Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-11-06
CHAPTER XIV. AND LAST.


vague sense OF rest, then gentle touch
on her brow, and q voice saying very soft
ly, "She is reyiving p-and she knew that
voice before she heard the yet softer
spoken "Ilma, my daringV She opened
her eyes and looked up into Philip Oar
rell's dark face. She was In her own room,
and he was kneeling by her, with his arm
round her and head pillowed on his breast.
"PhilipV she whispered, looking at
him intently. Then, as he bent lower yet,
tenderly kissing her brow, memory rushed
back to her, and, with a muttered cry,
she chung to him. ais IL all past? You
are saved, Philip she said, gasping.
"There is no more danger?"
"No more, sweetheart" he answered.
"This is your own room, and here is aunt
Rachel"
"Dear aunt Rachelp
The girl turned suddenly, stretching
out her hands and Darrell rose to make
way for Miss Durnford, who now wept
freely as she clasped lima in her arms.
"Dear auntie," said the girl, after
long silence, ait has been like an awful
dreaml l cannot bear to think Of 1t yetP
"And would rather you did not, my
child. 1 am content TO wait. Now take
little Of this wine, and will go and get
you some tea; and Sir Philip will take
care Of you till l come back" And she
went out, leaving them alone together.
Then lima told her lover more OF the
details Of all that had passed before he
had reached the Mill, and how Roland had
removed the ladder from the loft where
she was imprisoned, so as to cut off her
escape; but he had forgotten the shawl in
which JOB Heston had wrapped her head,
and bH fastening this to ring In the floor
she was able to descend. And Roland?
Had nothing been heard Of himl Had not
his sisters made inquiry!
"Rose came about ten minutes ago,
lima" said Darrell, "to ask about us both,
and IL anything was known of Roland.
Zeph Heston must have spread the news
that he was in the Mill, for every one
seemed TO know IL. Nothing had been
heard OF Roland by the river. 1 did not
see Rose, of course; but sent my groom,
who is here to make inquiries"
lima hid her face, sobbing.
"Oh, Philip, aunt Sabine need never
know the truthp
"She must indeed, for your sake, my
heart. cannot have 1t supposed that you
met Roland Sabine in the Mill of your
own accord. Another guilty soul beside
his, lima, has gone to it's account for his
nights work"
"Job Hestoni"
"Aye. The first rush OF the flood
washed away the cottage where he and
Zeph had taken refuge. Heston was swept
across the weir and drowned before the
eyes of hundreds"
lima shuddered violently.
"And Zephi" she said, after a long
pause. "Was it Zeph who told you where
was, Phillip"
eyes, dear one. was riding towards
Scarth Abbot-more in n vague fear for
you than with any definite thought-when
/ met her. She seemed TO have repentsd
her part almost immediately"
Some idea Of Zeph's reason for hating
her evidently flashed across Ilma's mind,
for her color rose but she said nothing, only
nesting to her lovers breast. Presently
she said slowly
"Philip, it seems SO strange that the
fulflment of the prophecy has come about
as always tried to hope it would; and
yet it was by blind faith in only one pos
sible meaning attaching to the words that
the true meaning was made manifest"
In silence Darrell bowed his face on the
golden head. Love, peace, happinessl All
the dark clouds that had shrouded his life
hand that chung to his-the hand that
should yet caress his children. Yester-
day he had been a doomed man, and he
had cursed the fatal love that had brought
woe and death to the woman lie loved;
to-day, snatched by that love from death,
saved by the life laid down to save hers,
that woman rested on his breast; and be-
fore them both stretched the golden years,
bright with dazzling light that now he
could not meet. For the first time during
that night Of passion and anguish, of wild
hope, Of ineffable dread, Of terrible and
sustained effort, and blessed certainty OF
happiness, the strong spirit gave way,
and Philip Darrell wept aloud.
Up the village street was born on
hastiIy-improvised stretcher bruised,
shattered form, still breathing. 1t was laid
down In the common room OF the inn. Mes
sengers had already run on to tell Roland's
mother and to fetch q doctor, and the doc
tor was quickly OH the spot. He looked
down at the disagured form In pity.
al can do nothing" he said; ait is use
less to disturb him. He has not five minutes
70 liYe."
The doctor bent down to the dying man.
From CHASTITY cash in his forehead blood
was slowly trickling. Roland tried to
speak
"Ilma--Dsrk Darrell-the curse"
"They are saved" said the doctor, his
voice trembling with emotion" Sir Philip
saved her. They are at the Grange"
A sharp spasm contracted the dying
mans livid features. He tried to speak
again, and In the effort rush Of blood
stopped speech aud life at once, At the
same Moment Mrs. Sabine and her two
daughters fastened breathlessly through
the crowd.
"Keep her backp' cried the doctor,
hastily drawing mantle over the crushed
form. "This is no sight for his motherp
A great fragment OF the Mill had been
washed ashore nearly a mile down the
river, and a man was seen clinging to 1t.
Sir Philip DarrelPs groom and another had
ridden into the water aud rescued the
hapless creature-Roland Sabine--and the