Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1908-03-17

tongue and realized what he purposed
doing For a moment he paused to pat
the neck Of the wheeler; then. stand.
ing with one foot on the swinging sim
gietree. he gave tremendous leap
\ and sprang to the back OF the mad
dened leader, He drew himself along
over the foaming creatures shoulder
and, reaching forward succeeded in
freeing the bit from its cllnched teeth.
then, talking softly and gently patting
its neck, gradually quieted the poor
animal, which now, responding to the
saving Of the, reins, came to a stand.
still halfway down the mountain side
The man sprang to the ground. as
did the driver, and together they mend
ed the trace and looked over the entire
harness. The horses. steaming and
trembling, were now docile as lambs.
You'll have no further trouble to-
night" said the man to the driver.
"These poor brutes are pretty thor.
oughly exhausted"
-" Smoking Jehoshaphat, but that was
a close shave" said the driver. WED
all been In kingdom come IL it hadn't
been for you"
"Oh. not as bad as that, guessv
answered the man and, turning to the
horse who had caused all the trouble.
"You would have come to your senses
in time, wouldn't you, old boy?" The
horse answered by rubbing his head
against the mans shoulder.
The giant walked back and climbed
into the coach as though nothing un.
usual had occurred, but the driver as
he mounted to his seat and gathered
up the reins muttered: "That dod- !
gasted horse never Civ in like that to |
anybody in his life before That fell |
ler's a regular charmer, like the one in /
the show at Frisco"
And as the stage ratified on he would |
say every few minutes, "a regular
charmer that's wot he Isl
They made fairly good time thereaft- |
er and just at dawn pulled up before |
the door of a small hotel in Lewiston.
AS the girl. very pale, stepped to the |
ground she held out her hand to the |
silver haired giant saying:
81 want to thank you. | saw what
you did, and it was that which fright
ened me most You saved our lives. |
shall never forget it. Goodby," and
she disappeared into the hotel.
He saw her several times after that |
at the Peterson ranch just below his !
mine He learned that she was the |
new governess for the Peterson chill
dren, but was always busy when he
called at their ranch. And how often
1t seemed necessary to see Peterson
lately. even though he never had more
than a moments talk with her.
One day a terrible storm came up.
and it rained increasingly, which kept
the giant busy strengthening the reser-
voirs. The next morning he was awak-
ened by the roar of rushing water.
Dressing hurriedly and putting on his
high rubber boots he was soon, down
at the point of the hill where he could |
see that Peterson's ranch was entire
ly submerged, the house seeming to
stand in the center OF a lake, with
the water gradually rising past the
window stills He hurried down the
hill and waded through the three feet
of water to the house. He climbed
through a window, and there on the
stairs sat the girl.
Throw something warm over your
head and shoulders and come down."
he called.
The girl unhesitatingly complied. He
opened the door with great difficulty;
then mounting the stairs halfway he
gathered her in his arms and without
a 'by your leave" strobe out of the 1
door through the water to the hills.
1.-THE storm is abating, and the wa
ter will soon recede, but you could not
remain there My foreman's wife will (
make you comfortable"
How small and light she was! He
could carry her so forever! And how
narrow the flooded valley Z
seemed Reluctantly he placed her on
the rising ground.
"Where were the Petersons?" he
asked
"They went to visit relatives on the
X Bar ranch. oh, they left the hired
man with me! He had just gone, as
you came, to see what he could get in
the way Of a boat or a balloon"
Then still in a laughing tone, though
her eyes filed, she said, 1T seems to =
be your business to come to my res
cue"
Wont you give me the job for
IifeY' he asked eagerly. 81 believe 1
could prevent disaster touching you, /
even a food" r
And. looking up into his strong, r
powerful face, she answered, 81 be- !
lieve you could" as she put both hands
in his