The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-10-24
CHAPTER III.
THE ELOPEMENT,

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"Stony limits cannot hold love out,
And what love can do, that dares love
attempt"
Despite locks, bolts AMI bars the lovers
daily communicated with each other, and 1t
was fully arranged that they were to elope
together the very day Flora came of age.
A week before that time the theatrical
season terminated at Aberdeen. and the COM
panv took their departure for Inverness.
Deempster, who had kept vigilant eye
on THE play actor fellow" as he called
Curly, finding that he had really left the
town, relaxsl his watch, and MacAllister
himself breathed more freely He was de-
votedly attached to his daughter, and tried
by every means in his power to make her
forget the stormy interview on the night Of
the ball. The effort was in vain, for he
could not unsay what he had said, while she
was implacable, AMI remained dlslainfully
silent. As for Deempster, she did not even
notice the mans existence.
Three months passed. away, AMI Flora at
tainel her DIST birthday. The time for the
elopemcnt had arrived. 1t was a night of
storm and tempest. Willie accompanied
Curly from Inverness to see him start on
| bis perilous Journey When all the house
was at rest Flora, attended by the faithful
JEANNE went forth in % her lovers arms.
Then, her courage aubdued by her love- she
melted into tears.
"Oh, my love, My princow she said,
''fod me to your heart. Let me feel your
strong arm around me, that may know
am yours"
mine and mine only, and always" the
young man rcpIiel.
At this moment Willie emerged from the
other SIDE Of the coach, to which he had dis
creetIy Withdrawn with tie postillions when
h. saw Flora coming.
Dearest" said Curly, ''let me Introduce
my lest friend to you"
"Mr. JAMESON" sal Flora, extending
her hand, my husbands friends are mine"
Madam said Jameson, SHOULD YOU
ever need a frien | YOU II ay rely on me-"
81 shall remember" she replied
Then she embraced JEANNE, and stepped
into the coach. The girl turned away
towards the house, silently weeping The
young men casped hands, AMI babe each
other goodbye; the postlllions set spurs to
their horses, and drove away.
Whel the carriage was lost in the dark
ness Willie walked rapidly toward the coach
office to catch the Inverness mail, so as to
return t. his duties on the morrow. "They
are bonnie couple" he said 'and | think
she has ballast enough to keep him straight.
They ought to he happv-anl yet-I've an
ll-divining heart ! shall miss him more
than | thought / should; he has frank AMI
pleasant wavs-and then he's so like my lit
tie brother Sandie, that's dead-the same
laugh, the same curly hair, the sams bright
blue eyes. Idon't know whether it was the
laugh, or the hair or the eyes that first
drew me to him. All! here we are So
saying he entered the archwav of the White
Horse, where the mail was waiting
That very hour Deempster dreamed that
the woman he loved had fed her fathers
nome with the play actor fellow" Thu
thought maddened his brain AMI burst the
bonds of seep. Without an instant's DELAY
he slipped into his clothes, AMI, regardless
Of the rain and the darkness, h rushed
down the High street From the opposite
direction came the tramp of horses feet at
a gallon, the rattle Of wheels and the loud
tantara Of the guards horn. II was the
northern mail on It's way to Inverness. Tna
sounds got nearer and nearer, till at length
they were close upon him. AS he stepped
aside an clung to the wall to let the coach
rass, a vivid sheet of lightning for mo-
ment ilumnel the horizon as brightly as
if 1t hal been noontide. Looking up he saw
Jameson on the box; the next moment the
coach had vani hel. The sight of the young
lragedian confirmed his suspicious, and he
crowlel: Course Tho long-leggel brute
What can have brought him here at this
unearthly houra What but to help the
other scoundrel to rob me OF the light of
my life! Yes, yes, it must be so. Perhaps
it may not he too late; perhaps" And
So, with hell raging in his heart, he ran fast
as his feet could carry him to the Gairloch
Head.
In her agitation JEANNE ha forgotten to
bolt the door He dashed it open, and, rushing
hcadlong into MacAlliser's room, starllei
him out of his drunken slumber by giving
v mt to his suspicious. AT first the old man
was half dazei, but as soon as he could
comprehend the state of affairs he jumped
up as if he hal been shot. A minute later
AMI they were in Flora chamber. 1t was
too late.
When he founi the bird ha | flown MacAl.
lister turnel grim "a death 500 down, Danl,
90 dowl,n said he ''ani bring me my doy
WHIP Deempster strobe down stairs, AMI
returned imme lately with the whip. A
moment after they had burst open Jeanuies
room. Poor JEANNE! She had overheard
all, but she protein led to sleep.
"Thatll do, roared MacAllister. Come
out o that; none of your humbug with me-
And he sent the whip flying around her
ears CIV here is shel tell mel Blast you'll
tell me- YOU young Jezebel, or pI cut the
liver out of you.'
The girl spralg from her bed and con-
fronted him, with her teeth set and her eyes
aglare. Then, folding her arms, she said,
"Cut ava, but dell a word you'll get out o
JEANNE.
Curse you, then; take that-and thatr
roared the Infatuated father. as he sent the
whip writing into her tender flesh. Fortu-
nately the girl had thrown herself upon the
bel in her clothes, a cir circumstances to which
she probably owed her life. Mad with rage,
Mac Allister piled the whip until she dropped
down senseless. Thea Deempster inter-
vened.
'I's no use whipping dead dog" said
he. Obj bert there let her lie! They're
gone north by the mail; we haven't mo-
ment to lose. I'll gang and see the horses
ready while you get dressed"
Half - hour later coach and four
horses, with two postillions, were at the
| door. Both men examined the printing of
| their pistols, both filled their TASKS with
spirits, then off they went through the nignt
and the darkness.