Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-10-23
Tie lausaed I'm the rafters rang, ana tho

Tie lausAed TIL the rafters rang, and tho
girl recOiled witn new aud fearful ter
ror IA her heart. Roland's Wild words
when lac parted from her that morning
came back To her. Was lac mau2
"No, no." NO said again mere calmly,
but with u concentrated icroeity la tome
aud look almost more terrible than us
frantic eutDroakj "yOu shall see your
handsome lover once more. lie snail clasp
YOU to his heart again and give you part
ing kiss. DO you understand me!"---
stopping before hsr, and ioldlng MS arms.
"lf you choose doa1h, i SNAIL send 10
Philip Darrell and tell him where y0u are;
and know him and his race well enough
to know what he will do. lie will eolneV
With n cry of agony the girl flung her.
self at her captor's feet.
"l.oland, you eannot--yon will not DO
this Kill me with your own hand-drag
me from here aud fling mo into that tor
rent--but, oil, spare him? Spare your
own soul that added guilt, Roland" Sac
tried to 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. "rhink what his grief will be
when am lost to him, aud by 30 awful
fatei Is not that worse punishment thau
death? Is it not enough to have my guilt
less blood OH your heady"
ale must fulfill the curse" answered
Roland, evadiag her clasp; aud, with a
wild CLEAN in his eyes, he stamped yio-
lently on the floor. "What does it say?
"'Tiil the waters, rising, rising,
Bring the bonnden sacrificing
Life for life for traitors decd;
When the floods are out, take hecdr
Spare him, when every word and look Of
yours show how you love him! No prayer
for your own llfe--but for his You 20 on
your knees and pray in agonyi You can
save him IL you choose. You have one
minute To make that choice"
lima rose from her knees. AS she stood
erect before her w0ud-be murderer facing
the narrow easement, the moon broke out
suddenly from behind bank OF clouds
aud shot broad shaft Of light into the
dreary loft, shedding a pale glory upon the
marble features and the cleaning golden
hair.
81 will die with him ~ said the girl.
There was silence. The twO-murdsTer
and yictim-seemed scarcely TO breathe.
Roland's face was shrOuded now in gloom,
the girPs upliIted to the light, which SEEM
ed TO come as an omen from Heaven; and
sue Dreathed prayer for tue man she loved
Ia prayer for time-Only tine--that de-
structlon might come to her SO swiftly as
to silatter even the nope OF his dying with
her, and 50 save him.
Hush, above the roar of the weh, and
the rushing river, what was that other
sound distant and faint, but recognized 10y
the girls quick carp Sue had heard II Oh
the great st. Lawrence when the ice broke
up. Too latel Pnilip WAS saVedl The
foods were upon them!
But Roland heard netting. He knew
not why that greater radianee flashed into
the lifted face, why the small hands were
clasped over the tbroDbing hears. lie
turned-his cheeks were DloOdless and his
eyes, wild and CLASSY.
"Then die" lie said, his voice scarcely
above whispel-.sdIe with your dOuOly-
agcursed lOyerp'
lie snatched up the lantern and was
gone. She heard him reach the floor be-
meath; She heard IN drag the ladder
away aud run it thr gu the window, linus
cutting OF all ehanL OF her escape. Sne
heard MIN pass lower, and then "a mighty
sound rose above even the fierce roar
OF the weir; but it did not drown the
piercing shriek OF despair that rang up
wards through the trembling wooden
walls. booming like thunder, tearing up
trees like twigs, sweeping ali before it, Oh
came the Hood!
1t spread far over the meadows TO left
aud right, carrying sheep and cattle OIL
ward la its mad career.
The stout wooden piers Of the bridge
over whicl Dark Darrell had ridden on
that sunny morning wnen lima had stood
aud dreamed ABOVE the gIittering tide,
were broNen into spnnters, and the wnOie
structure whiried away iato fragments.
TO BE CONTINUED.