The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1865-03-30

luxurious precincts, she shut herself In
from all intrusion, She double locked
the door, and dispensing with fire and
lights set down by the window which
commended view of the desolate waste
Of moorlaud from which the old mansion
took its name.
Bare and bleak, and white with drift
ted snow, the dreary tract stretched out
for more than three miles. At its foot
lay the village of Soulhgate. Nadeline's
set face was pressed closely against the
glass, as if che hoped to pierce with
those wild eyes of hers the gray obscu.
rity Of the night. The wind swooped
down, and shook ruthlessly the tall old
elms il the yard and tossed the snow
into great hillocks of foalny white.
Madeline did not know that she was
cold-she did not think that on the
! morrow her roses would be white ones,
if she kept this midnight vigil. She on.
ly remember that Rolfe ErsEine was in
deadly peril she INDUCED beneath all n
cruel hope that Annie Pembroke, her
fair young cousin, had gone out alive
from Moor House for the last time,
Through the whirling blast Rolfc
Erskine strobe manfully on. There was
a fire in his heart which deied all the
cold around him He started nervously
at every fresh hillock of snow, and the
dwarf pines thrilled him like the pre-
seuce Of human being. Every dozen
PAGES he stopped to listen, hoping, yet
dreading, to hear the voice Of Annie
Pembroke calling FOR assistance.
1t was a dirclul tramp. He sunk
waist deep at every step, and the wind
filed his hair, and encrusted his face
, with keen, cutting particles of frozen
sleet, almost binding him. In spite Of
the time and place he found himself
almost inconsciously y, reviewing his briet
acquaintance with Miss Pembroke.
\ little more than a year before hi
mother, of whom he was the only child
had married Mr.. Prescott, Madeline
father. Six months after the marriage
/ Role had come TO ScutLga to practis
his profession. The physician located
, there for man. years had died, anc
f Rolte stepped into the opening thu.
made. Much of the time his night
} haa been spent at noor House. Tha
was his home, though he kept his room
in the village. AZ 4Noor House he haC
$ first met Annie Pembroke. She was
poor cousin of Madeliuc's. Her parent
were dead, and Mr. Prescott had takel
s her home. She performed the part o
seamstress and waiting-maid to he
}. naughty cousin.
: Madeline was beautiful, queenly, he
admirers said but she was not always
gentle, and Annies lot was a hard on
Il Erskine had read something of her tria
|. in the sweet, sad face, with eyes of deeI
b. est brown, and hair the same shade
e She had avoided him always. He woul
o have been very kind to her, but she CAV
him no opportunity. He was piqued
little, and spoke of it to Miss Prescott
e She laughed. Annie was engaged, sh
said, to Roy Montgomery, young lie,
!, tenant in the army, and had no though
for any other man. And seeing he
daily, the sweet countenances of Ami
G Pembroke grew into Rolfe Erskine
IS deepest heart, until there was no moo
o nor corner untitled by the sacred prt
il sence. Now, she had gone to meet he
e lover. Erskine said the words owe
+; slowly, bitterly, now there were none
hear him. Still, that fact did not lesse
r. his obligation to save her, if possible.
\. The violence of the storm had in
e measure abated, but the wind still bic
,e with undiminished fury. A stray sta
e peeped out above the whirling masses {
d dark clouds speeding eastward it wa
e nearly time for the moon to rise. Sue
" denly True started forward, his noise i
II the air, and gave utterance to shol
=. sharp bark
"True, old boy, what is it ?"
e The dog repeated the sound, and dal
e ted away. His master followed as fa'
n as he was able, breathless, aud pantin
S with his eager haste. He struck HI
h foot against something. True whinec
Half buried in the snow, the brute WI
If digging vigorously with his fore paw
only pausing to utter that piteous whin
r. so expressive to the cal of Rolfe Er
kline.
e, The man stopped down, and his han
touched the soft garments of a woma
n. A moment more, and beheld Ann
ID Pembroke in his arms. Her face fe
IN against his, it was cold as death, and Il
rigid hands he took in his were like ic
III He tore off his fur coat, and wrapped
70 around her, holding her so very close
rs to his bosom-feeling in every fibre no
he had loved her-hOw, dead or livin
ce he loved her still.
co The clouds broke in the eastward, al
* the moon looked forth. The ghast
lc light fell athwart Annie's face makir
Il. it frightful in its pallor, but it shove
s. ErSkine his exact locality. Not mo
than dozen yards off was the hut