The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-09-14

him he kissed her an instant lightly on
the forehead. It was a kiss with
greater consequences than Ralph
Adams ever dreamed, for it stirred the
girls very soul. A mist swan before
her eyes, and she trembled from head
to foot. Within her mind q strange
confusion of thoughts shaped itself into
a project 80 extraordinary that she
herself scarcely comprehended it; I'M
known forces vaster than her loveless
life had hitherto embraced seemed to
sway her at will. But she said moth
ing more-only drew back with a
smothered, sobbing sight, and turned
dumbly toward the Louisburg road.
In another moment they had started
through the gathering darkness. Marie
leading the way at a raid pace. The
wreck vas a shapeless blur upon
the beach; lights began to twinkle in
the houses; the night air struck coldly
on their faces. Adams, sword in hand,
followed the girl closely, his face stern
and set. A confusion of images
thronged his mind. Now it was the
landing in the ice of Gabarus bay, now
the ring Of the battery cannon, and
anon, by some subtle contradiction, the
wistful face Of his Academic guide.
But this confusion did not deter him
from nothing that they were leaving
the cove behind and striking upland,
nor that the road though marrow was
evidently well trodden. All this he
with which a brave man looks on death,
for, rightly or wrongly, Ralph Adams
knew his time had come.
They had now reached a sharp turn
in the road, where in the dim light the
path seemed to lose itself in a wilder
ness of granite boulders. Here Marie
paused. 81 will go forward to see that
the way is clear, p" she whispered. Then
che leaned forward so that her warm
breath famed his cheek and peered in
his eyes through the darkness. The
next instant she had bruequely trans
ferred his hat to her own head and was
running rapidly down the rocky road,
her feet gathering loudly at every step.
To Ralph's horror it seemed she would
awaken all the echoes of the counsry-
side. AS, in fact, she did; for from
an ambuecade among the gray boulders
half a dozen musket shots suddenly
rang out. There was a stiff I'd groan
followed by a fall, and hurried foot
steps of retreat down the embankment
to the sea. With a bound he sprapg
forward, and in a few yards almost
stumbled across the body of Marie.
She was dying. he saw at a glance,
for blood welled from a fatal wound in
the chest. But her face was set in a
strange smile of triumph. The only
way" she whispered hoareely, raising
the hat in one blood stained hand.
They would have killed you else, and
II, monsieur, loved you truly, so I
took your place. The road is safe
enough now" Without another word
and as eacefully as though sleeping,
she closed her eyes, and g grayness
more austere than the surrounding
granite ~overswept her face.
For g few minutes Adams knett be
side the body in a tumult of bitter
thought. Then the sound Of voices in
the direction of the village aroused
him. With al angry curse he rose to
his feet, and folding her hands peace
fully across her breast, he placed his
hat, soldier fashion, upon them.
Another moment and he was running
rapidly toward L0uisburg, for he car
ried dispatches. William Holloway,
Jr., in. the illustrated American.