Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-01-08

coming i'll rapidly from II hole in the bot
tom of the boat. At first she did not
reallze the full danger of the situation;
the idea that ran through her mind was
tina one OF the planks had, in some way
or other. become looscncd. She STONED
down. and placed her hand where the
water seemed to spring up most quickly,
and there. to her horror, found that there
was 3 large hole in the boat.
she gave q piercing cry for help; but
there was Ri one in sight. Faster and
faster The water rushed in; and she could
feel the boat ~momentarily settling deeper
and deeper. She saw that there was no
hope Of saving her life. for she could not
bail out the water, neither could she row
the boat to land. In n moment the full
sense of her danger came to her, and
She uttered another loud md piteous cry.
1t did not seem to reach human ears, for
there was no response. The water had
by this time half filled the boat, and it
was gradually sinking.
II have to dic!" she moancd. ooh,
hcaven-oh, mothcr-I have to Diet
In another few minutes the boat must
sink, and she should never see her moth
cr's face again.
Another long, sharp cry floatcd over
the water. and this time the cry of dis
trcss caught the ears of one who has
tened i'll the direction from which it pro-
cccded.
Major Norton had not gone to Hetiield,
after all. When he had ridden two or
three miles. he remembered suddenly
that hr had started without the very arti-
Gle that he had intended to take. Their.
was nothing for it but to ride back to the
Abbey and get it. NcNed with himself
for his own stupidity. he rode quickly.
The shortest route to the house. but one
seldom used. was through the grounds
skiltins the edge of the lake; ard it was
while taking this short cut that he heard
n sharp ringing cry, as of some one in ter
rible distress.
1t was but the work of II minute to dis
mount. to jump into one of the little bouts
lying close ut hand, to seize n pair of
sculls. and to fly. as it We're. over the
water to her assistance. But although
the Major made the utmost haste, he was
only just in time. In another moment he
would have been too late. AS it was, he
was barely able to catch the disappear
ing figure as the boat sank. sank to the
bottom Of the lake, en%dangering the safe
ty of his own as it did so. During the
gang CANSNl shiSCli ulu DOTIlS uGTSClI
bravely; hut she trcmblcd violently now.
and chung %nervously to her rescuer for
some minutes.
II thought my time was come to die"
She said. slowly.
"You could hardly be nearer death than
you have bccn," returned the Major, for
he knew how narrow her escape had
been. "How did it h%appcn" he asked,
as he seated her in his boat.
cit was all right with me mt first" she
remarked. II vas half across the lake
before l knew there was anything wrong;
then l felt the water rising round nv
feet"
"Thank heaven 1 did not go to Hct-
field" repeated the Major.
II can only imagine" said Angela,
shat part of Il plank had been repaired,
and that the wood had not been properly
secured"
Lausa from hearing of this affair, al
though the other had been carefully con-
cealcd from her: but Angela would not
allow her to be told until she had changed
her wet clothes. and then she went to her
mothers room and related what had han.
pcncd herself.
Her ladyship listened with tears.
III have been sitting here reading, and
you have been SO near dcath.!' she cried.
"Oh, Angel, if L had known..'
Angela tried to speak lightly of it; but
Lady Laura trcmblcd as she thought of
the narrow escape her daughter had had.
She could not show the girl enough love.
She held her in her arms as though she
were Il child again-she kissed her re-
p%eatedly. She made her tell over and
over again how the Major had reached
her just in time and had rescued her from
her peril.
II ann understand it," said her lady
ship. How veXcd the Captain will bel"
Yes, the Captain would be vexed UNI
doubtedly, Angela reflected, since it was
he himself who had ordered the boat to
be prepared for her, and who had that
very morning persuaded her to go out
upon the water.
~ am grieved to hear of your accident,
Angel" said the Captain, when he met
her an hour afterward.
She raised her eyes wistfully to his. !
''It is strange" she remarked, gently.
'"That is the second narrow escape l have .
had from DEATH"
But the %strangcst circumstance was
that the Captain would not allow the !!
boat to be raised from the depths of the !
lake. |
ITO be c%ontinued.)
Feud Is Dying Out.