Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-04-23

neglect your religious o6Sercdhces.
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 a
fresh turn to her thoughts. At that mo-
ment her prayer was answered and every
thing grew clear The clouds which trou-
bed her rolled away, or it may be, closed
round her to break no more.
She shivereI, and still kneeling, turned
her face to the speaker. Her look for mo-
ment startled him in spite of the contempt
he felt for her religious vagaries. 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. 1t she whom God had APP
pointed to remove this man from the path
which led one of elect to happiness The
belief that ages and ages before she was
born her place, not only in this world but
al so in he next, had been irrevocably fixed,
the terrible conviction that she was one of
the many doomed by Gods will to eternal
torture, fate which not the prayers of a
lifetime, or the conduct Of a saint, could
avert or in the slightest degree mitigate;
this fearful belief closed round her like the
walls OF a prison from which there is no
escape, I ON which death itself there is no
release How in such a state of mind could
she TURF With feeling. OF love and cdoration
to the Supreme D.lns Who bad ioo.le her
10 such ulu;.erablc wcel No, she couli fear
Him, trenble before II II, sbsse 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, AMI for
the want of better that object was
Beatrice.
Even as Jael, even as Judith had their mis-
sion so hal she, Sarah Miller mission
equally terrible, that of Staying 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, the
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 10
her. She would be shown how she, 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 doing in the corner OF the compart-
uent, dream WndC thoughts were passing
through the mind Of the woman near him.
To him she was nothing more than an ad-
dle-headed sort of creature, who once upon
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 it, Time was passing
and yet the path was not yet pointed out
See, the mans eyes were closed! Had the
moment comet If she had knife she nigh
even now drive it into his heart But sh
had no knife; had nothing which woulC
serve her need, or rather Gods need. Sud
denly she remembered, as one remembers
dream, that hours and hours ago she ha,
seen fellow passenger opening bag, ant
had noticed on the ton of that bag a pistol
Had she cen allowed to catch sight of til
weapon for the purpose which she wa
deputed to carry outl If so, where was tina
pistol, and how could she get it into he
handsl She rose, and without any settle
object, passed Hervey and stepped out int
the gangway.
Her movement awoke him He put h
bend through the door and watched her as
cat watches mouse. Sarah went II
length of the long carriage, but foun
nothing to guide her to her end. Ever
door was Theoretically sealed. 1t seemed
II she and her companion were the only pc
sons awake. The only sound heard was IL
ceaseless rush of the train as it tore its wa
on and on through the night
The woman returned and resumed he
seat. The means had not yet been give
her. A phantom of common sense all
fitted through her mind. If sho killed tn
man in such a manner 1t meant arrest ar
trial of herself 1t meant shame and e
posure to her loved mistress. No, she mu
wait yet while God had not yet spoke
the last word; not yet shown the exact wa
in which His work was to be done. Yet b,