Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-10-06

to the carriage-side 'death is worth
dying" - sssS,.zzss'z - 8,
horse's back. fa.s
"ao homeI" she shouted, fes esly;
for by now she had lost control OF her
voice. F:s.3s,5s,.i, go.
Marguerite, half in anger, half in
fright.
To the quivering girl the suggestion
was an Inspiration. She waved her
hands wildly:
"Go!" she shouted, jerking the
horse uron his launches, "start, OF
I'll ride you downl'
Marguerite fled in terror. Once she
looked back. No one. was in sight,
but she heard the horses hoofs clatter-
ing downward into the town.
A catalpa, little and old and SCARED
and only of late protected from vandal-
ism by a box, stood in front Of the doc
tors Office. A horse wheeled underit,
and Ralph reached the sidewalk asthe
rider slipped to the ground:
''What's wrong, my girl?" he asked,
with forced professional calmness.
Her breath came pantingly.
"Go home," she gasped, with tense,
white lips, "they want you -
He sprang toward his Office, but she
clutched his sleeve. She was not
fierce now, but her tone was an agony
of pleading.
"Oh, go!"-for the first time in her
life she looked full into his face
"don't stop for anything-she's dying,
I tell you-Marguerite bleed;
ing to death by the roadside-above
the DAM"
She pressed the bride into his hand,
but he tore away into his Office. He
was out again like fash, hatless but
his emergency kit in hand. He
snatched the bride aud the next min:
ute the woody, uphill road plucked
horse and rider out of her sight.
Almostfainting, she held to the tree.
box. The street was nearly deserted,
but two women, talking earnestly,
came round a corner. She clutched
the gown of the nearer.
'nThe dam," she whispered, there's
Leak"
The woman started and gathered
her skirt closely about her. "Poo1
creature!" she said to her companion,
''rum is the curse of this land, and
they turned nervously into the nearest
street. - y;
Then Weaser Tan's strength came
again. Two boys tore past her in q
wild game of chase. She seized the
foremost by his shoulder, his compan;
ion grabbed him at the same instant,
and both wheeled stumblingly in
front of her.
"Run for the hillsl''-she shook
the boy as if to awaken him from
slcep-"the big dam is giving way!
Don't stand and stare Alarm the
people"
She flung them from her, and they
plunged ahead-one shriekins like q
maniac, the other dumb Wth terror.
The girl herself dashed after the two
women. Ahead of her and on the op-
posite side, upon bank o! the
s:branch, was factory. In its>seec
ond story Young girls Yeree working
she could see them Through the ope
windows.
She>-~as flying up the stail 3 whe
-. suspicious foreman stopped her.
"Whereaway SO fast, young VIC
man." 81
rrhe flood is coming!"
"Nonsense!' he smiled pleasantly
"It's the dam, the great dam, abov
the South Fork! Look out at th
branch!" and she tore past him. s-4-
The girls were already staring wife VII
ly into one another's faces, for ana
din, the roar OF raging river, mir
! eled with the whir and clatter of th
machinery. .
Run for your lives"
They rushed to the street and fle
their various ways. One, half pars
lyzed, clung to Weaser Tan.
'"The railroad bridge is high an
very strong" From both sides pee
pie were crowding upon it.
Only moment-but in it, to tha
struggling cityful, terror enough t
freight eternity-and Louise, her arr
around her fainting charge stoo
upon the bridge. Then the dam su,
rendered its last defense and pan9e
monium plunged into the valley.