The Forrest City times., 1892-01-22
CHAPTER XII.


 acters, she was better than her impulses. | Scarcely had she reached the cottage in which she and her father had sought tenn. | porary shelter, than the full horror of the | deed to which she had been party rushed | upon her. She did not know that Roland intended to inform Sir Philip Darrell of | the fate of his betrothed, in order to in. yolve him in the same destruction; but, what wrong had lima done her, zeph was now compelled to ask herself, that she should be the girls murderesss What wrong had Sir Philip done that, in order to remove some one she hated, she should rob him of the woman he loved? Heston's daughter had not actually blamed lima be. cause Roland Sabine loved her; but she had hated her with the unreasoning yin- dictiveness Of half-savage nature because lima was an obstacle, as the poor creature imagined, to her own possible happiness. Remorse, when it came, was bitter and overwhelming.
 Perhaps too, though this came later, there was another feeling in Zepl's heart--a vague feeling that Roland might have in- tended to play her false, and spare lima if she would consent to marry him. Zeph did not believe that lima would consent to this alternative; but it lent xest to the determination which took possession of the girl to go to Sir Philip Darrell and tell him of llma's danger. He might yet be in time to save her; and for herself, Zeph cared little. Nor would she now shrink from sacrificing Roland-for the idea, having once entered her miad, gained strength with every passing moment-if he intended to break lis word to her. Even her fathers part in the deed did not deter the girl now; nor did she seem to remember at that moment that the hope of saving lima must needs be frustrated if the curse was to be fulfilled.
 Standing at the door of the cottage, she saw her father at the lock-bridge. Not . second was to be lost. The girl hastened out of the house and up the slope, and was running swiftly towards the open country by the time Job Heston had crossed the threshold of his relatives dwelling and roughly demanded where Zeph was.
 Zeph knew every rood of ground within ten miles; and, dark though it now was for the moon had not yet appeared-she made her way unerringly towards the Court. The girl had not yet run mile, and was on q piece of open moorland, when suddenly the moon broke through the clouds, and by it's light she saw a horseman coming straight towards her at swift gallop. She recognized Sir Philip and his horse Hassan, and, pausing, pulled the red kerchief from her head aud waved 1t wild ly. The signal had ihe desired effect.- Darrell reined up within yard of the girl and descended from his horse.
 "Zeph Heston, what do you want of meyo He spoke sternly; he must hsye read the evil tidings in her face.
 "Kill me if you like"--and the girl grasped the sleeve of his coat in her inc tense eagerness-"but believe every word say. Look here, Sir Philip; came after you, and you can hang me for this nights work"
 "Go on," he said almost fiercely, with . horrible fear in his heart" ssand if you lie, woman though you are, you shall sui. fer"
 s.I speak the truth, so help me Heaven 1" went on Zeph rapidly. "rhc Squire came to father and me this afternoon, aud said we were to get Miss lima into the Mill- The Squire said he'd put her there, and she should be drowned tonight, for the Mil would be washed away; and ran up to the Grange garden and told Miss lima that the Squire was drowned; and she ran down to the river, and father seized her and took her to the Mill. But, oh," cried the wretched girl, covering down, sPd give everything to save Miss llma now l- That's why l came after you."
 Not word did Philip Darrell speak, With livid brow and bloodless lips, he sprang upon his horse and was out of sight of Zeph in few seconds; and, as he new onwards, there burst upon his ears tho awful sound of rushing waters-not of the weir, but of tine flood.
 "Life for life for traitors deed;
 When the floods are out. take heedi"
 No heed took he--no thought had he but for the one dear life. He was riding . mad race with Death. If too late to save his love, he might yet be in time to dic with her.
 In another moment the river was in full view in the moonlight. The lock was gones and far over the opposite bank spread the lake formed by the torrent.
 con, Hassan--onv P said Darrell, his lips deathly white, and his eyes fixed upon the one building standing amid the hood.- "Hav,
 The flying steed had dashed into the midst of crowd of villagers. Darrell drew bride now, and, absolutely heed. less of the confusion around him fixed his piercing eyes upon the Mill scanning ev- cry aperture. Suddenly tine blood rushed to his face, and flash of hope-aimost of rapture-sprang ints his eyes.
 "'Tis she! lima, my own, will save thee, or die with theer'
 "Sir Philip" shouted an old farmer, lay ing no weak hand on Hassan's bridle, "you shall not attempt to cross! It is madness --certain deathv'
 "w no will stop megs said Darrell, set- ting his teeth and snatching pistol rom his breast. "Hands of, man, or say your last prayerv
 The old man fell back; and Sir Philip dashed of along the bank, the water, which was above the horses fetlocks, n.y. ing in showers of spray from the brave steed's feet.
 "Ihe curse, the cursep' rose from the terror-stricken crowd. "He is rushing upon his death; it has come--siifc Tor iifep"
 "The slope of the ground on this side of the river had rendered the overflow com- paratiyely slight, the flood spending itself over the fiat meadows on the opposite bank. Sir Philip Darrcll's object was to reach point where crossing might pos sibly be effected. To attempt to cross ini- mediately below the weir would be simply suicide.
 The crowd followed breathlessly on the top of the bank, watching the daring rider below. Not one man or woman there had the faintest hope that he would reach the centre of the river alive. True, the river had spent its greatest fury now that 1t was released from it's narrow bounds; but the current was still swift and strong, and branches of trees and wreekage were be-