United States or South Africa ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Low had descended to the deserted trail, and was running swiftly in the direction of the Carquinez Woods. Teresa awoke with a start. It was day already, but how far advanced the even, unchanging, soft twilight of the woods gave no indication. Her companion had vanished, and to her bewildered senses so had the camp-fire, even to its embers and ashes.
"It must needs be pressing, since thou comest on such a bitter night." "Peace be with this household!" said the stranger, when they stood on the floor of the inner apartment. Pearson started; the elder Quaker stirred the slumbering embers of the fire till they sent up a clear and lofty blaze.
So he brought the kid in his arms, and the weary flock straggling after him, to the south wall of the great fold again, and sat there by the embers at the foot of the tower, while the others were away. The moon rested like a ball on the edge of the western hills and rolled behind them. The stars faded in the east and the fires went out on the Mountain of the Little Paradise.
He must have collected all the roses about it, and thrown the incense upon the embers when Gertrude suddenly entered. And then, and then... We found her lying across the altar, her pale hair among the ashes of the incense, her blood she had but little to give, poor white ghost! trickling among the carved garlands and rams' heads, blackening the heaped-up roses.
Here and there the trees were burning, and the dry limbs lay on the ground, giving out the red glow of smoldering embers, or sending out little twists of smoke to join the enormous mass of vapor which hung like a pall over so many square miles of country. Nellie, for the twentieth time, leaned her head forward and looked out from behind the tree trunk that sheltered her.
Two Indians rode in toward evening dragging a calf that had been overlooked in the roundup; and having improvidently burned the cabin, the meat was cooked over the embers which still smouldered in places where knots in the logs made slow fuel. Buddy watched them hungrily, wondering how long it took to starve.
After cooking and eating our supper, I observed the native, who had said nothing to me on the subject, collect the hot embers of the fire together, and deliberately place his right foot in the glowing mass for a moment, then suddenly withdraw it, stamping on the ground and uttering a long-drawn guttural sound of mingled pain and satisfaction. This operation he repeated several times.
Everywhere the embers are smouldering under the ashes; everywhere secret societies and leagues have been formed; everywhere there are conspirators, depots of arms, and passwords; everywhere the people of Germany are waiting only for the moment when they are to strike the first blow, and for the signal to rise. And they are in hopes now that Austria will give the signal.
Mingled with the roar of the flames came the frequent crashes of falling trees, and the hiss of blazing embers as they fell into the water. The heat was terrific, while at times the smoke was so dense and suffocating that the men had the greatest difficulty to breathe.
Mac swore under his breath when he bent and peered keenly at the man's face; then he straightened up and kicked a part of the clay covering from the smoldering embers. As the bright glow of a little cascade of sparks pierced the darkness, a voice in our rear called sharply: "Hands up!" and we swung round to behold two masked faces regarding us from behind steadily held Winchesters.
Word Of The Day