Evening journal., 1892-08-26

melted tho grass. Theman breathcd
and moanea No one knees his face
masked with black smoke.
With the neighbors, Mrs Dewitt now
came running up and joined the group.
"See! said she, witha shndder. This
was my mistress. She always wore this
diamond ON her neck IN the evening.
She is dead. No; she breathesr
Yes; there was tho gem. showing red
reflections of the flames. An hour ago
the woman had been beauty, ana the
diamond point OF admiration. SAYING
mark this white neck and this fair
bosom" Now it made the utter ruin
there more pitiful.
Some one led forward Volante, droop-
ing and all in a foam. There was evi.
IDENTIFY some mystery in this disaster
Take these burned creatures TO the
nearest house." said HOthmm And
now. boys, some Of you try TO save the
stables. Some come with me ut the
house. There were more people in it.
Tho sailors fought fire. The others
carried the two bodies 10 Bilsby's farm.
house. The flames showed them their
path under the red leayed trees of Oc.
tober.
The same ruddy light was guiding
Lucy Brothertoft on her way to what a
little while ago was home.
Long before she reached the spot the
roar and frenzy Of the flames had sub
sided.
Nothing was left but theragged walls
and the red ruins of the manor house.
1t had been punished by FIRE for the mis-.
cry and sin it had sheltered.
A guard of sailors, under lieutenant.
protected what little property had been
saved. Lucy learned from them how
an unknown man had rescued her moth.
en- to die away from the flames.
She left Voltaire to make some plaus.
ible story Of the kidnapping, and TO in
vent a release of hers from the captors'
hands, when the fire they had acciden-
tally kindled was discovered.
She fastened to help the father she
loved and the mother she pitied so deeply.
Jierck Dewitt followed her TO Bilsby
door.
Go, Jiercklv she said. at makes me
shudder to see you. and think of this
dreadful harm You have done. Go and
tell the whole to Major Skerrett."
"Will you speak TO my wife, Miss
Lucy, and show her how she is TO blame
how her wrong sent me wrong? Tell
her how she and L are linked in with
ruin here. Perhaps it viii help you t.
forgive me if you can better her."
Lucy promised.
She entered the farmhouse to en-.
counter her holy duties with her par
ents.
Jierck hurried off to meet Major Skier
rett, give him the sorrowful history Of
the night, and warn him away from q
region that would be alive by daylight
and bayoneting haystacks and hollow
trees for Eidnapers
The penitent fellow could get no far
Their on his return than Cedar ridge
There he saw the red embers of the
manor house watching him from thl
edge OF the horizon like the eye of 4
/ Cyclops. He was fascinated, and sanl
l down at the foot of the uncanny oil,
cedar sick with horror and fatigue.
Slerrett and Canady, pressing anx
iously on, found Jierck there at sunrisl
asleep and half dead with cold The,
reused him and heard his story.
A little wreath of smoke alone marke,
the site Of the manor house. Here wa
the starting point, there was the goal o
Edwin Brothertoft's night gallop. /
thrilled the major to hear Of that vii,
ride, and to fancy he saw the whit
horse dashing through the darkness OF
that noble errand of mercy.
Some men would have said, Ours,
herr let her burnt She's hurt me worsl
than firell hurt her." says Hendrecus
Some would have took the turns of thu
road. and got TO the house when it wa
nothing but chimbleys. Some woul,
have been afeard of being known, an,
shot for a rebel I've heard say tina
the PATRON wasn't one of the stronl
kind; but he's done a splendid thin,
Aere, and I'm proud Of myself that
was born on the same soil and stand
chance to have some Of the same natura
grit into me-"
Nothing further could be done, and i
was not safe to loiter The three re
turned over the highlands to Putnaml
army. And that day and for many day.
Peter Skerrett meditated on this terri
ole end Of the sorrow and sin at Broth
CROFT manor He traced with ghastl,
interest the different paths by which
vengeance converged upon the guilt,
woman, and saw with what careful
method her crime had prepared its owl
punishment "God grant," said he
"that she may live to know what Low,
and pity did to save her from the horro
Of her Denaltyr
PART THREE-CHAPTER XVIII.
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