The Cairo bulletin., 1904-12-07

CHAPTER XIV.

DTS narrative was the talk OF the
ing. as did not. We're fond OF quoting
its odd phrases, and OF describing how
D'ri would thrust and parry with his
jack-knife in the story OF the bouts,
The mystery OF that plunge into
darkness and invisible water was a
trial TO my nerves the like OF which
| had never suffered After they had
pulled his lordship ont of the grave,
and | knew there would be no more
lighting, | began TO feel the strain he
had put upon me. He was not so
strong as D'ri. but | had never stood
before quicker man. His blade was
as full OF life and cunning as a cat S
paw, and he tired me- When | went
under the water | felt sure 1t was all
over, for | was sick and faint. | had
been thinking of D'ri in that quick de-
scent. ! wondered ii he was the man
Nho had got away and gone down the
slide. | was not the less amazed, how
ever, TO feel his strong hand upon me
as | came up. | knew nothing for a
time D'ri has told me often how he
bore me up in rapid water until he
came into an eddy where he could
touch bottom. There, presently | got
back my senses and stood leaning on
his broad shoulder awhile A wind
was blowing, and we could hear boat
Jumping in the ripples near by We
- Il
D'ri left me, feeling his way SLOWLY,
and soon found the boat He whistled
10 me, and ! made my way to him
There were oars in the bottom of the
boat D'ri helped me in, where | lay
back with a mighty sense of relief.
Then he hauled in a rope and anchor,
and showed off The boat, overrunning
the flow in a .moment. shot away rapid
~ | could feel ii take Roadway as We
Glove the murpuring waters D'ri set
the oars and helped it on. lay awhile
thinking of all the blood and horror
in that black night--like a dream of
evil that leads through dim regions
of silence into the shadow of death.
| thought of the limited peril of the
slide that was to be the punishment of
poor courage.
D'rl had n plausible theory OF the
slide He said that If we had chung
20 the sides of II to break our speed
we'd have gone down like a plummet
and shattered our bones on a rocky
shore. Coming fast, our bodies leaped
far into the air and fell to deep water.
How long | lay there thinking, as |
rested, have no satisfactory notion.
Louise and Louison came into my
thoughts. and plan of rescue A rush
OF cavalry and reeking swords, dash
for the boats, with flying horse under
each fair lady, were in that moving
vision But where should we find
them? for | knew not the name or that
country out of which we had come by
ways of darkness and peril The old
query came to me:' If 4 had TO choose
be,ween them. which should take?
There was as much OF the old doubt
in me as ever. For verify, | loved
them both, and would die for either.
4 optned my eyes at last. and rising,
my hands upon the gunwales, could
Gwaying back and forth as he rowed.
The coming dawn had shot an arrow
into the great, black sphere of night,
cracking it from circumference to core.
and foods of light shortly came pour
Ing in, sweeping down bridges of dark
ness, gates of gloom, and MASSEY walls
Of shadow We were in the middle of
broad river-the~St Lawrence we
knew. albeit the shores were unfa-
miliar to either of us The sunlight
stuck in the ripples, and the breeze
famed them into flowing FIRE The
morning lighted the green hills of my
native land with a mighty splendor
4 rev life and great joy came TO me
as filled my lungs with the sweet air
D'ri pulled into cove. and neither
could speak for a little He turned.
looking out upon the river, and
brushed tear off his brown cheek
mo use talkin'." said he, in low
tore. as the bow hit the shore. "ain
40 country lux this 'un. don care where
We 60"
As the oars lay still, we could hear
in the far timber a call of fife and
drum Listening. VIC heard the faint
familiar strains of Yankee Doodle"
We came ashore in silence, and
Rugged the nearest tree. and was not
able TO say the Thank Cod that fell
from my lips only half spoken.