The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-01-15


dread was that Philippe, utterly unable TO
fight against the white tempest, might DO
orouohing under one OF the banks, and II no
! might pass without seeing her or even at
tracing her attention, Ny doing 30 on
such a night al this might mean her death.
Oh, why had she not come as promised !
Why had she gone to meet the man who had
so foully wronged herl After what had
happened, she could not, dared not love him.
And for a dreary comfort | recalled the
utter bitterness OF her accent last night
when she turned 10 mo and said. "Basil, did
you ever hate a manr' No, hhe could not
love himi
These thoughts brought my craving for
vengeance back 10 my mind. Where was
Ferrandi by all my calculations, taking
into account the time wasted At starting, ]
should by now have met him, Perhaps he
had not come, after all. Perhaps the look
OF the weather had frightened him. and he
hal decided 10 stay AZ Rodlng Tor the night
! ragged at the thought II only ! knew that
Philippe was safely housed, nothing, In my
present frame Of mind, would have suited
mo better than 10 have met him on this
lonely road, In tho midst OF this Wild storm.
II Philippa were only safe
sull no sign OF her. began 10 wayor In
my mind. What II my hpt SuppoAltlon,
that ! had passed her Of tho road, was COR
recti Bhe might bo now Al my cottage,
wondering what had become Of me, Should
/ go further or turn baokl But what would
be my feelings II I did tho latter and found
when / arrived homo that she had not made
hor appanrAncs '' Ns
haited, irresoluts, In tho centre OF tho
road. Instinctiysly beat my hands 10
gethsr 10 promots circulation. I had loft
my homo hurrledly. and had made no pro
vision for tho undergoing OF such an ordeal
az this terrible, unprecedented snowatorm
inflicted. In spite OF the speed al which l
had Travelled, my hands and feet we're grow
ing nnmbed, my face amarted with the cold.
Heaven holp mo to decide Alright whether 10
60 on or turn backl
The decision was not left tome, Suddenly,
close at hand, l heard q wild peal, a scream
OF laughter which made my blood run cold.
Swift from tho whirllng, tossing, drifting
snow emerged a tall gray figure, II swept
past mo like tho wind, but ~ II passed mo l
know that my quest was snded-that Philip
pa was foundi
She vanished In a second, before the tor
ror which rooted mo 10 tho spot had passed
away. Then l turned aud, fast M l could
run, followed her, crying 40 won't "Phil'
ippaI Philippar
aoon overlook her; but 40 dark Was the
night that | was almost touching her before
I saw her Shadowy, ghoatliko form, Threw
my arms round her and held her, Bhe Gtrug- |
gled violently In my grasp,
''Philippa, dearestl II is !, Bahl,n l baid,
bending close to her ear,
Tho sound OF my voice seemed 10 calm her,
or l should rather tay she ceased 10 atrug-
gle.
"Thank heaven, / have found your said
',Lst us get back az soon az possible
"Baekl Mol Go on, 20 onr' aho exclaimed. |
ION, on, on, up tho road yet awhile-on
through tho storm, through tho mow-on
til you aeo what | have left behind mol
On ill you Geo tho wages OF sin-tho wages
OF ainl'
Hor words came like bullets from n nit
raillouso, Through tho night ! could 200
her face cleaning whittier than tho snow on
hor hood. | could 500 hor great, fixed, dark
oyes full OF namelesa horror,
dearest, DO calm" l said. aud atrovo 10
take hor hands In mlno,
A ! tricd 10 gain possession Of hor right
hand something fell from II, and, although |
tho road was now coated with anow, n mo.
tallio sound rang out an II touched tho
ground, Mechanically ntoopod and picked
up tho fallen object
Al did so, Philippa, with n Wild cry,
wrcstod herself from tho one hand whose
numbod grasp still sought 70 retain her, and
with a frenElod roitoratlon OF the words, |
'crho wages OF ship iiod from mo, and was
lost In tho night
Evcn IA | rushed In pursuit 7 shuddsrod
an tho sense OF feeling told me what thing II
was | had picked up from tho snowy ground
II was u small plAtolI Cold M tho touch NJ
the motal must have bean, II sosmod 10 burn
like q coal Of hrs. Impulhvely, thought
aa l ran l hurled tho weapon from mo,
far, far away Why should II have been In
phillppa's hand this night
I ran madly on. but not for long. Ny
foot caught In a stone, and l fell, half stan.
ned and quito brcathlesa, 10 the ground. 10
some mlhutcs before l recovered myself
sufficiently 10 once mora stand ersot Phil
|ppa must have obtained = start which, sou.
plod with hor fronEied speed almoe, pro
pluded tho possibility OF my overtAklng hor,
Moreover, a strange, uncontrollatAs Inn
pulse nwaycd mo, The touch OF that deadly
weapon still burned my hand philippa's
still rang In my ears. ION, on, on,
mp tho road yet awhdlor' she had cried. '
What did abe meant What had been done
/ must retraco my 0topa ! must soel
must ,tnowl Philippe IL flying through tho
sold, dark, deadly night, but hor frame In
but the franc Of a woman. Rho must soon
grow exhausted, perhaps sink Senselcas on
bho road Nevertheless, tho dreadful fears
ara growing In my mind mist DO eet
NJ rest, then | can resume tho pursuit. Az
MI cost | must know what has happonedl
Once moro | turned and faced tho storm.
lioavonsl anything might happen o n such n
night IN thisl went on aud on, flashing
my lantern ~ | went on the centre and each
lido OF tho road, went some distance past
that spot where I judged that phllippa had
,wopt by mo. Then suddenly With a cry OF
horror / stopped short Az my worry feet, In
Tho middle of tho highway, illunlnod by tho
iitk OF light cast by my lantern, lay \
whitened mass. and m my oyo fell upon "
l know only too vol the meaning OF Phil.
Ippa's wild exclamation, "The wags { sinl
Tho wages Of sinr
$3.50 /