The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-11-29

| / Il l.
| II NlI In the flesh, the
Fl LIZ N l. whole mill was
| AGz@@-l - l. tottering and
threa ening to
fall. 1t had yielded itself so completely
to the demon of fire that it burned like
tinder.
Just at this time man staggered from
the door, threw up his hands as falling
burning rafter struck him, and dropped
like a rock. No one dared 60 to his as
sistance, for the whole mill was about to
topple over in that very direction.
Those who were looking, however, saw
second form emerge from the building.
He stumbled over the Captain, stopped,
and, raising the fallen man, bore him to
place of safety just as, with mighty
roar, the burning structure gave way,
sending myriad of sparks skyward as it
crushed in like an eggshell.
Roger was not seriously hurt. True,
he bore upon his arms burns that would
never be wholly lost but they would be
sacred scars, for they were received
while he had in his arms the girl he
loved.
| When he recovered his senses he found
Carol bending over him, supreme love
written on every lineament Of her sweet
face. Her soft lips pressed kisses upon
his wounded arms. Between those two
no clouds could ever come again: they
had been baptized in fire, and the bond
was cemented forever.
His face and hair had escaped because
he had been wise enough to cover them
with wet cloth, all but the eyes. and
he had ducked his head when passing
through the flames.
| Presently he was able to arise, and
then he found group near by, bending
over form upon the ground. 1t was
the Captain.
A strange fate had brought together
all those whom he had wronged to see
the arch-schemer die. Above him stood
the Russian detective, SCARED little
from contact with the flames, and yet
still worth a dozen dead men; Law
renee Richmond, Jack, and the girl who
had been the wife of the dying man, as
she believed-Nora Warner.
Kneeling beside the Captain was the
gypsy, Barbara Merliles.
|
with the fire roaring around them, rem
dered desperate by their situation, had
hurled themselves against the door, but
the effort was useless, and they would
undoubtedly have been burned alive but
that the detective chanced to remember
an axe that was lying in a small closet.
With this they assailed the door by
turns, like two great Farnese HerculR,
but it was almost too late, for the smoke
was filling the room, and, when they did
manage to smash the lock of the door it
was only to find themselves face to face
with huge billows of seething flames that
swept up the stairs and licked up the
woodwork.
The Captain rushed down first, and
was just in time to receive the crushing
blow from the rafter outside the build
+ ing.
Thus did the vengeance of Heaven
overtake the plotter, when that of man
seemed almost without hope.
He lay there dying nowhere could
be no mistake about that-and his eyes
wandered from one face to another,
lighted up by the glare of the still burning
remnants Of the haunted mill.
When he saw Roger approach, sup
ported by Carols arm, something that
was almost smile came across the
dying mans face, and he beckoned for
them to draw still nearer.
Death has caught me, cousin" he
hoarsely whispered, as they bent over
him. II have wronged many in my life,
but now all is over, and 1 go to pay the
penalty. Is there one here who can say
he or she will not forgive me? In the
name of Heaven, do not refuse a dying
man this request"
All were silent. No one denied him
this, and although his voice grew weaker
as he proceeded, his face lighted up
strangely.
mora, see you have found happi-
ness with that noble young man,
and it is not so hard to forgive; nor can
you, cousin, now that all the clouds are
cleared away, look upon this diving
wretch with anger. Lawrence Richmond
you will find the false paper 1 held over
you on my person. 1t was a forgery,
for you were innocent OF the crime,
though circumstances aided me In secur-
ing my power over you. Jack Avenal, 1
know you now. Your sister is at last
avenged. AS for you, Barbara, poor
girl. once loved you better than aught
else in my life. Had let that love
reign, would have been a better man,
but trampled it under foot, deceived
you; and became worse than ever; but
this swear - once I really - loved
YOU"
The poor gipsy girl uttered cry and
hid her face in her hands, overmastered
by emotion. Capt. Grant was almost
gone, but, turning his eyes upon the de-
tective, he gasped:
1T will serve you just as well-you
know it was-dead or alive. I can defy
| -you-nOw."
He was dead
Heaven be mercl full to his soul, for he
had never known what mercy was in this
world, and there were more hearts than
those present at the time of his death
that were crying out for vengeance be-
cause of this evil man.
They buried him in the country church.