The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1878-11-02

of torches, and held high revel till mid
night. And then, all of sudden,
chill blast of wind came moaning through
the hall, making all the banners and
mail coats along the wall clank and rus
tie; and the huge door swung slowly
open, and in the midst OF the guests, no
one could see whence or how, appeared
the shrouded figure of tall monk. It
glided like shadow up to the dais |
where my ancestor was seated, and, in a |
deep, hollow voice that seemed to make |
the very torches grow pale as it spoke
"Anthony of Cowdray thou hast en-
riched thyself with the spoils of Gods
Church, and for that deed His iudg-
ments are upon thee and thine. As
snow melts in the sunshine, so shall thy
race decay, until the end come; and it
shall come suddenly, in one day, by fire
and by water p
1t was strange enough to note how
Montague's light tone deepened into
tragic solemnity as the dismal tale pro-
ceeded, and how the shadowy impress of
doom ON his shadowy face came out
palmer and palmer with every word.
The anxious look in Marion Wentworth's
eyes grew into absolute terror as he
ended and she seemed about to speak,
when the walters entrance with dish
interrupted her.
As he entered, Mrs Wentworth, evi-
IDENTIFY wishing to change the subject,
spoke to him.
Waiter when did you say tie night
illumination of the falls was to be ?"
Tuesday week, gracious lady; but it
will hardly be so good as the one we
had last year, when they sent big
boat over the falls, hung round with
lanterns"
"Was there any one in herr" asked
Montague.
What do you say, Milford p gasped
the old man with stare of blank amaze
ment.
Was there anybody in the boat!"
"The boat, Milordl The boat went
over the falls, tell you"
"Well, why shouldn't somebody go
with her to keep her straight2'
"WhyP echoed Johann, goaded be-
| yond endurance. Because we Rhine
landers are no fonder of being drowned
than other people. I've seen many
thing done in my time, but man shoot
ing Shafhausen Falls in boat I've
never seen yet, aud never shall.
The sudden CLEAN in Montague's dark
eye and the glow on his handsome fea-
lures sufficiently BETRAYED the wild
thought suggested to him by the honest
Germans last words. The significant
glance exchanged between him and Bur
dett showed that the same idea was in
the minds of both, though the latter ac-
| cempanied his looks with a warning
gesture, reminding the reckless viscount
of the effect which the words that were
just about to break from his lips would
have upon two ladies. But when they
had retired, Montague could contain
himself no longer.
"Glorious idea Well do it-eh,
Sed y
"Do itl I should think we would
After the Gueule dEnfer' rapids in
Canada, this thing'll be a joke Never
seen it yet, and never SHALL eh2 Well
give Mr.. Johann another story to tell
tomorrow, one that'll last longer than
his present stock"
Our two heroes were not men to loiter
over any enterprise, however desperate,
upon which they had once resolved, and
| they lost not moment in setting out in
quest of a boat But to find one was no
easy matter Some were unseaworty
others failed to please the critical eye of
Sedley Burdett, who, with all his reck-
lessness, knew better than to leave any
chance uncare1 for in match where
| life itself was at stake. More than
one conscientious native, on learning the
nature of the proposed expedition, fatty
refused to have anything to do with it,
nor was it till late in the afternoon that
| they at length met with less scrupu-
lous individual, who, on receiving the
| full value of his boat in advance, and
handsome gratuity the use of her, con-
sented to let the " English madmen"
have their way. He agreed to leave the
boat at convenient spot, and then took
bis leave.
1t was considerably past IL o'clock
that night, and Burdett, mindful of the
tough work that awaited him the next
morning, was preparing for bed, when
Montague, (who slept in the next room)
burst in, with flush of unusual excite
ment on his face.
"sed, old fellow, we must alter our
time of starting. Those meddlesome
asses, the local authorities, are going to
put spoke in our wheel p
"Do you mean that they'll try to stop
us y asked Burdett, with the natural
amazement of an Englishman at any
one presuming to oppose his will.
81 do indeed That prating fool of a
boatman (see if / don't punch his head
when it's all over J must have let the
cat out of the bag for, as / came through
| the hall just now, | heard the landlady
say to her husband: "Ought we to let
them gol It's really no better than
suicide and the old sinner answered
with a chuckle: Be easy, my Gretchen
when these young distracted ones get
to their boat, they will find it in charge
of certain Gerichts Diener (policemen)
who are less foolish than they, and no
harm will be done ?"
"Just like their confounded cheek p
cried Burdett. What will we do thenl"
"Dol Why set the alarm clock two
hours earlier Q'm safe to hear it where
| any and start at four instead of six
and we'll just meet the 'minions of the
law on our way back to breakfast, and
jolly sell it'll be for theml My word,
every mortal thing seems to have con-
spired against this venture of ours; but
I'll go through with it, no matter who
stands in my way"