The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-06-23

never know IT., he thought. Il Will save
her from disgrace, if it costs all have. "
All that afternoon Ruy Blasmont re-
mained in his room. He wanted money,
and large amount, too. The only means
to obtain it would be to marry Rose to a
rich man. Old, pompous Mr. Willis, the
wealthy man of Moorland, was the person
he had selected for Roses husband Rose
had rejected him once, and then he applied
to Ruy. Ruy had promised for Rose,
never imagining that his sister would dare
oppose his all-powerful will.
Ruy Blasmont had found that Rose had
will of her own. Brightly was in the
way. Brightly, doubtless, knew more about
the forgery than was agreeable for the for
ger. Brightly was dangerous person.
Brightly would leave Moorland by the
midnight train. Parbleu What can one
do with dangerous person? Ruy Bias
mont showed his white teeth, and closed
his eyes as if he were afraid that they
would tell the evil thought showing through
them He was not aware that Rose had
left the house.
Shortly before midnight he stood on the
side of steep embankment, on the rail
road, about two miles from Moorland. His
hands were torn and bleeding. He had
just succeeded in rolling huge rock on
the track On either side of the embank
ment was narrow path. Fifty feet below
on one side was the river; ON the other
were rugged masses of clay and rocks.
Running along the embankment until he
reached the field to the north of it, he
crouched between the fence and the trunk
of a willow tree, and waited the coming of
a train.
"Parbleur' he muttered Monsieur lie
diable will thank me for the cargo LII send
him tonight. Bah they'll die sometime
all the same" And he shrugged his
shoulders.
The light of the locomotive grows larger
and larger. In another moment the train
will be on the embankment. 1t passes the
field at lightning-like speed. The moon is
at its full. The engineer perceives the OBJ
struction; but too late The locomotive
strikes it, leaps back, crushing in the near
est car, and plunging down the embank-
ment. There are shrieks and groans from
men and women, and crushing timber.
The locomotive, followed by the train,
plunges in among the clay and rocks. At
last it falls over on it's side, and all who are
alive pour from the cars. There are many
wounded and many dead but Ruy Bias
mont does not see John Brightly. He
sees another, however, and that is his sis
ter Rose With her pale, still face up
turned, she lies among the rocks, near the
dismantled locomotive, the light from its
reflector forming halo around her.
Ruy Blasmont kneels by her side. His
face becomes rigid.
"a mistake" he says, cody taking
revolver from the breast-poeket of his coat
"I've killed the wrong one. This time l
will be sure.
He points the pistol at his own head and
fires. The ball passes through his head
and he falls back a corpse.
The news of the disaster travelled quick
ly to Moorland. John Brightly was the
first to reach the spot. He exerted him.
self nobly, tenderly caring for the wounded,
and reverently removing the dead Ap-
preaching the spot where the locomotive
lay, in search of more unfortunates, he re-
ceived an impression of horror that never
left him until his dying day. He saw Rose
Blasmont He staggered and almost fell.
''Rose My Rose" he gasped.
''John !" she cried, joyfully opening her
eyes, "Where am [? Is it really you
John? Then | am safe p
She was safe and unhurt. She had only
tainted.
In a dark clump of cypres trees, near
the Brightly farm, there is marble slab.
1t bears the name-"Ruy Blasmont. Mr..
and Mrs. Brightly have forgiven him.
The remembrance of his terrible crime is
the only cloud in the sunlight of their
happiness.