Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-06-12

A0tuAJ h~N AC oAcopffCatcaf uu0 AllCcy
clasped in her fathers arms, was weeping
bitterly at the thought of their impend-
ing fate, when Rice Williamson, the pro-
prietor of saw-mill three miles up
Sedgewood Creek, rode to the plan
tation house, dismounted, and perceiving
Alice and her father, walked toward the
porch.
They both started at the sound of his
footstepsy but there were tears in Alice's
eyes when she faced him, and Colonel
Burnett's lips were quivering with an
emotion he could not control.
"Miss Alicel Colonel" cried Rice, and
he sprang toward them with a hand ex-
tended to each. "You are distressed
in trouble. Tell me what is wrong"
For moment old Col. Burnett hesi.
tated, pride struggling for the mastery.
''Rice," he said at last, ''you are the
only man in the world that l would tell
my troubles to. For this girls sake will
make you my confdant. am in debt
heavily in debt. Sedgewood is mort
gagged for more than it is worth, and Fe-
lix Cox holds the mortgages. To-mor-
row he will foreclose, and we will be beg
gars unless"-and here the old mans
voice quivered with emotion -''Alice be-
comes his wife. That he has stipulated
as the price of my redemption
''And you have consentedG" gasped
Rice, while his face grew ashen.
'Never!" cried the old man in a ring
ing voice.
'Neverr echoed Alice; and striding
forward she laid her head on Rice's
shoulder and twined her arms about his
neck. ''Do you think that 1 could sell
myself, dear heart, when love you so
tenderly9"
'No," he answered, soberly.
And then turning to the colonel, he
asked for full particulars of the scheme
by means of which Felix Cox had Sc
cured mortgages on Sedgewood planta-
ton.
With bowed head and trembling voice
the old man confessed lis weakness. A
love for cards had prompted him
to play with man who was
ten times his superior in skill
and craftiness. Night after night he had
lost, until at last all was gone, and he
was at the mercy of man who had no
mercy.
As the story progressed, Rice William
sons face grew stern and rigid, and his
lips were tightly compressed.
'Tt is wretched business" he said at
last; ''but you can yet be saved"
"How2" cried the old man; and his
face lighted up eagerly.
81 have some money on deposit at Ba-
ton Rouge" said Williamson. SIT is
legacy left me some months ago by a
maiden aunt. You say the mortgage is
for twenty thousand dollars. / have
twenty-five thousand on deposit there.
This money is at your disposal to save
Sedgewood and your honor"
''God bless you'll" was the old mans
fervent ejaculation; and he grasped Rice's
hand fervently.
''I do it for Alice's sake, )" added Rice,
lowering his voice. "But come, the
boat leaves in half an hour. We have
barely time to catch it at the landing.
You and Alice shall accompany me to the
CITY,"
''And when we return" said the
colonel, recovering something of his
wonted spirit, "we'll have grand we'd
ding at Sedgewood-eh, little girl2"
And he turned toward Alice, with a
gleeful laugh.
"She blushed, and did not answer
nay: Rice Williamson walked down the
porch by her side, talking of things that
he had not dared to speak of before that
day.
They were passengers, those three, that
night, on the Belle Creole, and reached
Baton Rouge. The money was drawn
from the Planters Bank, the mortgage
against Sedgwood plantation was salts
fed, and they took passage, up the
river again on the City of Memphis.
Agents of Felix Cox had apprised him
by telegraph of the move made against
him, and when he heard that Abel Bur-
nett was no longer in mis- power, he
gnashed his teeth, and strobe up and
down the wide hall at Cypress Grove with
bitter curses on his lips.
"But they shall not triumph" he
cried.
And hastily scribbling a telegram to
his agent at Baton Rouge, he sent it off
by the messenger in waiting, and patient
" bided an answer. 1t came at last to-
ward midnight:
Burnett and party left for Bolivar Land
ing tonight on the City of Memphis"
For days the Mississippi River had
been rising, and for the last forty eight
hours its banks had been patrolled by
armed men, who would shoot down any
one who attempted to cut down the
levee. In the country below there were
great floods, and unscrupulous emissaries
had been sent up along the river to make
crevasses that would relieve the lower
country.
! "The city of Memphis will reach Boil
var Landing in half an hour, muttered
Felix Cox, reading the telegram.
And then crushing his hat down over
his eyes, he dashed from the house.
On the way to the river he passed the
gardeners lodge, and entering it, groped
about until his fingers clutched the
handle Of spade. With this implement
thrown over his shoulder he continued
on toward the levee.
A heavy rain was falling, and there
were great pools of water that he waded
through. He was mire besmirched and
wet to the skin before he reached the
river bank, against which the turbid
waters of the Mississippi roared and
,surged.
As he stood for moment breasting
the storm, he heard the distant whistle