The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1886-01-23
forest from Lake Ontario, had given

hcf lover had implored her to fly wit
!. him. But illial love was strong in RutI
to give hope that her father woul,
yield to the yet stronger affection fresh
ened in her heart. Believing thei
union might be permitted, she hat
pledged herself to escape with he.
lover If it We're forbidden. Now h.
waited by the hickory wood for q sic
maj to conceal himself, or come for
ward.
When Ruth saw her father far down
the river she stepped to the flagstaff he
had raised before building the cabin
his first duty being TO hoist the union
jack 1t was the largest flag be could
procure; he could sec il flying detiantly
all day long; at night he could hear its
glorious folds whipping in the wind;
the old loyalist loved to fancy his foe
men cursing at it from the other side.
nearly three miles away. Ruth hauled
the flag down 4 little, then ran it up to
the masthead again.
At that a tall young fellow came
%SpringinG into the clearing, Jumping
eNnltantly over brush-heaps and trunk
trees, his queue waggling, his eyes
bri9ht-glad under his thrce-corncred
hat. Joying that her father had
yielded, he ran forward till he saw
Ruth's tears.
"'What, sweetheart: crying? 1t was
the signal to come ON cried he.
Yes, 10 Sc YOU sooner, George.
Father is ont yondcr. But no, he will
never, never consent
''Thcn YOU will come with me, love-
h. said, taking her bands.
NO, no, dare not" sobbed Ruth.
''Fathcr would ovcrtHkc us, He swears
to shoot YOU Oh sight. Go, George, cs-
cape while You can Oh, if h. should
tjnd You horr''
But darling love. we need not fear.
We can escape easily. | know the for
r~t path. Ent then he thought how
weak hrrrace, 1--WE might cross here
before h. could come up cried Win
tarop, looking to where the Squire's
hpat WAS now 4 distant bIolcl.
mo. NO" walled Ruth, yet yielding
TO hi, embrace, This is the last time
! Shall see YOU forever. Go, love-for-
ever and forever goodbye, my love,
my love-"
But he claspod her in his strong
arms, kissing, imploring, cheering her
and how should true love choose
hopeless rrnunciation?
Tempting, defying. rcgaining his lost
ground, drifting down again, trying
hard to tire out aud suhdue his heart
plngI. Bedrll dalIiod with death moro
than ever. Often he could see
the wide, smooth curve where the
green volume first lapSes vastly on q
lazy slope, to shoulder up below aluge
calm billOw. before pitching into the
madness of wave whose confusion of
tossing and tortured crestS hurrics on
into the abyss, The afternoon grew
toward the evening before he pulled
steadily home, crawling steadily away
from tn" roarerS against the cruel
green, Watching the ominous cloud
with such grim hum0r as if under OBJ
s"rvation by m overpowcring but baf-
fled enemy.
Approaching his landing q shout
drew BedcIrS glance ashore to a group
men c~Xcitcdly ges~ticul0ting. They
seemed %motiOning him to watch the
American shore. Turning he saw a
boat in midstrcam. where no craft then
on the river, except his own skin. could
be safe, unless manned by several GOOD
Only two oars were flashing.
could make ont two figures in
distinctly, 1t was clear they were
doomed though still a full mile above
the point whence he had come, they
were much farther ont than he when
near the rapids. Yet one lie might be
Instantly Bedcll's bow turned
outward, and cheers flung to him from
At that moment he looked to his own
anding-place and saw his larger boat
vas gone. Turning again he angrilv ,
recognized it, but kept right on-he
must try to rescue ven a thief. He ,
wondered Ruth had not prevented the
heft, but had no suspicion of the truth. ,
be had refused to let her 90 !
ut upon the rivcr-mortalIv fearing it.. |
or her.
Thrusting his skiff nightly forward /
it glanced, half whirled by up I
'helming and spreading spaces of I
'ater- the old Loyalist's heart was Il
nit of his pangs, and sore only with s
ertainty he must abandon one human q
)ul to death, BY when he could reach $
10 larger boat his would be too neal L
lc rapids to escape with three! u
When George saw Bedell in pursuit u
2 bent to his ash more strongly, and l.
nth, trembling TO remember her a
theirs threats, urged her lover to n
'eed. They feared the purSuer only, G.
unconscious Of being in the re- u
orseless grasp Of the river. Ruth had II
often seen her father far lowerdown II
an they had yet drifted that she did IS
1t realize the truth, and George, come n
Q from a distant district. was unaware L
the dangers above the falls. He was
50 deceived by the stream s treach- III
Gus HmOOtintss, and instead of half in