The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-04-30


torn out the long compacted bar and
placed instead quivering mass of
Quicksand so treacherous that not even
a light footed rabbit could cross with
out being swallowed up and dragged
bodily down. Warren rode swiftly for
ward. He had crossed sand bars hun
dreds of times. Some horses would
have been wiser, but the animal be
rode had been bred in the valley
The approach to the bar was hard for
few rods, and he galloped on. Sud
denly, in one heartbreaking, breathless
descent, noiseless but unutterably
dreadful, Tom Warren's horse went
down, down, and the soft, Shiny sand
came up to his name. He shrieked out
that CHASTITY cry of appeal and agony
that desperate, dying horse will some
times utter.
Tom knew the peril. Ee had drawn
his feet from the stirrups and lifted
them up at the first downward throb,
but the sand began to grab at him also.
He threw himself fat on his breast and
tore himself loose from the poor ami
NAL, over whose back the mingled sand
and water were running, as it rolled
from side to side in Intellectual strug-
giles to escape.
Tom spread himself out over as much
surface as possible, but slowly, resist
lessly, the mighty force drew him down
ward. The hard beach was only ten
feet distant, but practically the chasm
was impossible. He felt his horse
sink out of sight The sand gripped his
own knees and arms. his thighs and
shoulders. Two inches more and the
end by suffocation was inevitable Up
to this time he had not shouted; only
his horses wild death scream had told
of the tragedy. What was the use?
Who would be passing along that lone
ly road? Then he thought of Tessa
and of life. He raised his voice in a
clear, strong shout for help, again and
again repeated.
Far off along the deep rayine there
came cry in response and a horses
hurrying feet, and hope awoke in his
heart The margin of life was five
minutes now-not longer. Faster, fast
er, oh. fearless rider!
'"Tom where are your"
Here, Tessa. Don't come too near"
But the mountain girl knew the dam
ger. Creeping down stairs for drink
of water, she had heard her fathers
words to Warren, had thrown a shawl
about her shoulders and run to the
pasture. There she caught her pet
horse, sprang upon his unsaddled back,
seized RATA as she passed the stable
and galloped at the utmost speed
down the ravine, hoping against hope,
for many minutes had necessarily
elapsed since Warren started.
She sprang to the ground and tossed
the rawhide rope to the one arm he
held above the sand. She folded her
shawl and put it over her horses
shoulders and tied the RATA round
like collar Then she led him slowly
away from the quicksands, and War
ren thought his arm would break, but
slowly, reluctantly, painfully. the sand
gave up its prey.
"Your father told me to take this
road. Tessa," said the young sheriff.
YES know that, and | heard one
of the men tell him today that the bar
was swept out"
There was long silence between
them.
''Tessa, go with me to San Luis, :"
said Warren, land let us get married. ,"
And Tessa went.
Old Stoner heard the news a few
days later Within an hour he had
retired from business" The camp
was broken up, the hunters disappear
ed. mysterious lights flashed at inter
walls all night from the points of the
cliff, and the next day old Stoner him
self disappeared. leaving his family,
the ranch and the live stock. 1t was
said that he made the best of his way
to Mexico and finally to South Amer
lea The world is large as yet. and
men who have money can ramble over
a good deal of it without finding
past they wish to escape from. But
Tessa lives in her San Luis Obispo cot
tage, with orange trees over it and La
Marque roses on the porch. and she
thinks herself the happiest woman in
California.