Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-12-20

love you, Winifred; but ! love my
honor better, and will show your
brother or anyone else who molests
me tomorrow night how can vindi-
cate it,"
Winifred Withdrew herself from
his arms, and the tears died on her
face, which had grown set and white
as she listened. At last, with sob,
she answered:
There Is something inconsistent
in what you say, Mr.. Hastings; in
one breath you VOW you love me, and
in the next you refuse to save our
family from disgrace and me from
despair and Indebtedness. Don't
you think 1 am worthy OF little
love, a little consideration ?"
~ fancy, Miss O'Shea, our con-
versation had better cease for to-
night. / will find means Of letting
your brother know that shall not
avoid him. / should advise you to
try an Irish lover now, Miss O'Shea;
Saxon one has too much self
respect to please you. Good night. I"
wal, my love, for Gods sake
come back !"
But his canoe CRATES on the peb-
bles and he is gone. If he had turn
ed back, il he had seen those out
stretched hands and heard that pite-
Gus Come backv' all might have
been well.
But he never turned and so signed
her death warrant.
THE RESOLVE.
The next day hung. slowly on Val
Hastings hands. He wandered
about the grounds Of Anthem Hall
in an aimless way, meditating ,on
the situation, and his blood famed
whenever he thought of O'Shea and
the coming struggle. Hastings was
no braggart or Don Quixote, but his
honor was very sensitive, and never
q doubt crossed his mind as to the
course he should take that night.
He would be armed. too, and meet
this man, this coward, and dare him
to fight him to his face, and then
If he were killed-life was not worth
much, and if he conquered-anyway,
Winifred O'Shea was lost to him, and
he would try to be man, and live
his life without her. He once thought
of sending q challenge to O'Shea,
but, remembering that he had in
formed the head groom, shifty-
faced. suspicious-looking man, of his
plans for that night, he went to him
and carelessly reiterated them, feel
ing certain that O'Shea would get
the latest intelligence through this
medium. And in this he was right;
the man was in O'Shea's pay to spy
on his master.
Dinner was an entire failure, and.
pushing the untasted food from him,
he went out into the dim hall, and
took green leather case from chest
of old oak. Then he drew out two
revolvers, and, after loading them
and examining them carefully. put
them into the case, and the case into
his long fawn coat. He returned into
the dining room, and, throwing him
self into lounge chair. tried to di-
vert his thoughts with cigarette
But, do what he would, Winifred
would rise before his eyes-Winifred
as she was when he saw her for the
first time. He had gone down to
O'Shea's farm to look at shed that
wanted repair, and on his way back
he had suddenly come upon her round
u shrubbery corner, and oh, how
sweet she had looked in her blue
blouse and sort of sunbonnet,
against which her bright hair had
pretty expression, half fright, half
amusement, she wore, and how
queenly she seemed as she faced him
Could not things be altered? Was
there not time?
1.-The dog cart is at the door, sir"
said trim manservant.
He rose and went out.
That morning, too, found Winifred
O'Shea in mental state which
might be described as fog.
Thoughts. plans, doubts, hopes,
fears-all chased each other through
her head like swallows at play.
She knew her brother well-his
vindictive nature, which would brood
and brood until it would drive him
to desperation, and that he would
kill her as well if she attempted to
interfere.
She knew her lover-his hasty
soul, his absolute contempt for dan
ger, and his Northumberland
shudder passed over her; but that
quickly died away as she remem-
bered how they had parted. If he
loved her, things would have been
different; he would have saved her
from this pain, this shame. But he
loved her no longer-that was evil
dent.
Suddenly picture rose before her
eyes; she saw the Perrin Woods, and
the moon falling IN strange white
patches on the long road; she saw
Val walking unconcernedly along
with his -winging step; then fash,
q report. and he throws up his arms
with moan, and rolls over and over
in the dust, and with an agonizing
cry she buried her face in her hands.
No, her Val should not die like this;
she would save him.
She would slip into the cloak-room
and take his hat and coat, put them
on, and, trusting to her height and
1.-the step, would walk down the road.
She shivered; she was very young to