The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-09-29

4@SN" NAA AN
MARRIAGE.
After striking the moonshiner the
blow that felled him to the ground
~senseless, Hugh Caravan sprang over
the PROSTATE form and seized Rose in
his arms, who, completely unnerved
by his sudden and unexpected appear
ance and the scene she had just wit
messed, was on the VI of fainting.
Hugh! Oh! Hugh" she whispered,
with a happy, almost unconscious light
dimly shining in her eyes.
Her head sank lower and rested upon
his bosom; her eyes closed. Just
at that moment the echo of horses feet
fell upon his ears.
"Rosel Rose!' he cried. He shook
her gently.
The click clack- click clack of the
horses hoofs drew nearer.
"R1se! Don'I! Don't-for Gods sake
DON'T" he cried in desperation. He
shook her f9rcely - violently again
and again.
wake up, darling-wake up! Con
troll yourself-or we are lost!'
Rose opened her eyes. The expires
sion of his face frightened her. By
a powerful eff )rt she shook off the mo
mentary lethargy that had all but
overcome her, and asked.
"What-what is it, Hugh q
"Listen!' he cried; do you hear
that noise2 They are Redmond's blood
hounds in pursuit of me. l am lost
We are both lost! Heavens! What
shall I dor
Now thoroughly aroused and awake
only to the dagger that threatened
Hugh-the one she loved go devotedly,
she looked about her. Sle spied
the horse of the moonshiner, half-hid
among the bushes near the brook. She
ran for ward and Selling the reins that
hung loosely owe his neck, cried:
Here, Hugh-here's a horse! Mount
him Fly-hy for your lite-before it's
too late!'
What aud leave you hert?' he
asked, picking up the riff from the
ground where she had dropped, it and
moving swiftly to her side.
Never mind me-" she said. "Oh!
Please CO., she urged,
Not without you. he answered.
But we both can't escape. " she said,
hopelessly o.! Hugh; leave me- and
save yourself
"NeUer!" he said. Come"
And without further words or loss
of time, he lifted her to the horses
back and then eprang into the sad
die himself.
Hold fast about my waist" he said,
and gathering up the reins, he dealt
the horse a stinging blow with the raw
hide he had captured from his fallen
foe, and dashed through the under
growth, closely followed by the pur
suing moonshiners.
Onward they went, but their prog
was slow, owing to the roughness
of the country. The m0onshiners were
gaining rapidly upon them. Nearer and
nearer they drew. They were hardly
a hundred yards behind them. Oaly
a rise, common in that rolling country,
hid them from their pursuers. Hugh
looked about him in dismay. Rose
was also on the alert. But neither of
them were acquainted With the coun
try or their surroundings. Finally
Rose whispered:
"Bear to the left; there's a path just
there, which, I think, leads to Stony
Point. If we can but get there, we're
safe"
He obeyed, and OOH the path was
reached. All was plain sailing now and
they sped along like the wind, leaving
their pursuers, struggling in the under
growth, far in the rear. But a new
danger awaited them lst ahead. I'm
known to them the path that they
were following wound around the base
of the mountain and passed directly IN
front of R8dmond's cabin. Before they
were aware of their danger they we're
almost abreast the log structure. Rose
recognized it at once. She shivered
and drew closer to Hugh.
What is it?" he asked, unconscious
of the danger they were approach
ing.
"Redmond's cabin" she answered.
"Ah!"
Attracted, no doubt, by the clatter
and ring of approaching horses hoots'
the door was suddenly thrown open