Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-06-02

! ana WneIC was the poor IuglClVe
whom they were thus pursuing to the
deatA!-aye, to drag her back to a
doom which to her would be worse
than ten thousand deaths!
CHAPTER XLIII.
Astrea had not ridden very fast
practised equestrianism much: and be-
sides, she found it awkward riding on
Isumford's saddle. Sine could not fix
the stirrups so as to get any support
from them, without first dismounting,
and she did not like to do that-shc
feared some evil would come of it. So
she rode on, as best she could, for
several miles, when, coming to clear
brook that crossed the road, over
which rude bridge was thrown, she
thought she would dismount, and try
to quench her thirst, which had been
so great for some time as to occasion
her much suffering.
She accordingly dismounted,, and
leading Saladin to the edge of the
brook. on one side of the road, allowed
him to drink his I'LL, while she knelt on
the turf and did til esame, taking care,
however, to keep fast hold Of the bri-
die, lest the horse should run away
from her.
After resting by the brookside for a
short time, she contrived to fix the
stirrups (by shortening one and throw
ing the other over the saddle so as to
bring them both on the same side, as
she had seen countrywomen do in New
England, during her schoolgirl days.
so she could ride more easily and to
much better advantages; and then
leading Saladin to the side of the
bridge, and standing upon it, she
mounted him, and rode on at
moderate pace.
She did not fear pursuit that night.
She had reasoned to herself that Rum
ford and Sam would be long time in
finding their way home. She thought
she left them much further from the
and supposed that it would be mid
night at least, if not morning. before
they would reach the house. Then
which way she had gone, nor get any
trace of her until late in the following
day, and by that time she would be
where?
She did not know where. But she
u.
could pass for young lady among
strangers - of that she felt assured;
and so she rode along, hoping after
awhile to come to some plantation, or
other abode, of whose inmates she
could obtain shelter and food, and
under whose roof she could find re-
pose.
Thus thinking. Astrea rode leisurely
oil rx~s%
security, until she was suddenly
startled by the sound of horses gal
Looping over the bridge which she had
crossed not great while before. She
judged by the sound that they We're
coming at a rapid gait, and a deadly
fear smote to her heart. She felt an
distinctive conviction that the horse
men were in pursuit of her; and touch
ing Saladin with her switch, she ac-
tolerated his pace to rapid gallop,
in the hope of, at least, not allowing
her pursuers to lessen the distance be-
tween them.
But Astrea found riding at such a
swift gait to be wearisome work, and
she soon came to the conclusion that
in her exhausted condition, she could
not long permit Saladin to travel at
such a rate of speed. Meanwhile, she
tried to keep her ear attentive to any
sound of hoofs that might possibly
reach it from behind. in order to judge
whether or not her pursuers were
gaining upon her.
There had been few elevations in
the road thus far, and they were too
slight to enable her to see any dis
lance back; besides, there were too
many turns in the road for that; so
she had no chance of seeing if she was
pursued But by-and-by she heard the
sound of horses galloping behind her
family. it is true, but she could not
be mistaken. In a short time she
heard them more distinctly. They
were gaining upon her, and she had
done her BEST
She could not ride any faster than
she was thengoing: and even at her
present pace, she felt that she could
not hold out great while longer.
A turn in the road brought her in
sight Of hill, several rods ahead.
That alarmed her. as she feared that
in passing over it's summit her pursu-
ers would see her, the moon was shin
ing so brightly: and to prevent that,
she rode close to the side, in the shade
Ol tne till trees. Sne cast quick
glance behind; but the turn in the
road shut off the view. 1t was not so
ahead, however. The descent from the
hill was gradual. and the road was
straight as a narrow's fight, as far as
she could see.
She knew that her pursuers We're
fast gaining upon her; and from the
top of this hill she was just passing
they would be almost certain to get a
view of her. Astrea almost determined
to abandon Saladin and seek refuge in
the forest. There would be no dogs to
find her this time, she thought, and she
could certainly hide so that no human
eyes could discover her place of con-
cealment.
But, as she thus communed with her.
self, Saladin was galloping on, and she
experienced a feeling of terror at the
idea OF stopping him and dismounting.
While she was being borne SO swiftly
along, it seemed as though she must
be safe; but if she stopped-if she dis
mounted-why, there was no knowing
what ills might come. So she kept OH,
until, hearing shout behind her, she
| turned and saw two horsemen just
cOminO ovnr tho brow of tho b;l1 oro