The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-06-24
probability swamp us all, and he would

N'NS'NNNe NilA ltph flLNtl lllN 4lNhlN Sa4IlS God bless her! And you, George-Liz- 2ie--."
 His voice was lost in the roar of the waves, and indeed my heart beat so fast l should hardly have made out his words in any case. A flash of light ming, more vivid than any we had had yet, half blinded me, and at the same moment we shipped a sea that nearly washed us from our seats. When we had succeeded in bailing out the water and were able to look about us I sought in all directions for the Mer- maid, but she was nowhere to be seen.
 l cast myself down at the bottom of the boat, overcome with horror. TO have my rival thus suddenly swept from my path was more than I could bear Last night, I would have hailed with joy anything that severed him from Lizzie, Now l felt like murder CT. It was I who had lured him to his doom, and wrecked the life of the girl loved. I tried to pray for Gods for giVeness, but no words would come. In my misery I would have thrown myself into the water, but had no strength to move, Ford called to me, but his voice fell on deaf ears. I lay stunned and motionless
 l must have remained in, that state for some time. Ford thought I had been struck by lightning; but 1t was out of his power to help me; 1t was all he could do, single-handed, to guide our little craft. Fortunately for us both, the storm began to abate or we should never have reached the shore.
 It was dusk when we landed, and the harbor ligths flashing into my eyes reused me from the lethargy into which I had fallen, A crowd was as- sembled on the beach, eager to well come the friends they had given up for lost I soon made out the tall figure of Meadows, with his grand daughter clinging to him as if for support, and I bowed my head in agony at the thought of the fatal news l had to give her. Suddenly a voice sounded in my ear, clear and sharp above the rest, and l started. It was a voice I had ex- pected never to hear again in this world.
 Here they are at last!" Ben Holding cried joyfully. Lizzie, look up. Pow ell Is safe, thank God! He is here!"
 l staggered toward 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 I could not hear, and would have fallen to the ground had not some one caught her and laid her, white as lily, in her grandfathers arms. Then ensued babel of voices.
 All the fishermen in the village seemed thronging to shake hands with me and Ford. I gathered from their talk that great anxiety had been felt on our account; that a 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 capsized, and left them all struggling in the water By the time this was effected the wind went down; and finding the Vixen was not in pressing need of assistance the life boat made for shore, where she arrived long before we did
 I was borne on the shoulders of my 1 comrades to Meadowss house, where good glass of grog helped to steady 1 iIiy tltl NtS. but cto SOOli tS l was tblt i to walk, I insisted on going home, giv- | ing as an excuse that l wanted to turn in. To remain under Meadows's roof was intolerable.
 | Well, if go you must" Luke ex- claimed when he found I would stay no longer, q will see you to your door. | Don't cry, my girl; he will be all right l in the morning. Ben and I will look after him"
 Powell" Holding began, as soon as 1 I had reached my room, you and I have a little matter to settle, and the sooner it is done the better I know what's troubling you. I knew it last night, and 1 would have set you right | then if you would have listened to me. 1 l don't deny l was put out by what you said-but--Well I have been very near death to-day, and such things seem of no importance, You think Lizzie and I are lovers, don't you? All
 the village thinks so. Because I have
 taken little house of my own, am going to take a wife, they say. And so I am. Mary Blake and I hope to come l together at Christmas. She lives at
 the place where I've been working all 1 summer.
 "As I haven't creature belonging to
 me I come to Lizzie for help; for what do I know of how things ought to look, or what a girl likes to have about her?
 But you've no call to be jealous, my 1 friend; Lizzie is yours heart and soul. I've thought so many day, and now | I'm sure of it. ! confess pretended to make love to her last night, but it was
 only bit of fun. Will you forget and forgive?''
 What a relief those words were 10
 me! I tried to tell him of all the wick | ed thoughts that had 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 Meadows.
 I could do no less than confess the
 state of my heart to the old man,
 though I was scarcely in a condition to
 talk coherently But Lizzie's grief and
 terror during the storm had softened
 him; and instead of repelling me, as
 had feared he would do, he smiled as
 he said it was true he had vowed never
 to part with his little girl; but if I liked
 to come and live at the cottage, I might
 marry her whenever l pleased, and the
 sooner the better.
 But that happy day was not to dawn yet awhile. The next morning found
 me unable to rise from my bed, and | ,D1cCa6 hafOpa H1,1I1