The Forrest City times., 1892-01-29
CHAPTER KY. AND LAST.

CHAPTER AIVy AND LAST.
 The first thing lima remembered was . vague sense of rest, then gentle touch on her brow, and . voice saying very soft ly, oshe is reviving r'-and shc knew that voice before she heard the yet softer spoken "Ilmn, my darlingw She opened her eyes and looked up into Philip Dar- rell's dark face. She was in her own room, and he was knecling by her, with his arm round her ana head pillowcd on his breast.
 "Philipp' she whispered, looking at him intently. Then, as he bent lower yet, tcnderiy kissing her brow, memory rushed back to her, and, with a muttered cry, che clung to him. els 1t all past! You are saved, Philipw she said, gaping. "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 wcpt freely as she clasped Ilma In her arms.
 "Dcar auntie," said the girl, after long silence, ait has been like an awful dream! cannot bear to think of 1t yetp
 "And would rather you dld not, my child. am content to wait. Now take n little of this wine, and will go and get you some tea; and Sir Philip will take care Of you till come back" And she went out, leaving them alone together.
 Then Ilma told her lover more Of tue details of all that had passed before he had reached the Mill, and how Roland had removed tho ladder from the loft where she was imprisoned, % as to cut on her escape, but he had forgotten the shawl in which Job Hcston had wrapped her head, and b. fastening this to ring in the floor she was able to descend. And Rolandf Had nothing been heard of himi Hadnot his sisters made inquiry!
 "Rose came about ten minutes ago, flma," said Darrell, "to ask about us both, and if anything was known of Roland. Zeph Heston must have spread the news that he was in the Mill, for every one seemed to know it. Nothing had been heard of Roland by the river. l did not see Rose, of course; but I sent my groom, who is here to make inquiries"
 lima hid her face, sobhing.
 "Oh, Philip, aunt Sabine need never know the truthw
 "She must indeed, for your sake, my heart. cannot have it supposed that you met Roland Sabine in the Mill of your own accord. Another guilty soul beside his, lima, has gone to its account for his nights work"
 "Job Heston!'
 "Aye. The first rush Of the flood washed away the cottage where he and Zeph had taken refuge. Hcston was swept across the weir and drowned before tue eyes of hundreds.'
 lima shuddered violently.
 "And Zeph!" she said, after long pause. "Was it Zeph who told you where l was, Philips"
 "Yes, dear one. was riding towards Scarth Abbot--more in . vague fear for you than with any definite thought-when I met her. She seemed to have repented 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 nestling to her lover's breast. Presently she said slowly
 "Philip, it seems SO strange that the fulfilment of the prophecy has come about as I always tried to hope 1t would; and yet it was by blind faith iu only ono pos sible meaning attaching to tho words that the true meaning was made manifest"
 In silence Darrell bowed his face on the golden head. Love, peace, happiness! All the dark clouds that had shrOuded his life were swept away suddenly by the little hand that clung to his--the hand that should yet caress his children. Ycster- day he had been doomed man, and he had cursed the fatal love that had brought woe and death to the woman he loved; today, snatched by that love from death, sayed 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 aud 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 strcet was born on : hastiIy.improvised stretcher . bruised, shattered form, still breathing. It was laid down in the common room of the inn. Mes. vengers had airsady run on to tell Roland's mother and to fstch doctor, and the doc. tor was quickly on the spot. He looksd down at the disAgursd form in pity.
 sI can do nothing," he said; at is usc- less to disturb him. He has not i've minutes to live."
 The doctor bent down to the dying man. From ghsstly gssh in his forehead blood was slowly trickling. Roland tried to speak-
 "Ilma-Dark Darrsll-ths ourse."
 "They are savsd," said the doctor, bio 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 and life at once, At tue same Moment Mrs. Sabine and her two daughters hastened brsathlsssly through the crowd.
 .Keep her backw cried tue doctor, hastily drawing mantle over the crushed form. "This is no sight for his mother v
 
 A great fragment of the Mill had been washed ashore nearly . mile down the river, and . man was seen clinging to it Sir Philip Darrell's groom and another had ridden into the water and rescued the hapless creattire-Roland Sabine-and tue groom then rode on to the Grange to tell his master what had happened.
 At one o'clock in the morning the village was still astir, and hardly house was closed. Another servant from the Court rode into Scarth Abbot aud up to the Grange with the joyful news that Hassan had gslloped into the courtyard half an hour before. The animal must have gone miles down the river before he could hnd . bridge, for that below the Mill had been washed away by the flood, and he had made his way unerringly to his home.
 An hour later Sir Philip himself went out to see what damage had been done,