Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1913-01-02

ersack were secure, he reached back
into the darkness, grasping the form
of the unconscious girl. He stood
erect with her held securely in his
arms, strands of hair blowing against
his cheek, listening intently, striving
with keen eyes to penetrate the black
curtain. The wind was fortunate.
blowing steadily across the fiat from
the river, and they were surely inyis
ible against the background Of the
overhanging bluff. He did not even
feel it necessary to crouch low to
avoid discovery. He knew that peril
would confront them later, when they
ventured out into the open.
How light she seemed, as though
he clasped child. Bearing
her was going to be easier
than he, had supposed; the excitement
yielded him new measure of
strength, yet he went forward very
slowly. feeling along, inch by inch,
planting his feet with exceeding care.
The earth was hard-packed and would
leave little trail; there were no leaves,
no dead grass to rustic. Beyond the
protection afforded by the stage he
felt the full sweep of the wind and
permitted her head to rest lower on
one arm so that he could look about
more clearly. She had not even
moaned, although he had felt her
breath upon his face Once he STUN
bled slightly over some fallen earth,
and farther along foot slipped on a
treacherous stone, but the slight noise
died unnoticed in the night. It was
farther to the gully than he had sup
posed; his heart was in his throat
fearing he had missed 1t, half believing
the depression failed to extend to the
base of the bluff. Then his foot, ex-
ploring blindly, touched the edge of
the bank. Carefully he laid his. bur
den down. placing his battered cam
paign hat beneath her head. He bent
over her again. assuring himself that
she breathed regularly, and then crept
down alone into the shallow ravine.
His nerves were like steel now, his
hand steady, his heart beating with.
out an accelerated throb. He knew
the work. and rejoiced in it. This was
why he was soldier. Silently, swift
ly, he unbuckled his belt, refastening
it across the straps SO as to hold can,
teen and haversack noiseless. and
then, revolver in hand, began creep
ing down under cover of the low
| banks. He must explore the path first
before attempting to bear her along
in his arms; must be sure the passage
was unguarded. After 1T swerved to
the right there would be little danger
but while it ran straight, some eau
tious savage might have chosen it to
skulk in. To deal with such he need
| ed to be alone, and free.
He must have crawled thus for thir
ty yards, hands and knees aching hor
ribly, his eyes ever peering over the
| edge of the bank. his ears tingling to
the slightest noise. The tiny glow OF
the fire lar away to the left was alone
| visible in the intense blackness: tn,
wind brought to him no sound o.
movement. The stiffness was pro
found. almost uIcanny; as he paus. .
and listened he could distinguish the
throb of his heart. Ee was across
the trail at last, for he felt and traced
the ruts of wheels, and where the
banks had been worked down almost
to level with the prairie. He crossed
this opening like a snake, and then
arose to his knees beyond, where the
gully deepened. He remained poised
motionless. scarcely daring to breathe
Surely that was something else-that
shapeless blotch Of shadow barely
--'r-- 49, u. &c h.c!.. We Z. ten