The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1893-12-28
Old Jezcbel shook her serpent.

throne in stupor. She held the snake
pressed to her withered breast. I was
sickened, terrified, faint. il,
"Do you see that wretched hut yon-
der?' said Maurice. "That is old Jeze-
bells home. We must enter it."
"Oh, why?' asked in terrified whis-
per.
"Because there only is the talisman
which will save Portia," he answered.
Creeping stealthily forward, we passed
the stupid voodoos, worn out with their
disgusting orgies. The hut, quite over
grown with trailing vines, was scarcely
fit for swine to inhabit. Through the
half open door the red CLEAN Of the fire
darted, lighting up the miserable room,
In one corner was wretched pallet OF
straw and rags, and on it something lay.
"Come here" said Maurice solemnly,
taking off his hat as if in the presence Of
death; "come here, Prudence. ~.
I looked-and, oh, God! Oh, Godl
What was this?
Worn and wasted to a skeleton, clad
in filthy rags, pale as marble, insensible,
dead perhaps, lay-Portia!
Yes, the real Portia-not the hand
some, bold pretender up at the great
house yonder. but my Portia-my Por-
tia, the friend Of my girlhood the cousin
Of my Maurice. .: sc e,
1 flung my arms about the wasted
form. kissed the pallid brow. wept
and moaned as mother might over q
dead child.
.You recognize her?'' said Maurice.
"Oh, my Portia, my dear friend, who
has done this cruel thing? Let us take
her away" sobbed.
Maurice bent uown and lifted her in
his arms. AS he did so faint moan
escaped from her lips.
*'She is alive!" cried joyfully.
Slowly she opened her eyes and locked
straight in Maurice's face.
"Oh, home, home!'' was all she
moaned.
eyes, dearest" said Maurice tenderly,
'you are going home"
Gathering her closer, he strobe from
tho hut. I followed more dead than
alive.
Past the sodden voodoos, back through
the night and the noisome swamp, we
fed with our precious burden; back to
the gate guarded by the faithful serv-
ants. Jake flung it open when he heard
our footsteps.
care you all right, Mr.. Raymond"
he cried, advancing to meet us. "You
were so long I was afraid something
had happened. My God, what is it?'
''Strike match, jake" said Maurice.
The man obeyed.
"Come closer, and you, Tom, andyou,
George" he added, land tell me who is
this"
The men bent their rugged faces.
"Great Godv' said Jake, "Mrs March
mont"
otis missus," cried the others. "Den
who?'
eyes. Who-who is the other?" cried
Maurice, white with rage. II know
who it is. You were all blind to what
was going on, but I knew her from the
first. Lock the gate, Jake, and you men
come up to the house with me. I've
work for you yet tonight"
Up to the great silent mansion we hur-
ried-the steps, the piazza, the hall and
now the library.
Colonel Marchmont had risen at the
sound of our footsteps and stood facing
the door.
"Jermyn," said Maurice in a voice
choked with emotion, "Jermyn, have
brought home your poor wife,"
He laid her tenderly in her husbands
arms. Colonel Marchmont stared at
Portia as he might at specter.
lis it true?" he whispered hoareely.
lis it true? Have you come back from
the grave, darling2"
His pathetic words moved us all, and
George, one Of the biggest, blacklist ne
groes on the place, sudden'' burst out
crying like baby.
Possibly that act saved his maste4's
reason, for he, too, wept then, laying his
face close to the hollow, sunken cheek
of the woman he held to his heart.
CHAPTER XVI
4 FIGHT FOR LIFE.
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