The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-12-23

,IL never saw you IN such spirits before.
"nut co'iie over your WHAT'S max
inS Solt 80 nHPpy'
,'.'ot iO' Sv1i1'' iiial oill ialr. L
a3ou ah; well hllhe hrst I've no
opJcctioi' O"eh' Ior Today has made
nv; ino tne m"PP'est ui'h IN tue world. Jes-
sic heuDurn has consented to be my
"ne; NJ, 80,
~, NV hat!
"o "oru cChoeu ioud across the wa
1eLs "s owen iehIey lcaped to his feet.
l nave never forgotten how he looked
at 'iial ill"'iichl' Inc change on his
Iouh'ei,ahce f1 WINS as though the moon
had suddenly vanished behind cloud,
SO dark and low,riuo WAS srscxprassion.
His black LruwS w,rr brnuphl tog.ther.
his ewes flashed mon M ns II fire was
in them; his lips were compressed, his
hands clinched All mirlh had gone.
| He lowered over me like a qiant or the
mailman that ne really was
"Wh,t's thn n,tigr Oyysnpr 7 in
ouired. am,zrJ
.IJnsav those words Anna ~ be said
hoarseIy. between his teeth, las Won
value YOUR life. unsuy themr'
"What words?'' | asked THAT les
sic has promised tn he NV wifep can
mott Wby should Ipr
"Wbvp" be almost sbouted "Re-
cause love herl Becouss / have work
ed. toiled saved only for ON, n,rnose--
to make her INV wife, How dare Won.
Amos. come sneakinr in betweenp
How dare YOU interfere with nv honpi-
ness?"
You love Jessie Redburn. toop" I
calculated, distressed. II am sorry.
Owen; never GUESSED #"
.'Thep now Won know ~ be broks in
..vou must give her M"
..IP Yon talk folly Oven9 R.sides
surely it is for Jessie TO decide. and she
has decided"
"Only because Won asked her first"
he exclaimed. so sfranoe an expression
on his features that as I oI.pcnd ronpJ
at the waste of water | was frivbtened,
81 meant TO ask her to-morrow Soc
bought this for her only to-dayrr TAX
inc ont a white box be nlnckcd from II
a pretty silver brooch. You wondered
ut my high spirits. They were because
felt rich enough to ask Jessie to be INV
wife. and-now- Ua nan.ad tba1
added, with STARTLING caImpess and in
tensity. Amos, give her I'M. for
swear you shall never we'd hertz
..Do you take me for coward Owen?
As you have toiled and worked, so have
/. for the same purpose. IwoulJ rather
surrender my life than Jessie"
With a howl of race he leaned at me
but suspecting him, | seized a broken
oar and stood on the defensive.
Owen looked round for q weapon.
To my horror. he espied an adze close
to his feet, and caught it I'D.
felt that nv fate was sealed. He
was a giant to me. and we were alone
at night at sea. the moon the sole wit.
ness.
But reason had not entirely forsaken
him.
No" he exclaimed, sI'll not strike
YOU down, as | could. Your BODY MIGHT
be washed ashore, and | accused of bay-
ing killed YOU Then Jessie wouldn't
marry me. But YOU shall die for all
that, and it shall be thought an acci-
dent"
Whereupon, raising the adze with q
giants strength, he commenced chop
ping away Mt the bottom blanks of the
boat.
He intended to swamp it He was an
excellent swimmer I n moor ono
Seeing the rapidly fiying chips /
SDranp forward. SiTiklOU with all my
MIGHT at the madmau. for so consider
ed him.
With a mockino laugh he parried the
blow.
Again l struck at him. As l did so
my feet splashed in water.
He had succeeded in making the leak
The smack was filling fast.
knew we were too far from the land
for me ever TO reach it by swimming,
though he might. | saw death was GER
tain; despair made me furious. |
thought OF Jessie-my betrothed but for
few hours.
Taking the oar in both hands, my
teeth set, dashed at my would-be de-
sIroyer.
He skillfully avoided the blow, rushed
at me, seized me in his arms, and lifted
me into the air like a child.
Was he gong to fling ME into the
sea? No Even as the thought passed
through my brain, like wrestler he
hurled me down with fearful violence
to the bottom of the boat.
was conscious of Il sudden pain in
my hip, and of deadly sickness. Then
my heart thrObbed with great Joy,
for | heard our smack being hailed.
Another fishers boat was near. Rails
ing my voice, | called aloud for help.
My enemy stood moment undecid-
ed, then. the foam on his lips. strove
again to lift me; but despite the agony
/ suffered, L clung to the mast, made
strong by hearing the voices coming
closer
Owen heard them too. He ground
his teeth rs he bissed in nv ear. ..If
you'ye escaped me now, Amos, it is
only for n timei We two will meet