The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1903-02-13

q truly as was ever maid az the eight
eenth century by the man who. for
some reason of his own Bluebell had
never thought It love wished to make
her his wife. She was In the snare Of
the fowler, as powerless to free her
self as any poor. fluttering. broken
winged bird.
The thought Of what she was leav-
ing behind was terrible to her as her
unknown fate. Her father had seemed
dead as she looked upon him. Was he
really SO? It almost seemed to Blue
bells shuddering heart that 1t would
be better for him If he were.
She had been stupened at first by
the fearful accusation made against
her father, but in the moments that
elapsed between his seizure by the
visitation of God and her seizure by
mans villainy Bluebell had slowly
been coming out Of her stupor, to rea-
lie that 1t might be true.
If it were so-if her father, tempted
by the traitorous villainy Of the man
whom he had called a Judas Iscariot,
had committed this base deed, though
Bluebell could not find it in her heart
to call it crime, then the punishment
meted out to him might be so terrible
that natural death would be thou
sand times preferable.
And then poor Miss Elizabeth, left
to face those terrible men. with, per-
haps, the dead body of her brother in
the house! Bluebell felt her heart
torn with anguish and anxiety as she
thought of it.
Again she made violent struggles to
free herself. Alas! they were worse
than useless. The strong arms held
her as in vice.
At this time no word had been ut
tered. Suddenly Bluebelrs captor
paused; the next moment Bluebell
heard long, peculiar call rising on
the night air. It was like the WOO
eel" of the Australian bush. After a
momentary pause it was answered.
Then Bluebell's captor continued his
walk, jolting and stumbling at every
step.
Presently there was another pause.
Then Bluebell fancied she heard the
sound of horses hoofs, but her hear
ing was So deafened by the thick cloth
that she could not be sure. In few
minutes, however. she knew she had
been correct. She felt herself lifted
up and placed on the side-saddle of
some animal, which she guessed, from
the height and from the use of the
side-saddle, to be horse.
Then voice spoke close to her ear
the voice that was so hateful to
Bluebell, and with such good reason.
There is no use in resistance; you
are wholly in my power, and 1 am
determined you shall not escape me
now. You are on horseback. I am
going to release your arms so that you
may hold on with all your might, for
we are going over bad bit of ground.
If you don't make any resistance 1
will take of that head-dress presently,
but the more resistance you make. the
worse you will be treated. And let me
tell you it is perfectly useless; moth
ing but death can save you from me-"
OF course Bluebell could make no
attempt at moving. Her hands were
released from the cloth that had PIN
toned them to her side. reins were
placed in her hand, whip was f1icked
in the air. and the animal beneath
moved forward.
For the next hour Bluebell found
thinking impossible. The horse jolt
ed, stumbled and bumped at every
step, sometimes putting his fore-feet
into holes from which he had to be
extricated by main force, then plung-
ing over loose clumps of grass or
shrubs with such suddenness as al
most to unseat her. Bluebell was &C
customed to the difficulties of riding
on the veldt, but now, disabled by the
want Of sight, suffocated as she was
by the cloth over her head and mouth,
she was utterly unable to keep steady,
and several times her guide had to
seize her as she was falling from the
horse.