Oxford Democrat., 1903-09-29


not make the leap.
ward the side entrance that gave upon
the Laurens road. Then some instinct
made her look behind, and against the
sunset sky she saw La Brun draw rein,
then suddenly wheel and speed back
across the rice field. He had guessed
her purpose and was coming to stay
her. A fierce cry escaped her. She
would not be stopped though all of
Tarleton's miniOns were at her heels.
She would save the patriot camp or
they should carry her to Charleston In
chains or to her father dead.
"On, Princess! Take the gate, good
girl. We have no time to wait"
The horse behind her, she knew,
could not make the leap. Peter must
dismount and open the way, and Prin-
cess needed but ten minutes the start.
After that, if she did not stumble,
nothing could catch her. AS the horse
rose for the leap Dulcine heard the
man behind hallooing to her to stop,
but without turning her head she
waved the end Of the white scarf at
her throat and then, on the other side
of the fence, settled down for the long
run ahead. Across the tlanking rice
field and straight into the heart Of the
great forest the road ran, and greening
grain and murmuring pine swept back
ward in a blended trail as Princess
held her gait, the thunder Of her hoofs
beating in with the fierce throbbing OF
the girls blood.
La Brun, obliged to dismount and
open the gate which his horse would
not take, beheld her as he scrambled
again into his saddle leave the open
field behind and plunge into the
swampy forest Princess had won the
coveted ten minutes, and the space be-
tween her and her pursuer widened
momentarily. But still La Brun held
stubbornly on.
At the entrance of the forest Dulcine
saw the last Of the sunset banners that
trailed the evening sky. The interlac-
ing boughs made twilight OF their
own, soon deepened by the coming OF
the real dusk. With the darkening Of
the shadows the eXhilaration Of the
start began to fade, and in the girls
heart fear took the place Of the reck-
less daring that had set her on her er-
rand. AS the miles lapsed backward
the loneliness Of the swampy forest in
quilted her, the shadows closed about
her stranglingly. and more than once
she turned her eyes back wistfully
along the road she had travelled. Then
came the river, and across the familiar
ford the horse went splashing. foun-
dering, while the girl clung to the POM
mel and prayed aloud. The water
dragged ut her feet, and hundred
voices seemed snarling at her from out
of its rush and roar. Then came the
forest again, with its same battling
shadows.
The night wore on, and every waving
bough held a new terror for her, every
hooting bird seemed a fresh menace
from the surrounding blackness. Now
and then the bride slipped from her
numb fingers. but Princess only shook
back her head that the rein might
again be within reach. The poor crea-
ture tried to give up the swift pace she
had been keeping, for WEAKNESS and
darkness and the stumps and pools In
the rough road made the gait painful
and hazardous. but the girl, prodded
each moment by some new fear. urged
her ON. She loved the animal as other
women love their friends. but in hel
terror she did not spare her now, and
more than once the whip fell stingingly
upon the quivering flank. Over her
were the murmuring branches, beyond
these the silence Of the starry skies,
around her the multitOned sounds Of
the swamp. Once and again imagina.
ton redoubled the beat Of her own
horses hoofs and changed them into
the sounds Of pursuit, and ever and al.
ways she was listening for the call to
halt. A fox slipping through the under.
brush set her to trembling, and once
when a bat tapped past her In the
blackness she gave forth piercing,
nervous, Quivering cry.
Then fpally new dread beset her.
La Brun had turned back from the
chase and sent messengers to hurry
Tarleton, who lay five miles nearer
Laurens than her fathers plantation.
She would be outwitted, defeated Of
her purpose, after all. and she began to
sob as she hurried Princess on.
"Faster, faster!" she cried and leaned
forward and patted the animal on the
neck, then lurched violently to one side
and barely saved herself from fall.
for Princess had slipped In one Of the
pools that dotted the road, and when
Dulcine had pulled her up and encour-
aged her she went forward again, but
limping sorely.
All hope of haste was now over. and
30 for half an hour they p!odded pain
fully forward. At this rate 1t would
be wide eyed day before she reached