The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-12-23
CHAPTER XVII.

dered through the Cassilis woods, that
extended for some miles, and close at
his'heels woman followed. He had
striven in vain to outstrip that logged
shadow, had doubled, had sought to
hide himself. In vain it stuck to him
like grim death. 1t outwore him at last,
when after hours of trying to elude it,
he caught his foot in gnarled tree root
and fell senseless and exhausted to the
ground.
Wan as corpse, her garments and
hair all wet with dew, she sat down be-
side him, lifting his head into her lap,
and watched him through the hours of
half stupor, half sleep, that followed,
smoothing his eyes from time to time
as she had so often done Nannie's and
praying to all her wicked gods that the
result might be the same.
Castle Cassilis itself was unimportant,
but its woods were magnificent and
might almost be termed a forest, ex-
tending for miles, mdhy Of its recesses
being untrodden by human foot from
year s end to years end and it was in
one of these that through the icy morn
ing hours of autumn Hagar sat watch
| ing the man, who at last, at last, had
been given over into her hand. Utter
lilence reigned, save for the clatter of
the fern owl, the beetles hum. Even at
dawn no loud voices dissipated 1T, for
blackbiId, thrush and merry finch had
all been left behind on the outskirts OF
the wood, and only the missel thrush,
that mysterious outlaw among birds,
and the robin gave sign of winged life
in the boughs overhead.
She had set her back to the bole of a
giant tree and wound her skirt about
Wills neck and shoulders, her arms out
side all, and chilled to the bone she was
! happy, for the whole world could give
her no more than this sleeping man,
dear, beautiful, dependent, who would
sleep on and on till it should please her
to bid him waken.
All, it is not myth that story OF
Merlin and Vivien. and what the wom-
an did in tie oiaen days Dy woven PAGES
and waving arms is done nowadays In
broad daylight and with simpler meas
ures. 1t is the same gigantic force exer :
cised in much the same way, but as yet
it is a blind force, undeciphered, uncon-
trolled, the instrument of evil rather
than good.
At times she half slumbered, her wan
face outlined against the tree trunk.
Hunger she knew none. Her every facui-
ty was concentrated on the events OF the
next few hours, upon which absolutely
depended her future.
When the sun was high, when the
light fell in shifting mosaic Of gold upon
the grass, and the woodland life Of day
was in full swing, another sound made
itself heard. human one, coming un-
certainly over the ground and rustline
against the fallen leaves as it came, al
though so thickly grew the trees that
nothing could for long time be seen.
But it came at last, and with wild
cry Of anguish Mamie dropped down
beside the pair and striving to unlock
the arms that were fast clasped about
Wills neck entreated him to waken, t.
speak to her; but he neither stirred MOI
moved, and, looking up and meeting
Hagar's cruel eyes. Mamie fell bach
and moaned aloud in her anguish.
"He is mine." said Hagar He ha!
made his choice. He will never be any
thing to you again. Look at me-"
Mamie strove to avert her gaze, but
in vain, and as their eyes met the CIR
struggled no more. She had become tho
instrument, the tool of her oppressor.
1t was briefly given, that message
from soul to soul 1t was learned, &C
cepted, would be fulfilled in due season
carried out to the very letter, and witt
a sigh and no backward look to he
husband Mamie turned away, and TIT
forest swallowed her up from Hagar'
!. L sol,