Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-06-14

passed over me- have lam there long
time scarcely daring to breathe Do you
know Tiff he is dead?" she added in an
awestruck voice as she hid her face.
'Your father, child? Don't weep. We
have no time for that now. He fell in the
front of his men, fighting. You would
have wished him to die so, child would
you not?"
The words seemed to nerve her, for she
glanced up at him gratefully.
Gan our best and bravest have fallen
tonight" he went on sadly. Its only
such worthless scoundrcls ms myself
that
Sheput up her hand quickly and covered
his mouth. He kissed the hand and then
spoke quickly and firmly.
"Come, child we must get out Of this.
There's not a moment to be lost. think
know the way Hark at the din those
cursed flends are making outside still.
Come, we must not wait here. You trust
me- chr" he questioned abruptly, looking
down at her.
"Through all things" she replied
quietly.
He hurried her through the place, and
they crept away hand in hand to the sta
bles. How it was done she scarcely knew
aftcrward, but his own answering cour-
age seemed to inspire her, and together
they silently saddled two horses and
mounted and rode out. They could hear
the shouting still behind them, but it APP
pearcd to die away, and, once outside the
walls Of the place, they knew that they
would be comparatively safe. Carlyn had
loaded his revolver afrcsh, and he still car
ried tho heavy saber in his hand and his
black eyes cleaned with an increased
watchfulncss.
"If any of those fellows spring up In
front of you ride straight at them and look
neither to right nor left. I'll settle their
business. When we pass the gates, ride
for all you're worth. I'll be at hand"
Even as he spoke there was a sudden up
rising Of dusky forms about them, but she
set her teeth hard and kept firm seat and
rode on. She had u memory aftcrward of
great red coated figure beside her on
horseback, rising in its stirrups; of a
CLEAN Of steel in the starlight as the sabcr
whrled round; of screams and gutteral
cries. He was beside her in an instant,
with his stern, set face pcering straight
ahead.
est tight and ride hard, child" he said
husllily. "Thcy're on our track. We are
safe, 1 think, unless they can secure horses
in time, and them
He did not finish the sentence. He
slipped the sword back into its place and
smiled grlmly. After a time she heard his
voice again.
"Whcre is Clifford" he asked sharply.
"At Mas Kali, " she painted as she flew
along beside him. "Sent there yesterday"
He was silent for moment. Presently
he said, speaking almost with jerk
"Thcy won't have reached there yet.
We arc in u straight line for it now. An
other two hours at this pace will do it."
They raced on through the hot Indian
night for some little time Once or twice
the captain turned in his saddle and
glanced back anxiously. At last he said:
II don't want to brighten you, little one.
There's no cause for fcar-4Jct. They're
coming after us thought they would.
They're afraid we should give the alarm,
l suppose. Keep bravo heart child.
They shan't IN you"
They wcrr steering through a kind Of
natural cut,ln- IN the hills as he spoke,
the high, prccipItous sides of which rose up
on either hand 1t was very narrow, and
the ground very uneven. While she
glanced at him in grateful recognition of
his words she felt her horse sink under her.
Carlyn's arm was round her in an instant,
and the animal he bestrodc was almost on
its Launches. They found to their dismay
that the poor brute had slipped one of its
fore legs into % hole and could not even
stand properly.
The captains face was very white but
very calm. "Do you hear them, now,
child" he said quietly, In the silence
around them the pursuing hoof beats
sounded distinctly. "You will ride on
alone, he said, with the air of ono giving
a command
"But-youP"
"Will stay and face them and may the
devll-thcir mastcr-protcct Them" he
muttcrcd. Ono, child. Tears arc useless.
We can't both go, with only one horse and
those ficnds tearing down nearer and near
er every second. BY the Lord, but I'll give
good account Of myself. Come, on with
you" He lifted her up tenderly. You
know how to ride, as few women can, and
you will stick on this saddle. There's no
time to change. Keep the straight path
after you leave this, and ride hard. It's
fairly easy going. Goodby!"
Il can't-I can't! You good, brave,
tender soul! think know you for the
first time, cannot leave you here.
"You snail if have to tic you on and
start tho horse off like the ancient one of
Tartary. All, little one" he whispered
more tcnderly, with his face appraised to
her. "Don't-don't make it all harder.
Think Of me sometimes as you SEQ me
now. Let it blot out the rest. Let your pure
tears-your pure prayers-be called forth
sometimes by the thought of the scamp
who loved you, who may, perchance die
for you. Now go quickly"
She was glad to remember afterward
that she bent her head and kissed the
soiled sinner on the lips before she rode
away. Then the man swung round, and
dashed his hand across his eyes, and
ehokcd a sob in his throat and faced the
last fight his warped life was to know.
Il don't think L ever prayed before" he
muttered, "but l do pray now that the
God, or fate, that rules us will keep me
standing and fighting until the child is
safe
And his prayer was nswered.-London
FREELY.
Ramie Fiber.
French experiments with ramie are now
reported as showing that ton of its stalks