ad immediately
adjoining M'Loughlin's house, and which expanded itself as it reached
the river, that here became a ford, being crossed in ordinary cases
by stone steps. As is usual in the case of such, floods, which fall as
rapidly as they rise, we found about a dozen persons of both sexes, some
sitting, others standing, but all waiting until the river should subside
so as to be passed with safety--the little wooden bridge alluded to
having been literally swept away. Among these was Poll Doolin, the
mother of Raymond, who, however, did not appear to take any particular
notice of her, but kept close by, and directed all his attention to,
unhappy Mary O'Regan. About half an hour, had elapsed, when Raymond,
casting his eye upon the decreasing torrent, said--

"'It is now low enough--come, Mary, I will carry you safe over--Raymond
has often crossed it higher, ay, when it was over the rock there to our
right--come.' He lifted her up in his arms without another word, and,
with firm and confident steps, proceeded to ford the still powerful and
angry stream.

"'Raymond, are you mad?' shouted his mother; 'ten times your strength
couldn't stand that flood--come back, you headstrong creature, or you'll
both be lost, as sure as you attempt it.'

"Her remonstrances, however, were in vain. Raymond did not even look
back, nor pay the slightest attention to what she said.

"'Never mind them,' said he; 'I know best--it's often I crossed it.'

"On reaching the centre of the stream, however, he appeared to feel as
if he had miscalculated the strength of either it or himself. He stood
for a moment literally shaking like a reed in its strong current--the
passive maniac still in his arms, uncertain whether to advance with her
or go back. Experience, however, had often told him, that if the fording
it were at all practicable, the danger was tenfold to return, for by
the very act of changing the position, a man must necessarily lose the
firmness of his opposition to the stream, and consequently be borne away
without the power of resisting it. Raymond, therefore, balanced himself
as steadily as possible, and by feeling and making sure his footing in
the most cautious manner--the slightest possible slip or stumble being
at that moment fatal--he, with surprising strength and courage, had just
succeeded in placing her safely on the rock he had before alluded to,
when a stone turned under him--his foot gave way--and the poor creature,
whose re