Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-09-01

| WONDERFULLY. lie WAS saved JOD tna
| from the first he did not like, not becaus,
| he would hesitate 10 do murder, but be
cause, like all men of his class, he wa,
nj heart a coward. He went directly q
the place where the sisters were sitting,
and when within few feet Of them h,
threw himself on the ground, saying al
| the same time:
This is mighty dark night, In
dies. "
The ladies made no reply, whereupor
he repeated:
Its mighty dark night, ladies,
and looks as if We mout have right
smart Of storm"
Still no reply.
Don't you hear me?" he asked an
grily.
I'VE do" replied Alice.
Then why don't you speak,"
"Why should we speak"
"B,cau it's perlite, and when / aS
"A civil question Of man or woman,
blow me. hut like acivil answer.
But you did not ask a question. You
simply volunteered an opinion" said
Alice with the calmness Of tone that dis
tinguished her.
"Waal, We won't quarrel about p ints
like that. | amt much on the talk. I'll
confess, and mebbc young ladies like
you uns mout think me bit rough,
but when you git down under the husks,
even if ! do say it myself, thar amt
many better fellows than me. "
After exchanging meaning glance
with her sister, Alice Blanchard became
more gracious 10 Patch, and that mon
ster, delighted nj the change, then and
there declared that il they would trust
him he would take them Ia their friends
without cent Of pay" In response 70
Clara : question he told how this could
De done, nor did he dream that the Sis
ters had themselves planned To get away
from the outlaws that night.
When, at length, Patch left, the sisters,
with more light on the question. renew
ID the conversation. Their horses were
below the camp. and, believing that II
would be- safer and easier Ia ride than
10 walk, Clara proposed that they should
attempt 10 secure them. She had the
Weldon decision Of character. Securing
on their persons II few necessary articles
from their saddlebags, Including IA
knife, they waited for the storm 10
break with as much eagcrness rs those
in profound darkness wait for the light.
At first the fury Of the storm alarmed
them, but they soon became calm and
hailed its roaring H. the voice Of "A
friend. The rain fell III deluge, but
this they did not mind. 1t shielded
them from their foes At first the light
ming was So vivid and continuous that
it kept the camp and the surrounding
landscape lit up. II revealed 10 them
the horses, and, JOY! two of them We're
saddled with their own saddles and All
other near by bore mans
IF they follow us on horseback, "
thought Alice. 1.-THE danger will be in
creased. | must free all the animals.
She made Clara wait i'll the bushes by
the river, and, knife in hand, crept for
ward and began 10 cut the ropes that
held the uneasy horses 10 the stakes. Ev-
cry one was freed. She secured the two
on which she and Clara were 70 ride and
hastily led them TO the river. Both were
exert horsewomen. To avoid the camp,
Alice decided 10 cross the river. They
were in the act Of descending the bank
when the lightning again flashed out,
and they heard maddened shout be-
hind them. Alice looked back, and not
ten yards away she saw Sim Bliss ges-
ticciatiug like a madman and shouting
all li,r time. Answering shouts came
f~.rl the camp. The horses. dis
covering they were free, went snortins
and plunging madly about Pistols Were
discharged, and the whole camp was i'll
AN uproar that drowned out the crashing
Of the story.
Keep close to my side, Clara Now
for liberty, in God's name!" said the he
roic Alice.
They turned their horses 10 the river
and boldly dashed in. The banks on both
sides were low, but tn. rain had already
swelled the bed, and the cold current
rose to the girths and soon began to float
the names Of the horses 1t was so dark
that they could not see the opposite
bank and so had to be guided wholly
by the frantic shouting and shooting be-
hind them. The instinct Of the horses
served them well. The animals, though
forced to swim down 200 yards by the
mad current, kept their nostrils pointed
TO the opposite shore and went on TILL
they stood dripping on the other bank.
"Away from the campP' replied Alice
in answer to her sisters question. 1--WE
know not a destination We must only
think of the place we fly from. Our des-
tination cannot be worse than our start
ing point. The kind Providence that has
80 far aided US must still be our reliance
and our guide. "
They had no fear Of immediate pur.
suit, for they knew that the horses were
beyond the control Of the outlaws and
that it would be impossible for them to
get them together before daylight. They
also knew that Bouton and his men
were in the mountains, as were Black
Eagle and his warriors, but recapture
would not, could not, make their condi-
ton worse. The sisters kept their horses
close together-so close that they could
have talked had not their hearts been
too full for utterance.
They rode from the time they left
the river at quick walk. The tenden.
CIV of the horses was to dash away, but
they submitted to the restraint of the
bit.
Eve may have to test their speed, "
said Alice when starting of, $50 let III
reserve their strength"
They could tell when they entered the
mountains by the movements Of their
horses Indeed they reasoned that they
were on trail. Whether this trail led
to friend or foe they knew not-only
the future could tell. Just as the day
was breaking both horses came to halt
and no urging could force them on.
''Let us dismount till the sun Is up,
! said Alice. and abe set Clara an exam