
way. while others wheeled to find out
if an ambush had been sprung upon
them.
Samantha heard 4 bullet whiz by her
ear. and the next moment she had
dropped over the edge of the bluff.
! She crashed down through the under
brush, humping and rolling over stones
/ and shrubs, her clothes torn, her face
and hands scratched. The thick folds
of the shawl wound about her saved
her somewhat, but not altogether. II
seemed an age before she found
stopping place, and then she lay
bruised and breathless. unable to move.
But dreadful sounds still pierced her
stunned senses, fierce cries, pistol
shots and trampling feet. Some one
ran through the laurel thichet on the
| opposite side of the stream, an officer
| in swift pursuit. But he wasted both
his strength and his ammunition, for
he returned empty handed. She could
hear his hoarse breathing, and now
and then profane exclamation. as he
picked his way through the under
brush.
Then gradually the fury of conflict
and of destruction died out, and
silence reigncd again-the silence of
midnight. Samantha had lost all &C.
count of time, for she couldn't tell
whether she had tainted or had slept.
When she came fully and clearly to
| herself again the stiffness of death
seemed to prevail around her. Only
the little stream rippled on softly,
unsteady. undisturbed by human con-
| hicts. Samantha found herself lying
across some laurel boughs directly
over it, and through the tree tops
| towering above she saw patch of
sky. 1t widened while she gazed; the
clouds grew siivery, and then the
moon appeared, sending a clear beam
right down into her eyes. Her slug
| gish thoughts were quicllened; She re-
mcmbcrcd her GRAND with n groan.
But when she tried to move, TO sit up,
her numbed limbs refused to obey her;
she felt as though pinned to the earth.
Il mus be plum freezed, or I'm par
alyzed, one or t'other. Did they git
Eph an Al? What will Lizzy do?"
Before she knew it tears were filling
| her eyes, trickling over her face. "La!
What am ! cryin' like baby for? If
I've got to die, the Almighty II take
keer Of me. I done what ! could to
save en-"
She tried to wipe away the tears, but
her stiffencd arm refused to be moved.
1t lay like Il leaden weight across her
chest. It Was 10 use. She might as
well give up The drowsy numbness
seemed to be creeping up even to her
heart. Only her brain was still
active, pretornaturaliy active. All
her life from childhood on crowded
upon her thoughts. She and Al were
to have been married in this spring
Poor Al how sorry he would feel. And
Lizzy, and Eph and Eddy. She was
| again moved to tears, though scarcely
conscious of them.
1t seemed q long time that she lay
thinking, thinking, then her thoughts
became only dreams. She lay snug and
warm in her own bed. with q stream Of
water flowing through the room, and q
bird singing upon her rafter. What "
shrill and piercing note. The voice Of
the running water was ten times
sweeter, softer. Suddenly she was
wide awake again, and listening in
tcntly.
The shrill bird-like whistle sounded
very near 1t thrilled her with rcviv.
ing hope; she uttered little cry of re-
lief and Joy. A man crashed through
the undcrbrush at the opposite of the
stream and lcaped over very close to
her.
"Smanthy, oh, S'mahthy."
"I'm here, Al; I'm right close"
The moon came out again, revealing
her hiding place. Al bent over her and
gathered her into his arms.
Honey, lowed I'd never find you.
I've been huntin' an huntin'. What's
che matter?'
IL fell down the bluff an"
w.
TIsagasas,s;Rlea