A Ride for Life

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22344, 15 February 1936, Page 4 (Supplement)

A Ride for Life

TI/TAtTEEEN set down her empty cap and glanced across the breakfast table at her farrier uncle. It was the last.day of her holiday and she had planned to make it a memorable one. "May I have Tango to-day?" she asked. " I want to go up to Fern .Valley, to get some ferns to take back to town.to-mprrow." " Very well, my dear. I'll catch her now, so that you can leave before the sun gets too strong," smiled her uncle, as he rose. " You're an angel!" the girl told him as she ran from the room to change for the ride, while her aunt packed a small lunch, for the valley was fully 12 miles distant, hidden in the bushclad hills. Maureen had discovered it several years before and had named it for the wonderful variety of ferns that flourished there. When she again appeared she was ■clad in a cool blouse and slacks, with a red silk scarf knotted around her throat. At the sight of the lunch case strapped to her saddle she halted and rewarded her aunt with a swift hug, then swung gaily up. At a touch of her heels the beautiful black horse cantered swiftly across the paddock, jumped a fence and turned up the track to Fern Valley. The summer sun rose higher, and after two hours' steady riding, when the valley was reaped, both animal and rider were glad to rest in the ehadi). The heat increased, and Maureen, lulled by the singing brook and the drowsy humming of the bees, drifted into the land of dreams. What awakened her the girl could never afterwards explain—perhaps it was the nervous trampling of the horse • —perhaps some inward instinct of danger. The air had become oppressive, and as she sprang toward her horse in sudden dread a dull rumble, as of approaching thunder, broke the silence. She stood tense—listening —waiting—. Nearer and nearer came that awful sound. Tango whinnied as she moved away and Maureen screamed as the ground shook and opened beneath her feet. In falling she struck her head and mercifully passed into unconsciousness. Tango trembled and snorted with fear, but did not move from the crevice in which her mistress lay. When Maureen opened her eyes she felt as if she were awakening from some fantastic dream, but seeing < Tango's black head several feet above revived her memory. Slowly and painfully she scrambled up the side of the cleft. Her head throbbed; her forehead was cut and bleeding. Mechanically she untied her scarf and bound it round her head, then, after several attempts, she managed to climb into the saddle. As the trail blurred before her eyes, Maureen thankfully remembered that Tango had been taught to return home whenever the reins were loosened. Accordingly, she fastened them lightly to a stirrup-strap, intending to take them again when her head cleared. In the meantime she gripped the saddle tightly and scarcely realised the swift tireless pace the horse was keeping. The dazed feeling wore off and Maureen had just taken back the reins when Tango drew up sharply, giving a little nicker of alarm.

A small valley lay before them. It was a narrow depression in the hillside, through which the river normally flowed, but its appearance caused Maureen to gasp in dismay as she realised what had happened. The river was almost dry. The shock had thrown .thebank into the stream, further up

By GRACE FINNEL, Victoria Street, Waihi

the course, and this had formed a temporary dam. All the time the water had been banking up—if it should burst through—. As the thought flashed into her mind a dull explosion warned her that the raging waters were loosed. With white face and sinking heart the girl urged Tango on. Several times the horse stumbled and slipped as she descended to the rapidly drying river bed. Maureen knew that she had to cross the floor of the river to reach 'safety, for the other side of the valley sloped upwards for hundreds of feet. "Hurry, Tango!'' "she whispered through dry lips. Tango did her best. With foaming mouth and heaving sides the gallant animal responded to her mistress' entreaty. Maureen could hear the thundering of the oncoming tide. On! On! On! Surely they could do it! The roaring of waters drowned every other sound. At last! The horse began to clamber up the rocky slope; but not until she felt that they were above the flood's reach did Maureen draw rein. Some terrible fascination compelled her to look down on the yellow, swirling water, and she shivered as she saw huge trees tossed bodily in the maelstrom of stormy waters. Tango moved restlessly, bo Maureen turned away and set the horse's head for home. Mrs. Summers heard the thudding of hoofs across the yard and hastened out in time to catch her niece as she slipped to the ground. By some twist of fate the earthquakes had not been felt on that side of the river and it was not until later that they learned of the havoc it left in its wake. And today, whenever she is reminded of it, Maureen is thankful that a slight scar on her forehead is the only sign of her ride for life.