Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-09-10

expect this of you. Speak to her. Will
If any harm befalls you. Nellie, your BLOOD
be upon your own head!
i am not wanted here. / don't care
for the storm. I am not afraid persis-
ted Nellie. de6sntly. ~ she turned to oper
the door. o. how icy cold the sir was
and the wind gave . great shrek. a;
1 though rejeicing statshs wss 10 De Geaix.
cred up to its power; Nellie's heart failed
her; she looked back; the FIRE blaxed
cheerfully; never had the room appeared sc
home-like; if be would only given in aud
ask her to stay.
Goodbye, Will.' she ventured timid.
ly; and the clear girlish voice trembied.
[ Will never raised his head, aud vouch-
safed no answer. If his life had depen.
ded upon it, be could not have asked her
to remain.
Poor Nellie felt she had made conces.
sion which had been very i'll received
Piqued by bis seeming Indifference. she
was very deaf to her aunt's entreaties; and
regardless OF the friendly warning. she
rushed out into .he storm. 1t was drift.
ing. and the cold snow flying in her face
almost blinded her. She could not see
her way; there was no path. and at every
step she sank almost to her waist; and
still, with the energy of anger. she went
on.
He drove me out she said to herself
i shall never turn back. If be finds me
dead in the snow it will just serve him
right
She turned to look at the house, but
could not see it. Indeed. she could no,
see a yard before her. She tried to fnd
the road. but failed. Nellie's courage
commenced to fail. Her pride could no,
sustain her amidst such difficulties. How
cruel be was, yet he had said he loved
her. She would retrace her steps; she
could not be far from the house.
She wandered first in one direction,
then in another, but at each step sank
deeper aud deeper into the snow. The
short winter day was drawing to a close;
it was almost dusk now. 4 terrible dread
took possession Of the girl; she trenblcd
convulsiyely. Would she, indeed. perish
in the snow. aud be frozen stiff? She
thought of her mother. happy at home.
unconscious OF her child's danger She
thought of Lys,er Farm. its warmth and
comfort. She could not die, she was so
young and beloved. Life was so beauti-
full. death was SO terrible. Surely she
could rot be doomed to such death
Then she cried aloud for help; cried with
all the strength of one in deadly peril
The wind mockingly repeated her cries.
Her strength failed her.
Nellie now knew tha. no succor coult
come. Tenderly cherished darling as she
was, she must now die like a homeless,
friendless outcast, in the storm. Panic
stricken. suffering bitterly from the cold
exhausted. stumbling deeper at every step
at length she fell against a tree; to it sh,
clung as though il had been friend. She
had dim idea that relief had come in the
hour Of dire distress.
She threw her arms around it. kissed
it as she would living being; she did moi
feel the cold so painfully now, only lit
tie sleepy and weary. She tried to rcpea,
her prayers like a frightened child, bu,
could not remember the words Then,
with the pure cold snow for pillow. Mel
lie Ross sauk gently into the sleep Of
death.
VIII Lyster's rest was strangely trou-
bled that night; he fancied several times
that he heard Nellie's voice calling for
aid; and bis mothers distress increased
bis uneasiness. At brake of day he was
ready to 90 over to Mrs Ross; his pride
was quite vanquished by intense anxiety.
He could only think of his pretty. willful
cousin. lovingly. After all. twas natu-
raj she should like admiration. She was
very young; she would grow steadier in
time.
lie acknowledged TO himself that be
had been harsh to her. but he would make
it all righ. now. Then be thought oi
Nellic's surprise at seeing him so carly.
The dimple face. half-pouting. half-shy-
ly smiling. that would greet him: on the
whole. now tina; his bad temper was ex-
hausted. Will Lys,er felt considerably re-
liev,d.
The revu'>ion Of feeling was terrible
when the frightened mother had informed
him that Nellie was not at home. She
had Dprosed that her daughter would re-
main at Lys s.er Farm until the storm had
passed over. viii insisted that some
neighbor had found her aud taken her
home. She could no, be lost in the snow
within sight of home; still be was in al
agony Of terror.
As be returned through the fields hi:
attention was attracted BY few working
men standing beneath tree. Their ees.
tures denoted that they were much excl
ted. With plying, awe-strickeu faces,
all drew back as he approached. aud Will
Lysier beheld sight which haunted him
ill the hour Of bis death.
Resting placidly. with face up,urued to
the sky. aud hands meekly folded upon
her breast. no expression of pain upon the
marble featur 5. aud only perfect peace,
lay the girl he had hoped would become
his WIFE No more angry fushes would
crimson the pale brow; no more eoquet-
,ish smiles would dimple the tender mouth;
far from the reach of both love aud sor-
row. Nellie Ross slept soundly.
Heaven help me. killed her" h'
cried hoarsely.
Then. raising ter in his arms. he turned
! toward home. The rough farm laborer:
| were weeping for the blithe little maiden
who had always smile and cherry word
but the man uho loved her best of all
the very lieh, of whose eyes she had eee'
n