The herald., 1896-08-04

oh! Emmie,-your husband is at the
door! I must fly"
All through her dreams, Emmie, like the
man who paced the pavement opposite till
the Westland lights were out, heard the
clear voice singing
"Oh! l can ne'er forget
Robin Adair''
The wind had fallen when they woke on
the Sunday morning; the autumn sunshine
was hot, even sultry, clouding over in the
still afternoon in breathless heat, and
breaking out luridly at sunset against the
edge of coppery purple storm clouds, rolling
up against the wind.
Beatrice had been to the vicarage, where
she had poured out his tea for DR.. Ash
worth, and walked down to the church with
him, leaving him at the vestry door and
joining the Westlands on their way to
church.
The organ was rolling out storms OF mag
nifcen. music as they entered they recog-
nized finer, surer touch and deeper feeling
than that OF the official organist, and forgot
the oppression of the sultry, staress night.
But the vicar was vexed at the length Of
the voluntary land darted one Of his severe
looks towards the gallery at the west
end, whers the organis. could see chancel
choir, and pulpit in mirror. Then the
music died down on a minor note, and a
young curate intoned, L will arise and go
to my father but, being only in deacon's
orders he waited after the confession, while
the vicar rose in the choir land turned silver
haired, venerable, in his white surplice and
scarlet Doctors hood to pronounce the alb
solution and remission Of the peoples sins.
The church was spacious and lofty; the
carved oak Tudor pulpit was placed high
lust outside the chancel; so that the wears
passage down the chancel and up the pulpit
steps occupied some minutes-and was ac-
companed by a grave. yet exultant organ
strain.
The lights all over the church were low
cred because of the oppressive heat, through
which the boom of advancing thunder rolled
and sheet lightning flashed. The SER
mon was not far advanced when there fol-
lowed such Kissing roaring down-rush Of
rain on the echoing roofs that the preach
er's resonant voice was drowned and he was
obliged to stop. 1t was very awesome to
the little Westlands, looking up in the dim
light to see the silent throng of worship
pers and the silenced priest, and hear the
roar of the great tempest from outer dark
ness Then above the rush of rain and sui
len growl of thunder. came a sound the
like whereof had not been heard in that
church before,-a peal Of eight bells, ring
ing clear and regular as il for wedding;
a second peal. hurried and confused, and
then the clash and clang Of all the eight
bells in the tower at once.
Before the startled people, looking up,
white and wild-eyed, could realize that the
familiar church bells were sounding I'M
touched by hands-there cracked and crash
ed such peal of thunder as seemed like the
rending and irving asunder OF the roofs,
and down toppling of the tower, sound
that swallowed up the startled cries Of wo-
men and children and the continuous CHM
ing and clashing of the bells. When that
terrific and complicated noise Of elemental
war had grown faint enough to let the
changing bells be heard again the church
was permeated by sulphurous smell, a
puff of smoke rolled from gallery at the
west end there was shrill, agonized
shrek of 'Fire!' followed by the sudden
extinction of every light in the church.
1.-THE tower is struck; and they've turned
off the gas at the MAN," said Westland,
who, with his wife and two children and
Beatrice, sat in the nave little below the
chancel; keep steady and firm in the rush.
Hold the girl standing on the seat. I'll hold
the boy.'
Then followed a scene beyond imagining;
the building that moment before had re-