The mountain Democrat., 1864-05-14

LOU Will uOt buEciy Oe 80 CIueI, !
cried, in an agony Of fear. You age hui
| Tightening meP'
'You Will seei Goodbye, Miss Nor
ton; thus I return our obligations to you.
And forcibly releasing her arm from the
clasp with which sought to detain her
she left the room. l strove to get out al
the same time, but the man pushed me ia
again with an oath, and heard them lock
and bolt the door after them.
Thus l WAS left to the anticipation of q
lingering, horrible death. opened the
window and called for help again and
again, in vain. No one could hear me,
save those monsters. At last sank on a
scat, and grew calm from exhaustion.
Very slowly the hours passed. sat
watching the wide space between the ill.,
fitting door and the floor, expecting every
moment to see the red, dull glare Of fire
through it; but the grey dawn stole into
the room, and still saw no sign Of the
threatened contlagration. ] was still un-
harmed, and only exhausted by want Of
rest, want OF food, and that most horrible
dread.
The light grew, and still there was no
perceptible fire. began to hope that
the match had gone out-that was safe.
Alas | was deceived. The house had
ignited long ago, but the old, damp wood
burned slowly. By-and.by, when it was
again near evening, | saw the red CLEAN
! had so feared on the threshold, and !
heard the rush and the hiss Of the flames.
A faur mn 4 eha Ano. ,,,o,,ll not toh
and | must perish. Once more rushed
to the still open easement, and looked out.
Should | spring ut the peril Of my life to
the vcrandah? There was nothing else
left for me, and | was preparing to take
leap that might have been fatal, when
voice called to me from below:
Stop stop Jane! Wait; l will save
your
And saw Kate Deloraine mounting a
garden ladder, placed against the veran-
dab. | watched her brcathlessly. She
assembled with ease, drew it up after her,
and raised it to the window. was out
and on it in moment. can scarcely
tell how the descent was achieved, but |
stood in safety at the bottom, clasping
Hates hand.
I'VE have not moment to lose,' she
gasped. Il escaped them at our last stage,
but when they find am gone, they will
guess why and where, and will follow me.
At that moment we heard q sound Of
approaching wheels in the lane. was so
weak that could scarcely move, and she
had to pull me and lead me to fly stand
ing near, in which she placed me. OBJ
served that there was crowd of people
around the burning cottage, endcavoring
to extinguish the flames, but we drove off
apparently unnoticed.
Il am SO sorry, said poor Kate, that l
should have been made the instrument Of
placing you in such peril, Miss Morton.
When my mother told me | might write
to bid you farewell, and ask you here. if
pleased, had no idea that she intended
to commit so awful crime; nor did
know that you were in the cottage when
we left 1t. But when they thought we
were at a safe distance, my mother boast
ed of the revenge she had taken on you.
Then | took advantage of the first oppor-
tunity to escape from them, and returned
in the same fly We are now In, leaving it
in the lane while | sought for you.
feared they would pursue me; but, proba-
bly, they thought if returned to you it
would be too late; or, perhaps, James
feared to venture back. The wheels we
heard were those of the approaching fire
engine
shuddercd-thcse people had been
friends ! would never blame English
caution and reserve in future.
But by this time we reached my home.
We found the servants in great state OF
alarm at my disappearance; they had
sent off for my father, though he was not
yet arrived, and every search was making
for me.
Twas so exhausted that Kate, who
placed me with great tenderness on \
sofa, had to feed me, and to give inc wine
slowly, and before my father returned, l
had sunk into profound sleep from
which did not awake for hours.
When did, found him sitting beside
me. lie embraced me with joy and graf.
itude, and was eager to know where had
been, and what had befalen me, as all
that the servants could tell him was, that
Miss Deloraine had brought me back, very
faint and i'll.
| related my adventure, and he grew
pale with horror and indignation as he
listened. lie vowed he would have the
monsters traced, and as severely punish
ed as their crimes deserved.
'But where is poor katc?" | asked.
"She was gone when | arrived" he
answered. Sarah says she left directly
you fell asleep, telling the servants not TO
wake you, as you had had great fatigue
and excitement. She left this note for
you"
And he gave me little twisted paper
written in pencil
"Adieu, " Miss Morton" she wrote; "for.
give me. You will never see me again.
| 60 to the Continent to earn my living,
as was wont to do before knew you,
by riding in circus. That woman's
crime has separated me from her for ever.
Pray sometimes 70" Poor Kate"
Poor thing!" We said. "And what
became Of her ?"
1--WE never knew" replied Mrs. Den.
nison. my father advertised for her,
offering in the advertisement to provide
for her if she would let us know where
she was but probably. she never saw the
paper containing it."
"And that horrible Mrs. Deloraine and
the man servantr Were they ever found
and punishedS"
She shook her head.
"No. We had no railwaysno no electric
telegraphs in those days. They escaped.
Probably they went to Australia. We
never heard Of them again. By degrees
We forgot the whole affair, or rather nev-
er thought about it. But you will allow
| had very narrow escape"
"WIFE, | am to live but few hours, At
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