The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1901-03-01


bright points, was creeping onward like
some huge caterpillar, slowly but stead
lily. nearer and nearer every moment.
The French were coming at Iast-anc
coming. too, not by the road, but by an
old, disused goat-path which some Of
the Tyorlese themselves could not have
followed without a guide. How had
these strangers learned the secret of it2
There must be treachery somewhere!
Quick as lightning the boy fired the
pile, and the resinous pine wood
cracked into broad red blaze.
But just then a terrible thought |
struck him. The villagers, on seeing /
the signal, would of course expect the
enemy by the high road-they would
never think of the goat-track, by which |
the French could come right up behind
the village, and thus, so to speak, turn
all the German defenses inside out.
There was only one thing to be done
he must go down with the news him
self. But before he could reach the
village by the long, difficult, winding
foot-path, the French would have got
past the narrowest part of the goat
track, and it would be too late to stop
them.
At that moment his eye fell upon the
slog-slide," which went straight as a
plumb-line down the steep mountain
side to the village.
Just at the top lay huge tree-trunk,
Topped, barked and al ready for shoot
ing down Could he bestride that trunk,
plunge down this terrible shortcut, and
reach the foot alive? Perhaps and
even if it cost him his life, he was de-
termined to try.
Between the stumps of the two great
branches that forked off from the main
trunk there was a narrow hollow, into
which the daring boy wedged himself
[ firmly. Then, with a violent push OF
his right foot he loosened the log from
I its place and shot down the fearful
] descent like an arrow.
] Everything seemed to spin round him
, as he few-hills, woods, rocks, streams,
S all dancing in the air together, while
/ the boom of the falling log sounded
t in his ears like one continuous peal Of
thunder.
If it should turn over, or even sweryt
, to one side. he would be crushed tC
;. death on the spot; but he cared not FOL
Y that. Down, down, down he flew, diz
Nv and breathless, till suddenly ther'
% came a violent shock, and the flying los
r stood still, and he saw, dimiy as If IL
: a dream, the outermost huts OF tn
n village before him, while beside hin
r. stood two men, staring al him as
" they had seen a ghost.
The French-the Rudelsberg goa
trackr" was all he could say; but 1t wa
quite enough.
Karl" cried the younger of the tw
to his comrade, "off with you. and te
the lads to get their guns, and run Il
= their lives to the Rudelsberg. III G
N on before and hew down the bridge"
q And away flew Kaspar the wooden
II ter. axe in hand, while Karl darted o
III in the opposite direction.
" The bridge of which Kaspar spoil
n was a rude plank framework whi'
: spanned deep black chasm worn by
N torrent in the side of the Rudelsbel
lust at the narrovest and most DANCE
N Gus point of the goat-path along viii
the enemy were advancing. IL
bridge once broken, the march Of t
French would be ehectually stoppt
out could he get there in timer
Kaspar was famous for his swiftn'
IF foot; but never-not even when
won a race against all the best runn'
i Il
IT'S as now. The snow was more than
VI kle-deep. but he dashed through it Il
mountain goat and at length, sp'
=, and gasping for breath, came out W
- the narrow ledge-path, and saw Il
he was the only living thing upon IT,
=, So far, so good; but at any mom
- the foremost Frenchman might CO
~, round the corner on tie other side
49, The bridge. and there was no time to
- lost. To work went the trusty ak, s
80, the white spllnters and chips Of W.
few up in the air like a shower
and spray.
-e,v One plank was cut through, a seco
,an third. and now the trembling bril-
and hung by a single support over the bl
av, abyss below, when suddenly, not f
, n Yards from the brink of chasm, Il
ssued from behind projecting C
.ork the tall figure and dark, sai'ow face
sci French grenadier! And beside
,eer stood the missing woodmen, Fir
,onf Listig, who had betrayed the patti
rho his country's enemies.
II But just at that moment kasp
vii. 1uick ear caught the tramp,e Of hu
n -. ing feet behind him. and knew that
cd comrades were coming up to the
hi. cue.
used Let them KIN me now - nv -