The record-union., 1895-06-01

out the tall figure of Meadows, with his
granddaughter clinging 10 him as if for
support, and l bowed my head in agony
at the thought of the fatal news | had to
give her. Suddenly voice sounded In
my ear, clear and sharp above the rest,
and | started. 1t was voice / had
never expected to hear again in this
world.
'.Here they are at lastr Ben Holding
cried joyfully. Lizzie, look up. Powell
is safe, thank God! He is here!''
| staggered towards them, dizzy and
| faint. The joy was overpOwering. By
what miracle had Holding escaped with
his life? He seized me by the hand and
drew me forward. Lizzie said something
l could not hear, and would have fallen
to the ground had not some one caught
| her and laid her, white as a lily, in her
grandfather's arms. Then ensued babel
/ OF voices. All the fishermen in the viii
/ lage seemed thronging to shake hands
with me and Ford. l gathered from
/ their talk that great anxiety had been felt
! on our account; that lifeboat had been
sent to our aid, and had fallen in with
| the Mermaid only just in Time to save the
| lives OF those on board, for she had cap
sized and left them all struggling in the
water. BY the time this was ELECTED the
wind went down; and finding the Vixen
was not in pressing need OF assistance,
the IlfeD0at made tor shore, where she ar
rived long before we did.
| was borne on the shoulders of my
comrades to Meadows house, where
good glass of grog helped to steady my
nerves. But as soon as L was able 10
walk L insisted on going home, giving as
an excuse that l wanted TO turn in. To
remain under Meadows roof was intol-
cradle.
well. if go you must" Luke ex-
OH yhat, hnf I III cto No
longer, Il will see you to your door. Do
not cry, my girl; he will be all right in
the morning. Ben and 1 will look after
him."
Powell Holding began. as soon as 1
had reached my room, you and L have
little matter to settle, and the sooner it Is
done the better. l know what is troub-
ling you. l knew it last night, and
would have set you right then If you
would have listened to me. l do not
deny l was put out by what you said;
| but Well, have been very near death
to-day, and such things seem OF no I'M
portance. GU think LIzzie and L are
lovers, don't you? All the village thinks
SO. Because | have taken a little house
of my own l am going to take wife.
they say. And so l am. Mary Blake
and l hope to come together at Christi
mas. She lives at the place where have
been working all summer. AS l haven't
creature belonging to me, l come to
Lizzie for help; for what do l know OF
how things ought 10 look, or what girl
likes to have about her? But you've no
call to be jealous, my friend. Lizzie is
yours heart and soul. Pve thought SO
many day, and now Pm sure of it.
confess l pretended to make love to her
last night, but it was only bit of tun.
viii you forget and forgiven
What relief those words were to me!
t..11 al L. IL ~
! thoughts that filled my brain, and to ask
his pardon for them: but he would not
let me speak, and presently went away,
| leaving me alone with Luke NJ eadows.
| could do no less than confess the state
of my heart to the old man. though | was
scarcely in a condition to talk coherently.
But Lizzie's grief and terror during the
storm had softened him; and, instead of
| Tepelling me, as | bad feared he would
| do. he smiled as he said 1t was true he had
vowed never to part with his little girl;
! but If liked to come and live at the cot
tage l might marry her whenever l
pleased, and the sooner the better.
But that happy day was not to dawn
yet while. The next morning found
| me unable to rise from my bed, and many
weeks passed before l could leave it
again. Through the fever that followed
| Holding nursed me like a brother, even
! putting off his own wedding rather than
leave me to strange hands; and / verify
! believe it was owing to his watchful care
that | ever recovered my health-as it
was to him l owed the restoration of my
peace of mind.
| Winter had passed away, and the spring
flowers were peeping from their hiding
places in the grass before Lizzie Meadows
and l were man and wife. All LiZZie'S
old playfellows came to the church to see
her married and wish her happiness with
the lad she had chosen; but 10 ones
words touched me SO nearly as did those
of Ben Holding.
''Ah. Bsn," whispered as I wrung his
hand. II don't deserve my happiness,
and no one knows that better than you
do"
OF course he assured me it was all nom
sense, and | must not let such thoughts
trouble me, but / know we'll that the rec
objection of that terrible day will never
fade from my memory. = Chambers
journal.