The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-10-31

Il am Campbell
Campbell be ID! They were aye @
set of thieying caterans, the best oil them
but they were men, not spangle- jacks, and
tell you that nifty years ago, had TIC best o
your blood done to n MacAllister what you
have done 10 me and mine this day, my for
bears would have gwen HIM Jclburgl law
they'd have hanged him first, AMI T,d hin
fter! You're no worth sNilgins for, else
I'd think no more Of shooting ycu than
wringng the neck Of muir fowl"
"You are f oras father sir, and for her
sake | endure these bitter words. "
You'll endure more before Eve doneI
Now listen. II you've any regard for your
life, answer me c.elr,y AMI qnickl', and
above all truthiuily NOn demcntCl grl
swears that you are her husband; thaJ !
know to be a lie! But she has beel Al your
charge two days and nights Have you
wronged herr
"lf any other man had asked me tie ques-
ton, ! think ] should know how 10 answer
him. You are her father, and ! .orslve
you; but, as God is my Judge, she is as pure
us when she left your roof two nights ago!
And she is not your wifer
"Would to heaven she were!
Good Now read this paper"
Curly took up the paper and read these
cruel words:
These presents are to attest that Flora
Mac Allister is not my wife; and l call God
to witness that neither now nor hereafter
will seek to become her husband
DONALD CAMPBELL
"Dudhope Ferry, May 18th, IS"
"You have readg" said MacAlister.
Curly sssented in silence.
Now; your answer
"My answer is this sail the young man,
tearing the paper in pieces, and casting the
fragments to his feet.
Just So said MacAllister. "Dn'l,
copy yon paper once more
Srrathmlnes locked the outer door, AMI.
putting the key in his pocket, began t.
write As he wrote, moi u sound couh he
heard save the scribbling Of the pen on the
paper.
While the oil man locked thn inner door
Curly looked through the window. IL was
Smallso small that there was no possibility
of escape that way No human being APP
peared within sight or sound. Then he
looked toward, tne fireplace. There lay the
poker, primitive and unrumantic weapon,
1t is true; but if he could only reach t.
Quickly rs he moved towards the hearth
stone MacAllistar was quicker still, with
the pistol at hi mead.
mo, you dol't, my mannie,' said be,
grimly. as the paper done, Dan'lp
alt is,' replied the other
"Read it aloud, then, that there may be-
no mistake about it" Deempster read it
aloud 1t was textually word tor word
with the document which Curly had de-
stroyed. Now" said MacAllister, ''thereS
my WATCH and he placed it on the table.
ITS now ve-and-twenty minutes past
four; if at half past you've not signel that
yaper, ly the living God I'll chance this
worli and the next, and put the contents OK
this pistO into your head the next minute!
The young man darted towards the door,
hut was intercepted by DeempSter also
pistol in hand. Poor Curly! he was any
dining but a hero, but a better or Drawer
man might have felt daunted, placed be-
tween tho pistols of these stalwnt and des-
perate men He loved Flora MacAllister
letter than anything in the world-better
even tAan lie. If by sacrificing lis own
life h could have saved hers, | think he
W uii have found courage to do so. But
he rcasuDel that she was safe enough for
.na present; icsides, while there was life
th,rc was hope. These and a thousand
o her thoughts passed. through his mind
lurng those five minutes. Five minutes,
dill sayi | should hav3 sail five ages OF
agony.
Times up said MacAIlister, cooking
his pistol.
zone moment" said Curly. 81 will s.gn
his paper on two con litionS.'
Name them, said the old man sternly
FIRST, That YOU will promise me not to
,oe,cc her into marrying this Indicating
)eempsteD 'or any other man
MacA lister ruminatel a moment and said,
i promise"
"Next-that you'll let mo see her to say
good bye'-bcfore you, if you desire it, but
lot before yon Ter man.
"Yonder mans" eyes flashed fire, and
Curly heard tue click of his pistol, but the
nate in his heart gave him courage, aud he
laced his en- my to his te'th
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. he thinking / wonder,
that he had been young once himsofi-inter-
posed with:
"That'll do, Dan'l. Confound it! we can't
have it all our own way, and our own way
of having it. tool The lad shall say good
bye to her"
you promise that shall see her Them
promise. Now sign
"God help me!' exclaimed Curly ".'m
signing away her lie and my own with my
hearts blood" And so he was, poor wretch!
MacAllister took the Paper, and, turning :
to Deempster, said, Now, Dan'l, see the
carriage ready"
Strathmines strobe from the house, livid,
but silent MacAllister unlocked the inner
door, AMI, going to the foot OF the stairs,
called Flora.
In moments time she was in the room
there was no fear about her. She went
straight over to her lover, threw her arms
round him. am kissed him before her fathers
face That kiss never left thu unhappy
mans lips till the day of his death After
wards she remembered that he was cold as
ice At that moment, however she merely
thought that he was worn out with the
strain of the voyage. As she took his arm,
and leaned her head upon his shoulder, the
hot blood rushed from her heart TO her
glowing cheeks while h. stood pale as
death, motiouleSs as marble.
Not worl had yet b,en spoken. Al
length her father handed her tho paper.
She read 1t, ana quick rs lightning, with q
movement of repulsiou as though she had
been stunS 10y an adder, she withdrew her
sell from Curly's arm.
ibid you-iid youf she inquired, looking
at him. She might as well have spoken u
the dead-the man was hereft of speech