Sharp County record., 1880-09-23

the keepers made their lookout. The door
was close shut; the window and shutters were
fastened all was as still and deserted-looking
as the grave; but faint wreath Of smoke rose
from the chimney and surely there was slight
noise, as OF some one stirring within.
Young and brave as Julian was-too de
sparing for fear, too wise for superstition, he
stood there and trembled. He did not know
what he expected nor what he dreaded; ht
only knew that he was seized with some NOR
tai terror and that he stood by the door eager
as hound in leash when the scent is warm
yet quiyering with the nervous anguish OF 9
schoolgirl.
A light sigh broke through the stiffness and
he heard the rustic of wOman's carmen q
and the tread of a woman's feet.
He tried the door; it was fastened and he
knocked with sharp, quick knock that meant
as much dread as impatience. "Who is thereF
said voice from within.
He knew the voice-as love ever does. II
was what he unconsciOusly eXpected-what he
dumbly hoped yet dreaded.
"Debby! my love! my darling. 1t Is l.
Julian God be thanked that have found
YOU !n was his answer. "Debby quick open
| the door let me in my darling! my beloved
have found you once more!"
| But no glad footsteps came rushing to the
door, to open the mouth OF the tomb and let
in life and the sunlight, only wailing cry and
a burst of despair answered his prayer, his JOY
81 cannot open the door to you-it is barred
and l am chained o, Julian do not leave me-
Save me, save me. Force your way in and set
me free"
Whence came the strength Julian never
knew, but in a moment, as it seemed to him
| he had burst the door open and was there in
| the heart of the hut holding his rescued love
in his arms.
Had she been what she looked, dead Great
ure still unburied, it would have been scarce
ly more pain to Julian than it was to find her
in this terrible condition of degradation and
suffering. And it would have been small
wonder had she gone mad But life is strong
| In youth anG hope never abandOns those who
| love. She lid not known how, but she had
| known that I would come. She had dreamed
of it, prayedfor it, pictured it, believed in it;
and now her hope had justified itself and she
was safe and with him.
"The tigers ~ he said as he held her to him
"the cruel, bloodthirsty tigers!"
at will be all right noW," was Debby's pa
tient answer as she turned her face to her lOv-
er's breast, and sobbed with joy and weakness
together
All for her He gave up everything. He
threw away his name, his inheritance, his fami-
ly, his wealth, his estate, his social standing.
He would have none of these things, tainted
as they were with the cruelty of old-world
superstition-with the blindness of an effete
civilization, to which appearances and names
are more valuable than things and facts. He
abandoned all for her. and love and freedom
and in his peaceful Australian home, where he
had the dignity of labor and the light of her
love, he was happier than he would have been
in the old home, bound to the car of cOnven-
tionality aud without her love, or with her
love, and at odds with all the powers that rule.
His father and mother never knew his fate.
This was his revenge. As they had dealt by
him so did he by them; for he believed that
/ they had known of the whole plot, and been
themselves the prime movers in it; just as they
believed the same Of him.
He said bitterly enough that 1t would not
break their hearts to imagine him dead nor in
truth did it. They kept his place open for q
reasonable time, and when Julian saw by the
papers that he had been made dead and that
Clarence and young Hugh were held as heirs
to the estate, he only smiled as he turned to
Debby and said
"It is better so, my wife. We will never
tell our boys of the inheritance they have lost.
Yet between this and their mother they would
hesitate no more than land between love
and riches they would choose as did ~
"Never to regret your choice, husbands"
"NeverM he said firmly "On the con
trary; each year that live am more andmor
thankful for the good gift made me by
heaven when l found you, and with you al
that makes life worth having. ."-Editor'S Boz