The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-09-19

HcDt'cf your reh1'0uS CONSTITUENCIES
afraid you can't pray yourself out OF this
situation; but there's no harm in trying"
The sound of his voice gave another and
fresh turn To her thoughts. At that mo-
mcnt her prayer was answered and every
thing grew clear The clouds which tron-
bled her rolled away, or it may be, closed
round her to break no more.
She shivcred and still kneeling, turned
her face to the speaker Her look for a mo
ment startled him in spite of the contempt
he felt for her religious vagariss. And we'll
it might startle him.
Now she knew all. She knew why she
had lived. She knew to what she was pre-
destined. Cycles ago this moment had been
decreed. IL was she whom God had ap-
pointed to remove this man from the path
which led one Of elect to happiness. The
belief that ages and ages before she WA
born, her place, not only in this world, but
also In the next, had been irrevocably fixed,
the terrible conviction that she was one of
the many doomed by Gods will to eternal
torture, a fate which not the prayers OF
lifetime, or tho conduct Of a saint, could
avert or In the slightest degree mitigate;
this fearful belief closed round her like the
walls of prison from which there Is no
escape, from which death itself there ia no
release. How in such state OF mind could
she turn with feelings Of love and alteration
to the Supreme Being Who had doomed her
to such unutterable woe' No, she could fear
Him, tremble before Him, abase herself at
His feet, pray her wild hopeless prayers, but
such love as she had to give was fain to be-
stow itself upon an earthly object, and for
the want of a, better that object was
Beatrice.
Even a. Jael, oven as Judith, had their mis-
sion SO had she, Sarah Miller, a mission
equally terrible, that Of slaving a man whom
God had doomed. With her brain flooded. per.
meated by this one fearful thought. the
woman rose from her knees and resumed
her seat.
Every thing, she fancied, with her mind
bewildered in reality, yet to herself seem
ingly clear, pointed to the carrying out Of
this decree Of destiny. The solitude, tho
night journey, even the mans half helpless
condition were but details Of a settled
scheme The opportunity was here, only
the way and the means were wanting
These in good time would be vouchsafed to
her. She would be shown how she, q weak
woman, was to take the life Of strong
man.
Little did Maurice Hervey, as from the
effects Of fatigue, cigars and brandy he sat
half dosing in the corner Of the compart-
ment, dream what thoughts were passing
through the mind Of tho woman near him.
To him she was nothing more than an ad.
e-headed sort Of creature, who once upon
a time had done great deal towards bring.
ing him to ruin; an act for which he rightly
believed he was now paying her In full.
How was she TO do i'll Time was passing
and yet the path was not yet pointed out.
See. the mans eyes we're closed! Had the
moment comet II she had knife she might
eyeu now drive it into his heart But sh,
had no knife; had nothing which would
serve her need, or rather Co.'s need. Sud
denly she remembered, as one remembers 4
dream, that hours and hours ago she ha6
seen a fellow passenger opening a bag, ano
had noticed on the top Of that bag pistol
Had she zen allowed to catch sight Of th'
weapon for the purpose which she wa
deputed to carry outi II SO, where was tina
pistol, and how could she get IL into he
bandsi She rose, and without any settleC
object, passed Hervey and stepped out int
the gaDgway.
Her movement awoke him. He put hi
head through the door and watched her - q
cat watches q mouse. Sarah went tn
length Of the long carriage, but fount
nothing TO guide her to her end. Ever,
door was hermstically sealed. II seemed q
" she and her companion were the only per
.rns awake. The only sound heard was th