Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-10-03
Copyright, 1872. by Herbert 8. Stone & Co.
CHAPTER III.


struggle. and ran to the door. BY star,
Hight it was barely possible to see a
shadow fleeing from the hand-mill; but
Antywine La Chance, in pursuit of 1t,
passed across the bar of light, a 1.-the,
long-bodied and long-limbed shape,
his uncovered blond hair flying back
from a face cut like the high-bred
features of a French noble. He
bounded by the hand-mill and crossed
a fence at the foot of the garden.
When Antywine thought he was
about to overtake the object down
the ravine, a scamper Of horses
boots sounded through the valley.
Peggy's captor had left a horse ready
for fight Instead of making SOUTH
eastward for the Rock creek bridge
and the road to Springfield, he rounded
the bluff and the village, and was evil
IDENTIFY striking toward Beardstown
The western continuation ofNew Salem
street, stretching across the prairies
until it met and curved with bluffs
along the Sangamon, was the route to
Beardstown, which stood at the juno
tion of the Sangamon with the Illi-
nois.
Light-footed as a deer, scarcely paus-
Eng to think, Antywine with inherited
instinct turned east toward the river,
though it was the direction opposite
that in which Peggy was carried. A
boat could be found at the mill. The
river was high and running swiftly.
BY taking advantage of the unusual
current he might reach the bluff road
as soon as a horse 1oundering across
the mud of the prairies would be able
to reach it. What he would then do
afoot he did not attempt to foresee.
There WIS = small settlement at the
mo~th o. E.''. rCoeE called Wolf. Oxen
.'.nul than horses in
X ,.E Salem; yet Antywine
-, 'r ats-.n- flash of determination
to $, 'aere and demand a horse. But
hres 'hless with haste, he plunged
thrCe,h naked woods and down the
terraced bank OF the Sangamon, sliding
on dead leaves in his descent, straight
to the mill.
The boat was tied above the dam. He
pushed out before he thought of the
dam, half covered by swelling water
and roaring across the width of the
.Sangamon. Antywine was never more
alive than when his feet were planted
in a boat. He came of a line of voy-
ageurs who had threaded Canadian
rapids time out of mind. Although his
later years had been spent In Belle
- Sn,,sa.;.1, 80 -, ~.3l nio IN
of him to be forgotten. There was no
time for thought. He swooped down
the curve poised in the stern of his
boat, laughing aloud at the shock,
which nearly SwamDpd hin, Tho bOot
49, IiI'".,- nm nc OCaI
r.,,. .'i,,1,a,., ,'s ~.
PC - -" =. S'S N'''s ue pdlIeu
on DOR for r,,5,... 80
craft into tho r -
enc otbor 10
eoon oblo 10 g..
oars into row.
racing force v
branches and Icy. gi,,
course
The shores were bIacl E,ro,t 800.
like white money annearad ora 49,,
peared around him with nbosnbo 'rp
swiftness. And underneath rose go
fell the bullfrops' d;an.eor -''
Not MANY miIes down NO., a..
of the Sangamon. where tba So. -
turned toward the Illinois. Raards-
town, by prairie and riyer-bIuff route
was nearly 40 miles from New salem
Frost was out of the ground. and q
bottomless trail would DELAY the most
hurried rider. The scaIloped hank
ascending and descending in serated
cliff and hollow, seeming to swim mast
Antywine, finally curved away from
q wider current; and he made for shore
through drift. He drew the boat ont
and left it beached above the risinp
water
There was no sound abroad in oil
that void darkness except the Sanga-
mons low note and the intermittent
cry of frogs. He thought of sloughs
on the BeardstoWn road and of bun