The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1877-07-26

lifted her in, and they drove off,
On and on they went in silence and
darkness. For awhile the novelty ofthC
thing diverted her attention, and then
her conscience arose with renewed
strength and power tOreproach her fol
the step she was taking, and held before
her eyes the dreadful consequences, Al
first she crOuched In one corner of the
carriage, too utterly wretched to speak
while the whole Of her previous life
seemed to pass in review before her
The thought Of her mother, dead SC
many years; Of her father, who loved
her so dearly, and who had so often
called her his only blessing; of his
/ grief and anguish when he should re-
turn to his home and find her gone
and lastly the man into whose hands
she had entrusted her welfare, and who
was comparative stranger to her
What had she done? What would be
the consequences of this stepI what
could they be but misery and wretchcd-
ness? These questions struck TO her
heart like the point Of a knife; and al
last, unable to endure it longer, she
turned to her companion, who was
almost indistinguishable in the dark
nesr, and who had maintained the same
persistent taciturnity.
Take me back, Walter!" she ex-
claimed, brokenly. 81 was foolish
wicked Take me back :"
at is too late now" was the answer,
as the horses quickened their pace ;
"you have chosen your fate; you must
accept it,"
"But where are you bringing me!''
she mOaned, as the full horror of her
position seemed to Oburst upon her; "oh
heaven. what shall dO?"
Her companion made no reply, but
only urged the animals faster. Another
dreadful silence ensued, a period dur
ing which Maud suffered such agony
as she never thought possible. Those
few words seemed to have stripped the
mask from her enslaver, and shown her
the true character of the man into
whose power she had in her wilfulness
and folly betrayed heaself. AT last the
carriage stopped, her companion
alighted, and then lifted her to the
ground; and as the action seemed to
give her new vigor, she broke from his
arms with an anguished cry:
"Oh, father-father! saveme! where
am II"
"Safe in your own home, my child I!
Thank heaven that such haven yet re =
mains to you" !" answered her fathers
voice. With startled cry, she opened
her eyes, to find herself lying prone
upon the floor, from which he had bent
to raise her, and giving utterance to a
faint moan, the Overwrought and ut
terly astonished girl sank fainting into
| his arms.
When she recovered her senses, her
.father-Was- seated beside-the lounge on
which he had placed her, chatting her
brow and hands; and when she would
have spoken he prevented her. .
"Let me speak first, Maud; you are
too weak. | discoYered your intended
elopement, and learned, also, that this
Reynolds was worse than l ever deemed
him, and that the officers of the law
were already. upon his track. ] have
just returned with THE intelligence of
his arrest; but had it been deferred un-
til evening, had intended to meet you
in his stead, and save my misguided
daughter from the fate she would have
incurred"
"Then have not" faltered Maud,
in wild bewildermemt. A&
I fsY0u have not left the safe haven of
your fathers home, my child; God
grant that you never may" replied
Mr.. StanwOod ,gravely; 81 have been
watching you. all this week, and mark
ing every movement, and this afternoon
as heard the welcome news that the
man who would have wrought your
ruin was in the custody of the law,
| fastened home, just as you cried ont
in your sleep, and springing from your
chair, fell to the floor. You may tell
me now, if you choose, what it was, but
thank God it was only a dream, and not
the fearful realityw ws'l
For moment shame sealed Maud's
lips; then with burst of tears of min
gled repentance for the folly, and gra-
titude for her dcliverance from the fate
which she could now realize so yividly,
she confessed the whole.
"Then your heart was not wholly
alienated from the father who would
lay down his life, if need be, for your
sake?" Mr.. Stanwood said, as she fin
ished, and he folded her sadly and ten
derly into his arms; che never asked
my consent, Maud; and let this be a
lesson to. you, that any one who would
counsel you to leave your home under
such circumstances, wopld.havc no end
IN view but your destruction. Thank
heaven for your deliverance, my child,
and let It be a warning that you will
never forget" ~ "a
They talked together much longer,
while Maud besought the forgiveness
that was freely granted, Three years
later she became the happy wife of a
tgoodman, sanctioned-by- fathers
smile and blessing, andshe never ceased
to look back with gratitude upon that
day,when she was SO mercimlly spared
the wretchedness and woe which could
have been the only results of her pro-
jected elopement.