The diamond drill., 1891-11-14

After q short silence Marshall con
cluded that a plain. straightforward
statement Of the case would be tho
best and accordingly told him OF his
and his daughters intentions
The old man glared NJ him All
the blood In his body was boiling 10
think that an upstart preacher. one OF
the sect that he had always desplsed.
presumed 10 think. even. OF such a
thing was unendurable.
want 10 marry my daughter do
youP Well. I'll be d--d II you 90"
Then he ravcd and swore and ended
II all by ordering Marshall out of tho
house never to return. which he was
very glad u do in order 10 free him.
self from the odor OF birthstone He
sought his love In the wood and told
her all that had happened Tho talked
long. AID she tearfully and at last
they pa ted.
When Rachel arrived at home she
was told BY her father TO see Marshall
no more told in language that was
not OF the choicest and. as she made
no reply. her father was probably un-
der the impression that she would
obey. Girls are wilful creatures,
though. thus matters stood on Mon
day.
On Tuesday IL rained. hard and un-
ceasingly Wednesday likewise; by
Thursday. the deluge not abating the
people began 10 look solemn. shake
their heads and tell thrilling flood
stories down at the store-the mascu-
line part. OF course The women. as
usual. stayed at home minded their
own bus siress aud content to let the
Lord regulate the weather.
Nevertheless the situation was get
ting serious. The little river that ran
through the town was up 70 the top OF
It's banks and still the rain ceased not
IL was the usual spring freshet little
more severe than IL was wont TO be.
On Friday the people were very
much inclined TO seek the hills and
high places. and much disposed TO
envy John Lindsay In his home on
one OF the highest hills around.
II they had really known where no
was. though. they would not have
wanted to change places with him.
The day after his interview with the
ecclesiastic he had taken his daughter
and gone TO one OF his farms in tho
bottom. intending 10 remain n week or
two lie took Rachel with him TO
keep his eye on her. When IL had
ralned for two or three days the men
had left him with the parting injunc-
tion 10 go to n place much warmer and
drier than the farm then was. and he
and Rachel were left alone.
On this exceeding damp unpleasant
Friday night both she and her father
retired early. and he was soon fast
asleep
About ? o clock he woke up with
start He could not tell what woke
him He heard the noise OF the wind
and rain outside and concluded that he
would get up and see how things were.
He sprang out OF bed and landed in
water.
With the agility OF monkey he
jumped straight up on the bed and
crouched down among the coverings.
Then he called Rachel called her
like she, and she alone, could savo
him. Pretty soon be heard her com
ing. the water making swlshing
sound as she walked. The sound
struck terror TO his heart
'Oh. Ray, what shall we do?"
He was even too scared TO swear
Rachel spoke. her voice hard. metallic
and merciless.
III the water rises much higher /
suppose that we will be drowned"
Her father almost howlel in his
despair Then noise was heard at
the window and voice called loudly
for Rachel She made her way 10 tho
window as rapidly as she could and
threw il open. Outside was Marshall
and man In skin. Before she
could say n word beyond glad.
startled exclamation, she was drawn
through the window into the boat
"But my father; you cannot leave
him."
Never mind; I'll tend to HIM.
Mr. Lindsay. your daughter and ! are
going down the river 10 be married.
win you come to give us your bless
ing?n
Not by d-d sight I'll stay
here and drown like n rat first
'Wcll, wo can call and get IL when
we come back that is; II you arc here
then" And Marshall smiled angel
ically and took up the oars.
Come back here" roarcd old
Lindsay. Course you can have my
daughter. Anybody that's got as
much check as you can have half OF
what ! got" And swearing In an
amiable sociablo way he crawlcd IN.
And so they sailed away.