Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-03-09


Lady Violante's long riding dress had
! swept away bee, which at last escap-
Ing the smothering folds, had revonged
itself on the flanks Of the innocent
steed
Wheeling around abruptly. the goad-
ed beast dashed by the startled train.
and frantic with pain paid no regard
to rein or call. With wonderful pres
/ ence OF mind Lady Vioante kent her
seat and held on firmly, while she was
| borne furiously along and only when
/ the animal dashed away from the high
way into laae leading TO a precipitous
cliff, descending abruptly TO the river.
! did her wild shrek for aid ring out
imploringly, and startle every ear.
Count Germain and several Others
put spurs to their horses, but the very
attempt to reach her served only to ac-
celerate the speed of the terrified horse.
and In despair they desisted, and aimed
toward the river. hoping to intercept
her before the precipice was reached
But her cry had reached and toused
a bolder spirit than theirs. The youth
4
against the chestnut tree had heard
and seen all. Like an arrow shot from
trusty bow he had flown forward. leap
ed stile, rock and shrub, till he had
planted himself before tthe fearful leap.
toward which he saw the horse was
| coming
1t was n moments work to shout In
firm, courageous voice:
Il will save you, throw yourself
| toward me. and you are safer as he
stood planted firmly to await the shock.
Less than that time to carry out the
critical design, Lady Violante compre-
hended his meaning, and with the ener-
gy OF desperation, as she few madly
past, she threw her arms toward him.
He caught them, held her In resolute
| clasp. and tore her from the saddle.
| AS the horse dashed on, both fell to
| the ground. for the moment stunned
and bruised, while poor Jet went down
headlong to the water.
The youth was the first to recover
himself. He raised himself slowly,
glanced at her lifeless figure, vainly
| endeavored to raise it, and then grow
ing faint, sank insensible beside her.
While the frantic companions of
Lady Violante's ride were exploring the
river. where they found the dead body
Of the horse-a body OF servants, head
ed by the anxious father who had re-
ceived the alarm--examined the cliff
and came suddenly upon the insensible
pair. Both were borne tenderly to the
Chateau. Lady Violante soon revived,
and was but little injured. Her gallant
rescuer was more unfortunate. His
steady facing of the animal had caused
him fractured arm and ankle, the
pain Of which was evidently aggravated
by some feverish distress of mind.
Garry me back" said he, impatient
ly. as soon as he could speak coherent
ly, gazing ruefully at his bandaged
limbs, and the anxious faces around
him-the worthy surgeon, the grateful
Count, and the plying countenance of
Violante.
Garry you where?" asked the Count
quietly.
ITO the roadside. to the cliff, any
where but here" was the reply, as the
glittering eyes turned wildly upon the
beautiful face beyond him.
May, nay, my friend. you surely can
not think we have so little gratitude as
that! You who have restored to us our
treasure, who have saved my child
from so terrible a fate, and he shud-
dered--"surely you have a rightful
claim to our gratitude and hospitality
at any time-and now that you are i'll
and suffering from your generous dar-
ing, surely you cannot think that we
will allow you to leave us! Calm your
self pray you, and seek the repose
your shattered nerves require. Your
commands will be the law of the Chat
eau"
And thus saying, the Count drew his
daughter toward him, bowed with
courteous dignity. and led her from the
room. The surgeon followed, after Civ
ing directions to the nurse, who had
been summoned to the care of the
stranger.
Left alone in the gorgeous chamber,
whose richly draped windows softened
the light to dim, twiIight--the young
man, powerless to move. yet showed
by his restless burning eyes how he
chafed and writhed beneath the inexor-
able necessity of his novel position.
A week passed by. and though the
fractured bones were improving, still
the sharp-eyed surgeon was dissatisfied
with his patient.
''He Is fretting himself into a fever,
he will die on our hands yet" said
he, lugubriously, there Is something
on his mind. and all the medicine In
the world will fail to reach It."
Strange youth" answered the Count
gravely. Il can make nothing out of
him. He will not even tell his name.
The daring he displayed in Lady Vic
lante's behalf seems strangely incon-
gruous with his present sullenness."
Lady Violante must try to move the
rock" said the physician, quietly smil-