The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-04-21

.Mercyi" shrieked Amy, raising
her hands.
Forester, who only saw Amy, now
crept slowly towards a projecting
shelf of the cliff. He did not know
what Amy meant by raising her hands.
Soon he stood at the extreme edge. of
the cliff, not more than fifteen or six
teen feet in horizontal line from her
window. Thirty feet below him the
water of the canon roared over huge
boulders and behind was solid wall
of granite, twelve feet high. The
shelf was only two feet wide. &.
"Die, convictw shouted John Clu-
ny. Forester heard the word soon
vict, saw the old man, saw the bright
barrel of the gun as it was pointed to-
wards him, heard the report-thensaal
was blank zJ5 $
When his conciousness returned, he
found himself lying on the top of the
cliff It was night. A form was bend
ing over him. By the dim starlight
he could distinguish the features, but
cold shudder passed through his
body as he felt hand upon his face,
and heard the well known tone of the
miller:
"He's dead: and amt a bit sorry
for it either. But what am I going to
dc with the body? 1 can't throw it
over the cliffs. Well, l guess it's best
to stick to my first plan"
The miller took rope from his
pocket, passed it beneath the armpits
or Forester, and dragged the body
to cave known only to himself. This
cave was situated close to where one
end of the mill dam was fastened by
means of heavy timbers to the cliffs :;
the opening was concealed by clump
of bushes.
No one will eyer find him there,
muttered the miller.
When he entered the bedroom of
his daughter he found her lying upon
the floor insensible.
".
When Forester awoke from his
death like swoom darkness was around
him. Painfully he lifted himself upon
his elbow. Bending aside the bushes
he saw the glimmer of lantern which
stood upon the dam close by the sluice
gates. When Forrester's eyes became
more accustomed to the darkness he
perceived the forms of two men who
were bending over the breastwork of
the gates. Soon the sound of voices
came to his ears-he heard his name
mentioned. He was about to creep
through the opening of the bushes
when the men began to walk towards
him. About four feet from mwhere he
was lying they stopped.
"What time is it, Jim?" said one
"Time enough for our little job
replied the other with course laugh.
!" This time he'll be oooped up for
life-you bet," said Jim.
.sOr else he'll swing for it." re.
marked the other.
"He,l swing for it." echoed Jim.
"Look there Jim," interrupted the
other.
What the devils up, you fool?"
81 thought saw a mans face peer.
ing at me from the manzanita."
Forester had protruded his head
He saw by the light of the burning
match the bloated faces of James and
Charles Crocker.
"Stuff and nonsense. Go to work
Have you fixed the plank so that yor
can shove it across the gulch to hel
Window"
&. Yes," growled the brother; "bui
it was deyilish hard work"
"Then we are sure of the gal. Now
for the dam," said Charles moving
away.
i Like flash of lightning the plot o
the villains was revealed to Forres
!. ter.
They first intended to cut the dam
then they would release the family o
the miller by means of the plank. o
course this latter would insure tn
gratitude of the miller. The breaking
of the dam would again be charged
upon Forester, who, as one of tn
brothers remarked, would be sen
fenced to the penitentiary for life, O
: swing for it."
A look toward the dam showed tha
the water was nearly level with tn
: path. He heard the cracking of tb
8 timbers and planks as the two mel
were prying with an iron bar at on
e of the beams. A rumbling soun'
came to his ears-it was the pent u
water as it began to overflow the dam
: He rose to his feet, and drawing asid
e the bushes he stepped upon shelf
e like path which ran alongside of th
r cliff.
Villainsw he shouted. The tw
e brothers looked up, but saw no one
for the light of the lantern was illu
f minating the sluice gates. They re
: sumed their work. Again Forreste
:, shouted and again they lifted thei
e heads, when there came terribl
e crash mingled with the roar of tn
e water. Forester heard cry of de'
IS pair, and saw James Crocker fall hea6
e long over the dam into the seethin
+ water below.
e With a prayer upon his lips for til
o safety of her he loved, he ran alon
9 the narrow path until he came oppc
e site the mill.
: "The flood the flood? For God
n sake, save your lives! The water