The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1913-05-16

hands hard and firm at the reins,
Saladin was behaving very badly. but
at least he was superb. worth con-
quering, If
A brief thrill OF apprehension seized
her as. again drawing near the point
of land. he showed no signs OF yield
ing: resisted all her attempts to turn,
to direct him to II. With nostI1ls
thrust forward and breathing strong,
he continued to choose his own
course; to whirl her on: past the
promontory: around into the great
bay beyond-now a vast expanse. or
desert OF sand. broken only. about half
way across, by the small isle OF
Casque. Toward this rocky forma-
ton. pygmy to the great Mount
from which it lay concealed by the
intervening projection of land. the
horse rushed.
On. on! In vain she still endeavored
to stop him; thinking uneasily of
stories the fishermen told Of this
neighboring coast: Of the sands that
often shifted here. setting pitfalls for
the unwarJ. She saw the sky grow
yet darker. noted the nearer Hastings
of light, and heard the louder rumb-
lings that followed. Then presently
another danger she had long been con-
scious OF. on sudden became real.
She saw, or thought she saw. faint
streak. like silver line drawn across
the sky where the yellow sands
touched the sombrous horizon. And
Saladin seemed to observe 1t. too; to
detect In it cause for wonder; reason
for hesitation. At any rate. that head
long speed now showed signs of d.
minishing; he clipped and tossed the
sand less vigorously, and looked
around at his mistress with wild. un-
easy eyes. Again she spoke to him:
pulled with all her strength at the
reins, and. at once, he stopped
None too soon! Great drops OF rain
had begun to fall. but the girl did not
notice them. The white line alone
riveted her attention.! 1t seemed TO
grow broader; to acquire an Intangible
movement of it's own; at the same
time to give out a sound--a strange,
low droning that filled the air. Heard
for the first time. stranger at the
Mount would have found 1t inexphc-
able; to the Governors daughter, the
menacing cadence left no room for
doubt as to its origin.
81
swung In the opposite direction, to-
ward the point Of land. now so dis
tant. Could they reach It? She did
not believe they could; indeed, the
grand" tide coming up behind on the
verge OF the storm, faster than any
horse could gallop. would overtake
them midway. And Saladin seemed
to know it also; beneath her. he
trembled Yet must they try, she
thought. and had frightened the reins
to turn, when looking ahead once
more, she discerned a break In the
forbidding cliffs of the little island OF
Casque. and, back Of the assure, a
shining spot which marked a tiny
cove.
A moment she hesitated; what
should she do? Ride toward the isle
and the white danger, or toward the
point OF mainland and from It.?
Either alternative was desperate
one, but the isle lay much nearer; and
quickly, the brown eyes cleaning with
sudden courage, she decided: touched
her horse and pressed him forward.
But fast as she went the grand"
tide came faster; struck with a loud,
menacing sound the seaward side OF
the isle and swung hungrily around.
My lady cast over her shoulder
quick glance; the cove, however, was
near; only a line OF small rocks, jut-
ting from the sand, separated her
from II. II they could but pass, she
thought; they had passed, she told
herself joyfully, when OF sudden the
horse stumbled; fell. Thrown violent
~ from his back, a moment was she
cognizant Of a deafening roar; riot
GUS advance of foam; above. hun
dred birds that screamed distractedly;
then all these sounds mingled; dark
ness succeeded, and she remembered
no more.