Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-10-07

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idea that Rumford and his blood
hounds were on their way bark,
her with desperation and
frightened all her faculties. You are
deceiying mel" she continued, at the
same time drawing the dagger from
her bosom and advancing toward the
negro. but without letting go of the
bride of Saladin, who, consequently,
followed her. You are deceiving me-
she repeated, menacingiy, and /
must punish you by cutting out your
lying tongue" and she held up the
cleaning dagger to his view.
This was too much for Sans nerves
to bear. Springing to his feet, just as
another halioo from Rumford came
sounding through the swamp, he gave
a responsive yell of terror, and
dashed away in the direction he be-
lieved his master and the dogs to be,
and was speedily out of sight.
Astrea, fully approaching the pre-
c%iousness of moments, at once pulled
the blood stained handkerchief from
her face, led Saladin TO the side OF a
log. by the assistance of which she
clambered into the saddle, and rode
of. in a direction opposite TO that from
which Rumg0rd's halloos had come, as
fast ms the impending branches and
logs ard her own uncomfortable G a
upon her masters saddle, would per-
nit.
After proceeding q short distance, 1t
occurred to her that she ought not to
leave the other horse for Rumford to
pursue her with: and, riding back,
Che x.-tth hn~s Iaonn~ nuf tho hy~itIn
with which the horse was tied, and.
taking hold Of one piece of the rein.
she he'd the animal away as fast as she
could make him travel; and, as he
seemed to like the idea of being per-
mitted to accompany his companion,
Saladin and went ON as briskly as
Astrea could ride through the swamp,
she found that the taking of him along
did not impede her flight. She was
also confirmed I'm the wisdom of her
action. by the reflection that n reck-
less rider like Rumford, mounted on
an inferior horse, might easily have
overtaken her in the swamp, mas
much as she could not there urge Sal
adm to anything like the speed he was
capable of showing.
In the course Of half an hour AStrea
emerged from the swamp, and came
upon a road running east and west las
she could tell by the last glintfng OF
the suns rays on the western horiZon(
and leading she knew not whittier. 1t
did not seem to be a road that was
much travelled, as Ii was to some ex-
tent overgrown with grass; and as far
as she could see in any direction there
xr,nS NOT tho SliUhfnCf QiUn of any hn-
man habitation. Which way to go, she
knew not. 1t might be that in II di-
rection or the other the road might
lead to Rumford's plantation, or so
near it that her safety would be en-
dangered should she be so unfortunate
as to go thitherward.
After turning the matter over in her
mind for a moment, ii occurred to her
that if the horses knew the way home,
and were left TO their own guidance,
they would be likely to take the home
ward way, and so she resolved TO see
what direction they would go when
left 70 themselves. She, therefore let
60 the rein of the led horse, and al
lowed the bride TO fall upon Saladln's
neck. The horses at once took their
way eastward.
THAT must be the way to Rum
ford's,' thought Astrea, IF either way
leads to his plantation: so I'll take the
other course. But / don't want to lead
that other horse any longer. I'll lei
him go toward the east, while | ride
Saladin westward. Then, IL purSuers
track me hither. they will find tina the
horses have gone in different direc-
tions. but they will not be able to tel
which one carried me away on his
back. That will battle them again and
give me more time
Acting upon this theory, Astrea gave
the led horse a sharp blow with 9
switch that she had provided herself
with as a substitute for a riding whip
which sent him cantering along the
road to the east, while she turned Sal
adin's head and rode at a brisk pace In
the opposite direction, the gloom OF
approaching night rapidly closing
around her unknown path, which. fol
aught she knew, might be thlckly
strewn with dangers. The lonely wan
derer. faint from lack OF sustenanct
and exhausted with toll and excite
ment, felt the hazardous of her situa
ton in all It's bitterness; but, putting
up a prayer to heaven for protection
she rode on into the gathering dark
ness with unfaltering trust In tina
Fatherly Power which had already S,
signaily rescued her from what hat
seemed unacceptable peril.
We will now return to Rumford ant
his sable coadjutor:
The last we saw of Sam he wa.
rushing madly through the swamp II
the direction whence he heard his mas
ter's hallOOs, In order to escape tn,
doom threatened him by what he be
lieved to be the incensed Spirit of til,
Swamp.
The frightened negro so filled til,
swamp with his yells of terror n
he ran. that he no longer hear,
the voice of Rumford. He rushed on
over logs and through bushes: and, a
every uncouth looking stump and wav
ing bush seemed to him. as 1t loome,
through the gloom. to be the threaten
ing spirit Of wrath, the poor fellow
was actually In danger of losing wha
little sense nature had endowed hin
with. And. at last, when a win
caught his foot, and sent him. heel
over head into a clump of brambles
Eo thought he vas actually in tn
clutches Of the fiends, and roared 70
mercy with a vehemence and strengtl
of lungs that caused his master, VIII
was not far off. to hasten to the spot II
4 -<D.fals.~~-< aD1 ~---