Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-07-18

now and again for a moments respite,
and anon racing through the black
ness, invisible to pursuit had there
been any.
Suddenly in the northeast a great
sheet of lightning blazed up to the
zenith, and for half the round of h
horizon showed them the submits of
the Blue mountains sharply defined
against its glare. Almost simultane-
ously an awful peal of thunder seemed
to shatter the vault of Heaven and
send it rafting down in fragments
upon the appalled, earth. The pony
stopped short and trembled; neither
man nor beast in these longitudes
is accustomed to such display of ele-
mental forces. Such a storm as they
were about to witness is rare, indeed,
on the western slope of the conti-
nent. But, after the shock of sur
prise occasioned by the first on
slaught had passed, Blue Heron
pressed on steadily toward it. I'm
uediately around them the black
etiflness continued, but before them
the ebon curtain of the night was
oroidered with zigZag traceries of
FURNISHED steel, and ever and anon
the serrated mountain ridge leaped
out in every detail against a blue
white background of sheeted flame,
while, with scarce an i-nterre9num,
the thunder bird tapped his wings
with terrible reverberations that al
most stunned the fugitives.
They proceeded thus for more than
half an hour before they met the ad-
vancing storm. Without other warn
ing than the fresh smell of wet earth
and a sudden sound in their ears of
rushing waters, they entered the del
uge, and were drenched to the skin
in a moment, but kept doggedly on
their course, until, with the first
flush of dawn, they stood upon the
bank of the Walla Walla. The storm
had now passed entirely, but the lit
tie river that Blue Heron had ex-
pected to ford was running bank full.
a yellow flood, bearing driftwood OF
its bosom.
Blue Heron set his pony and his
captive at liberty, and walked to and
fro to straighten his legs, while he
considered. \ fire and breakfast
seemed equally desirable, but it was
more desirable still to be on the other
side of hat stream. where the trail
lay which he wished t follow. There
had evidently been a cloudburst in
the mountains and it would be many
hours before the water would run
past. But once on the other side, he
fancied lie would be safe from pur-
suit for some ting; and it would be
a strange thing, indeed, if he, Blue
Heron, with a little leisure for proper
courtship, could not conquer the hui
mOrs of ever so coy a nader or
madam. Though. sooth to say, this
one had shown nc symptoms of do
cility as yet. Blue Heron was quite
aware that there was something be-
yond mere risk in attempting to cross
the flood, but that was rather an in
centive than otherwise.
He decided to chance the issue. So,
after giving his pony a half hour to
rest and refresh itself, he cinched it
up again, and removing the clothing
from his fine glistening body he
bound it on Looesa's shoulders. The
latter, understanding now what it
was he contemplated, protested Wig
orOusly; at length her dignity sue
stumbled entirely, and she begged with
tears. But Blue Heron was laugh
ingly memorable. He forced her to
mount the tspony, and, bidding her
hold on well, drove the unwilling ami
NAL into the water. Grasping the
pony's mane, he swan beside it on the
lower side, and kept its head against
the aI1rranf nc much nc noSSih1e The
pony struggled for its life, and Blue
Heron swan like the athlete he was.
All was going well, when suddenly
around a bend above them a cotton
wood tree came down or the flood,
held upright in the water by the
weight of the earth clinging to its
roots, it's branches swaying menac-
ingly as it swept along. Loosea ut
tered a cry of despair, and Blue
Heron, raising himself out of the
water enough to look over the pony's
neck, saw what was coming upon
them, and with a shout to the animal
sank back and put forth all his re-
serve strength.
1t was now verify a race with
death. Where the swimmers gained
a foot against the current the tree
gained yards with it. LOosea busted
herself in an endeavor to unfasteL
the pack from her shoulders, while
her eyes remained fixed in horror or
the approaching doom. The pony,
urged by her frantic shouts, labored
until his sides seemed ready to burst.
Blue Heron eyes were starting from
his head with his eXertiOns, and his
breath came in painful gasps. The
space narrowed swiftly; it was not a
question of moments, but of seconds.
"Quick!" shouted Looesa, in the
voice of the lost. at is here!"
One last, supreme effort, and the
mass of foliage swept past the pony's
TANKS, just grazing them. Saved by a
hands breadth! But where was
Looesa? Had she not escaped? AS if
with deliberate malice. the tree had
courtesied to the flood. and. bringing
down a branch that the instant be-
fore was high above her head, had
swept her from the pony's back.
Leoesa was a good swimmer. but.
half stunned and weighed down with
the pack from which she had not
succeeded in releasing herself, she
was unable to do more than keep her
head above the water. 1t took al in
slant for Blue Heron to realize what
had happened, another (as it would
A. 4