Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-09-03

destiny, snd b NV iaah yea SHAH b. misinrss
Of my halls, 10 lore ? -ypcg Of Ihe deSil IN q
pifs."
Hc would agaiu have rukrn ,hc all n his
arms. bu sho shrduk back.
Never" said she wHha shoddcr. "nrvcrl"
IS she spoke she gli5ed from he saddle, but
her capior quickly rrOsrrg over 10 he other
SIDE. arrested Acr Ia h.r Burinw at hgm. His
lace aus now dark wlih angry passions.
This is gone for enough h. saId. "Recol-
Isei you are wholly ~ my power. lou' maids
arc miles away, and even ii they give the alarm
ard IN Pursun follows the rghl usck, hours
must elayse before ! can be oyerukcn. am
not Disposed, however, 10 nasIe time IN delay
Answer me, give YOU smother chance. Prom
ise me to be mine legally aud accompany me
qUeiy on the road 10 my castle, where We will
Be mHde one by the holy noIher church. Re-
fuse this" and his brow grew dark as night
"0ud by the sirgin will make you mine n once,
on my own terms, and Afterwards leave you
dsgraced as you will be, 10 meet your friends
When they come to pursue MS"
The SsxOns daughter. courageous rs she was,
Iremble5 al these words. Too well she knew
that such ourdges we're not uncommon, aud
that not even her rank wUu,d protect her from
the minion Of King Ruiu..
BuI true to her love, with which he had 50
meanly upbuided her, she resolved 10 die rather
than be the wife Of This villain. A sudden
thought seemed to seize her. Daring forward
she seized the Normau's dugger, und holding
the gliuering blade sloil, cried
with this scoru-l defy your vengeance.
will never b. yours"
She raised the dagger as she spoke TO the rull
height Of her outsre.chcd arm. A moment II
giurrrd aloit, then shot. neteor.Ilke down-bm
iusl as lis keen point Was Nilhin an inch Other
bosom. the quick and powerful grusp ofrhe Nor
man arrested her arm, aud she was second time
bafied.
What ugainl" he said rauntiugly-"ha! my
rIiiler your delicate skin has hot even ascrach."
~ this new failure What of the girls spirit was
remaining, completely gate &ay. For mo-
ment she stood bgwiIdcr.d Is if struck dumb
Then she fell on her knees aud clung 10 her cap
tors knees. looking up Icariu.ly.
"Oh! have mcrcy on me! | will be your
save-my father will pay the ransom," she
cried, "only spare mc."
1T is too atel" he exclaimed, and his eyes
dweIt On her beeuts. ''lI minds me when
plead 10 you, times are cheuged; aud BY the
saints, you look even lovcer in supplicmon
than IN your quecnly haughliness."
mo, II is no; too lalc!" cried the SaxUn's
daughter, eagerly striving 10 grasp his hand.-
~ on cannot be so cruei-by your knighIIy hon
or--by your hope Of Heavenly your moIher's
memory, spare mel"
The rufian laughed loud and scorntuI, for his
eyes were glowing with eth passions. and he
was no longer human being but brute. He
stopped aud would have torn het dress wholly
from her bosom, saying;
"Ah! how well your Iears become you-weep
on my pretty one-weep on"
Bui al his rude and icenIious touch the girl
sprang up, though her flight was arrested third
lime by the qulckncsS Of the Norman. He
seized her by The waist.
"Oh God protect me-is rhcte no hopel"
shriekcd the girl in au agony Of despair "Ro.
, land-Roand, where are you! Help. help. elp!"
Her voice rose higher. and higher as she thus
called on her absent lover. in the complete for
getlulness Of terror. us if he was alive and near,
instead Of atar of. aud perhaps dead. Her
shrleks echoed back. 'Roland-help, help, help
long after she had ceased.
But suddenly and before that echo had died
away, while the fair girl still struggled in the
Norman's arms, shoul was heard close BY from
the forest. and Immediately knight, followed
by several retaners, their horses in u foam, GAL
lOpcl TO the scene.
At this apparirion. the ruhiun loosed thr Sax
on'S daughter from his arm; and drawing his
sword. hastily vaulted on his strcd; while his
late prisoner, with cry of JOY would have dar-
ted towards the corners but he sill retained her
At single glance the new corners took in The
whole scene.
"What foul wrong is ,his?" said The knight
Stculy, riding up 10 The Norman. by ST.
George, sir, let 90 that girl
"She is mine, sir knight and warn you not
TO interfere said the Norman haughuy moving
away, though guardediy, 10 be prepared to strike
/ if necessary.
"Rcland-Rolandl" "gasped the Saxon sdaugh-
ter, half sjitlcd for The ruan held her face close
10 his shoulder.
"Ha!" said the knight, "thqt voice! my namel
Bertha, as Iiye!" he exclaimed, as for The first
Time he caught sight Of her cuuntenance, while
she struggled loose; then almost choked with
passion cred-''miscrcanL" and lifting his iron
gauntlet he struck the Norman in the face such
/ blow as might have lelIcd an OK.
( The rufian fell al the stroke. the blood gushing
from his nose and mouth. Al the instant the
knight grasped Berha's form just in time to pre-
vent her from falling 10 the ground wuh the Nor
man. With glad cry she recognized her long
absent lover, so opponunely returned, and tainted
on his bosom.
The rutfan suddenly gathered himself up,
shook his cIenched fist al the knight, while he
cried, white with rage:
by love, You shall rue lhisday!--I will have
you torn limb from limb"
"Rufhan,' said the knight, looking up mo-
ment from his insensible charge, "go your way,
or will make my lackeys scourge youn thongs,
as you deserve-but will not Tread on a fallen
man. Your day is ended. Wium Rufus is
dead-sain by the avenging hand of God.-