The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-06-11

the food before him, and peering for
ward | made out a current. sweeping
silently and swiftly across cur path
a current wiz al ominous rush anti
swirl.
"Over?' grunted Master Berthe. NO;
this is the place. See. the road has
given way, and the stream is pouring
through from the river. l expect it is
getting worse every minute as the
banks crumhle."
We all craned forward. looking at it.
1t was impossible to say how deep the
water vas or how Ear the deep part
might extend, and re had with us a
child and two women
I'VE must go back!" said Master
Berthe. resolutely. There Is no doubt
about it. The flood is rising. If we do
not take care we shall be cut OFF and be
able to go neither backward nor for
ward. l cannot see a foot of dry land,
as it is. before or behind US
He was right. Far and wide, wher-
ever our eyes could reach. the moon
light was reflected In a sheet OF water.
we were nearly up to our girths in
water. On one side was the hurryins
river: on the other We're the treacher-
Gus depths of the backwater. 1 asked
the guide as well as / could whether the
road was good beyond. He answered
that he did not know. He n his COM
panion were so terrified that we only
kept them beside us by threats.
Il fear we must go back" I said, as
sent1ng s~orrowfully.
Even the duchess agreed, and we were
In the act Of turning to retrace our
steps with what spirit we might when a
distant sound brought us all to a
standstill again. The wind was blow-
Ing from the quarter whence we had
come-from Emmerich-and 1t brought
TO us the sound of voices. We all
stopped to listen. Yes; they were
voices we heara-loud, strident tones,
mingled now with the sullen splash of
horses tramping through the water.
looked at the duchess. Her face was
pale, but her courage did not fail her.
She understood in a trice that the lam
ger we mad SO much dreaded was upon
us; that we were followed, and the fol-
lowers were at our heels, and she
turned her horse round again. With
out a word she spurred it back toward
the deep part. l seized Anne's rein and /
1oiiowed, Notwithstanding that the poor
girl In her terror would have resisted.
Letting the guides go as they pleased.
we four in a m found ourselves
ABREAST again, our horses craning over
the stream, while we, with whip and
spur, urged them on.
In cold blood we should scarcely have
done 1t. Indeed, for a minute, as our
steeds tumbled and recovered them
selves and slid forward, only to draw
trembling-as the water rose
above our boots or was flung by our
Fellows In our eyes, and all was fog
cling and s%crarnbIing and spla sfping-It
seemed as If we were to be caught in a
despite our resolve. But at last
Master Berries horse took the plunge.
His wife's followed. and both, partly
fioundering and partly swimming set
onward, snorting the while in fear. To
JOY l saw them emerge safely mot
ten yards away, and shaking them
selves stand comparatively high ouy OF
the water.
"Come!!" cried my lady im~perativsly
as she turned la frer saddle with a
Come indeed! Z wanted nothing set
Asrr ioG l was beside myself with pas
SION, but. fog an L might, I could not
ecu Anae.s brute to take the plunge.
Ine girl herself could Civ me no aid.
snngiae to her saddle, pale and half
-alnt1ng, she could only beg me to leave
Ten, crying out again and again in a
certified voice that she would be
sowned- With her cry there sudden
oeErsuers as they sighted us. 1 could
lear thei1 drawing nearer, and I~grew
iesPeratasa Luckily they could not make
sped In water so deep. and time
as gwen me for one last furious eff
onI 1t succeeded. MY horse literally
into the stream. 1t dragged Anne's
liner 1t. Aow we kept our seats, how
feH the1s footing, l newer understood.
somehow, s%plashing. and stumbling .
raj blinded by the water dashed in our :
aces. we tame out on the other side,
where the duchess aneE her husband !
co faithful to us to save themselves. ,
LAD watched the struggle in an agony
y suspense. l did but fling the girls
SIN to Master BERTHE, and Their !
1heeled EnE horse to the stream again.
mad made up my mind what / must
70.
With a gesture of farewell. go ONT I /,
keep them here for awhile" +,
"Nonsense!" heard the duchess cry.
Ter voice high and shrill. TT is" i,
Go eM!," | cried. Go on! Do not .
ose a moment. or it will be useless"
Masten BERTHE hesitated, but he, too.
aw that this was the only chance. The ]
,paniaads We're on the brink of the
tream now and must, il they passed it. !
US easily. He hesitated
ave said, for a moment. Then he ,
efzed his wife's rein and drew her on
nd l heard the three horses go splash {
ng away through the Hood. 1 threw {
glance at e over my shoulder, be-
linking me that I had not told the i
hony and Petronilla would never-bIIt.
,ish! What was / thinking Of? That 1
vas a thought for a oman I had
My to harden my heart now and@set
ny teeth together. My task was very
nipple indeed. l had just to keep these !
nen-there We're four-here as long as /
could and If possible to stop CIar- ,
pursuit altogether.
(Contiaued Next Week.l I
:,
Beware tho Comma. i
From the Chicago Evening Post.