Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-23
lie laughed TN the raftcrs rang, and tho

lie laughed TIL the rafters rang, and the
girl reeoiied with a new and fearful ter.
ror in her heart. hollands wild words
when lac parted from her that morning
came back TO Der. Was he mad!
"No, no." lie said again more calmly,
but with concentrated ierocity in tone
and look almost more terrible than his
frantic outbreak; "you shall see your
handsome lover once more. lie shall clasp
YOU To his heart again and give you part
ing kiss. DO you understand mey".-
stopping before her, and folding his arms.
eli you choose death, 1 shall send To
Philip Darrell and tell him where Won are;
and know him and his race well enough
to know what he will do. He will gomez
With a cry of agony the girl flung her.
self at her captor's feet.
"Roland, you cannct--you will not do
this! Kill me with your own haDd-drag
me from here aud fling me into that tor
rent-but, OH, spare him? Spare your
own soul that added guilt, RolandW she
tried 10 clasp his hand in the passion Of
her pleading, as she saw that the very
proof Of her deep love for his rival hard
ened still more the heart she stroye To
soften. "Think what his grief will he
when / am lost to him, and by so awful a
fate! Is not that worse punishment than
death? Is it not enough To have my guilt
less blood on your head!"
ale must fulfill the curse" answered
Roland, eyading her clasp; and, with a
wild CLEAN in his eyes, he stamped VIC.
lently on the floor. "What does it say?
"Till the waters, rising, rising,
Bring the boundcn sacrificing
Life for life for traitors decd;
when the Hood are out, take hecdi
Spare him, when every word and look Of
yours show how you love him! No prayer
for your own life--but for his you 20 on
your knees and pray in agonyl You can
save him if you choose. You have one
minute to make that choice"
lima rose from her knees. As she stood
erect before her would-be murderer facing
the narrow easement, the moon broke ont
suddenly from behind u bank OF clouds
and shot Il broad shaft Of light into the
dreary loft, shedding pale glory upon the
marble features and the cleaning golden
hair.
IL will die with him !" said the girl.
There was silence. The two-murderer
and yictim-seemed scarcely To breathe.
Roland's face WAS shrouded now in gloom,
the girls uplifted to the light, which seem
ed TO come rs al omen from Heaven; and
she Dreathed prayer for the man she loved
IA prayer for time-only timc-that de-
structoa might come 10 her so swiftly as
TO shatter even the hope OF his dying with
her, and 50 save him.
Hush, above the roar OF the weir, and
the rushing river, what WAS that other
sound distant and faint, but recognized by
the girls quicG ear? She had heard 1t on
i'm.
up. TOO late! Pnilip was sayedl The
Hoods were upon them.
But Roland heard nothing. He knew
not why that greater radiance flashed into
the lifted face, why the small hands were
clasped over the throbbing heart. lie
turncd-hls cheeks were bloodless and his
eyes wild ana CLASSY.
"rhen de- he said, his voice scarcely
above II whisper-"die with your douDly-
accursed lOyer"
lie snatched up the lantern and was
gone. She heard him reach the floor he.
meath; she heard m drag the ladder
away and run ii thr gh the window, thus
cutting of AL chant OF her escape. Sne
heard him pass lower, and then mignty
sound rose above even the fierce roar
OF the weir; but il did not drown the
piercing shrek OF despair that rang up
wards through the trembling wooden
walls. Booming like thunder, tearing up
trees like twigs, sweeping all before II, on
came the hood
1t spread far over the meadows to left
and right, carrying sheep and cattle on-
ward Ia its mad career.
The stout wooden piers OF the bridge
over whica Dark Darrell mad ridden Oh
that sunny morning when lima had stood
aud dreamed above the glittering tide,
were broAen into splinters, and the whole
structure whirled away into Fragments
TO BE CONTINUED.