The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-11-06


| Gabriel's shrill small voice pro-
| tested. Each will have hard work to
save himself. They will not think
of each other"
Marie caught the small brown
! hand in hers. I'VE must save him,
Gabriel-you and l. You know where
| Pierre LatouX moors his boat to the
| tree at the foot of the cliff. We
must get that and at once. Pray the
| good God we may not be too late!"
| Hand in hand they sped on as
! best they could. The loose stones
| slipped under their feet. The wind
wrapped Marie's heavy cloak closely
about her limbs, binding her steps.
and she undid it as she ran. casting
it behind her and gasping for
| breath as the cruel wind dashed
clouds of rain in her face, choking
and binding her as she toiled on in
the face of the storm.
"Clang, clang. clang!"
| 1t was the bell of the little stone
! church sounding the tccsin to warn
| the jewellers of Kaskaskia. The
sound stimulated Marie's fast fail
ing energies.
Hasten, Gabriel, or we are too
| late"
They could dimly discern now the
vast stretch of water where the two
rivers the Okaw and the Mississippi.
met and blended into one. The blast
that drove the rain in their faces al
most forced their struggling steps
backward as they ran.
Here is the boat, Cousin Marie,
! quick, quick!"
They tugged blindly with numb
| fingers at the coarse rope that held
the boat to the mooring post At
last it gave way. and the lad stepped
into the frail canoe that was tossed
about like a plaything by the angry
waters.
Here is my hand, Marie; steady
yourself by the tree theresa"
Was it an unseen force that guided
the little craft, or did fear lend SUI
| pernatural strength to their feeble
efforts? No one could ever tell. least
of all Marie and her companion. but
~ "phiN oNVll lllSiI III human power
could have prevailed against that
tide.
The jewellers, reused from their
carousal by the sound of the bell.
rushed to the door under which the
water was already making its way.
Too late! Only the fact that the
Golden Shoe had been built on
l-nA1 hnl E.. i
the next onrush, the water poured
in upon them, causing the frightened
occupants for the first time to real
ize their danger. As far as they
could see water, only water was
visible, while occasional flashes of
lightning lit up the turbid waters
whose foam-covered waves gathered
fresh impetus every moment. And
now Francois, sobered by the shock,
thought with remorseful pangs of
Marie. How was she faring on this
wild night-alone? He must 90 to
her, but how?
The water was rising rapidly. The
imperiled party must reach the up
per Story-that was plain-and stay
untli perhaps boat could come to
their rescue. They crowded up the
narrow stairs only to realize that
the roof must be their ultimate
refuge until help should come, for
the upper floor was flooded when
they reached the chambers. Etinne.
the coolest head among them, leaned
far out of a little dormer window
and drew his bow with resonant
sweep across the strings of his vio-
lin, in hopes that the sound might
draw attention to their peril The
sound penetrated the roar of wind
and wave, and to the frightened pair
in the boat it sounded like a familiar
rescue.
The canoe, with its precious
freight half dead with cold and ter
ror, was drifting helplessly about,
one moment engulfed in a tossing
wave, the next riding high on its
pinnacle. And now-it was a miracle.
surely-but the Golden Shoe was
bearing down upon them, careening
from side to side, but upright, with
terror-stricken group clinging to
rthe roof. 1t came nearer nearer
still, and by the broad and binding
flash that burned for one brief mo-
ment in the blacBness of the night.
Francois saw and recognized his
wife
''Marie."
There was a sudden splash in the
water, then by a superhuman effort
Francois swan alongside the canoe.
Keep steady, both of you, and do
not be frightened. l viii save you.
Do not"
His words were cut short by an
Oncoming wave. He felt himself lift |
ed high on its crest, and then he
was hurled bodily into the boat, half |
stunned and wholly exhausted know
ing only that Marie and Gabriel were
clinging to his bosom beseeching him |
to speak.
The details of that nights expert |
ence, the rescue of the little party. /
and the happiness of Marie and Fran
co.'s we need not dwell upon. Never.
49, L