The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-05-20
CHAPTER X
THE MILL DOWN FOMAING
VALLEY

-
THE MILL DOWN FOMAING
VALLEY.
After a they found them
selves by the brook in a place where a
deep pool was overhung by a limestone
ledge. Rose. struggling with the from
TIC horse, saw nothing. She was crash
ing through the brush just q step be-
hind Jim, with only one impulse. He.
too, had but one impulse; he would
reach the rocks n save her. if he had
to tear her hand from the bride and
bear her through the danes in his
arms. She shouldn't perish; she
mustn't perish. He would fight for her
till he died.
AS his eye fell upon the pool in the
stand in the water to their necks, there
might be a chance He had heard of
such escapes. Then something about
the ledge caught his eye.
This way" he yelled. suddenly.
we are" He turne sharply to the left,
his ak still flying like a steel maui.
We can make tt-Pomp and all,' he
acute over his shoulder ex~ultantly.
Come on!"
reared and plunged. lifting her from
her feet again and again, and swing
ing her about in the cruel tangle, tear
ing her clothes n hands and hair.
But she chung fast and kept ever close
behind Jim. who was slashing and
stamping and smashing like a Viking
IN battle. Ten rods more n they
came to the brook again, but at right
angles to its former course.
r6afning Valley stream" he shouted
Foaming Valley. and it's high time"
He was right; 1t was high time.
Swept on by the gale the flames were
leaping like wolves from bush to bush,
ana scurrylng In the dead leaves not
two rods behind. A minute more and
the roaring cauldron would have been
all about them, but they had reached
now the mouth Of the little valley at
an angle from the flame swept funnel.
here we are in a regular turnpike!"
It'll run slow up this valley.
Ihey were on the little dinkey road
which years before had taken the Ium-
Der down to the Cherry Run trail. It
was plain sailing now. But the panic
still on them, the scurried ahead like
rabbits. A
Inc valley grew narrower. A mat
or CHERRY sprouts, all In full blossom.
ana OF raspberry n blackberry tam
gle, pound In the oad on either side.
me ties had begun to decay; the iron
rails were thick with rust; and there
were places where foods had quilted
widely into the roadbed. The smoke
became less and less dense until it was
possible to see several rods in advance.
The wind was blowing toward the FIRE
and sweeping 1t in the opposite direc-
.lon. Inc valley grew narrower; at
length the ridge sides, steep and rag
geo, a mere mass Of torn stone, drew
into a sharp V with the dinkey road
They passed through with difficulty.
We're all right now" he announced
cneerlly. The fire might back up as
far as the Narrows here, but it can't
jump through"
Yes, but we're in a tran" She wa
looking about her critically.
Il don't think there is any outlet to
ms valley. he said slowly. 1--WE could
get over the right there, but Pomn8
couldn't. l know where we are now.
mer, and I caught a 12-inch trout
under he rock at the entrance down
tnere. That's why l knew where we
were the minute / saw it."
ms was a close call; Mr.. Farthing
looking down at him with solemn ewes.
Il don't think we had over a minutes
margin"
1T did look close there one time.
didn.t it?-at least for Pomp?"
Yes, and for us, too" She drew q
long breath. We'll. never mind; we
got out" She was not a girl to dwell
on morbid things. It was not her way
to shudd and live over and over the
QlSSw i - EH5gE EFNI4r EHE
But we are not out Of the woods,
though. yet" h went on. looking up
at steep ridges on both sides. I'VE
of this valley; it's fathers; but
! don't know much about it. IL we
could only get Pomp over that ridge. +
know g path all right. 'Spose we could
get him over?"
mo; I don't. The only way I see Is
TO leave him here i day or two and
climb u ourselves"
"Iaarkl What's that?-the Are ?"
She turned her head and listened In
tently. She was still sitting on the
horse. which recovered from its fright
was cropping the bushes i
That thunder, Hear It? I've been
looking Tor q thunder gust all day and
I'm afraid It II be q hard one, It's been
Fathers got an old min up here :
mile or 70 h spoke with sudden de-
ctsion. Come, les try for 1t. Come
"All right"
Again they started UP the dinkey
Dad. he striding stoutly ahead. There
was sometping strong and masterful
and self-reliant about this young mar
tnat appealed to her. Unconsciousiv
she watched him-his broad Shoulders
his hrm net neck. his easy muscular
swing; It is always good to see q man
They reached the mill Just as the first
large drops began to patter on the
leaves. Il was 9 ramshackle old struc-
ture g mere roof to shelter the engine
2 q saving apparatus. A great
tangie OF cherry trees and brush hem.
locks had sprung up about Il. ana
Mlngling with the rlododendron BY tie
of5eam. concealed It until one was rfehf