The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-06-23

WAIVER and struggle. The river was
treacherous at midstream, being streWn
with rocks, which at one point formed
an island.
Against one of these she saw him sud-
denly hurled by q rushing vortex of the
foam-crested waters. A faint cry Of
pain reached her.
What had happened? Her rising fears
answered the query promptly. He was
swimming with one hand now. The
other, MANNED or benun%d by the blow
he had received by coming in contact
with a Shsrp-pointed rock, hung helpless
at his side. He reached a great boulder
projecting above the surface OF the
water, and threw himself across its face,
to rest, recuperate, and regain his
strength.
Painting, exhausted, he smiled across
the bleak void at the Won whose eyes
were stars of hope to his hungry soul.
Only for a moment he chung there. Then
he slipped into the water again. and
struck out manfully for the lei shore.
"Help!"
A shrek of agony, the CRY was uttered
by Flora Merwyn a minute later. Run
ming frantically up and down the bank,
wringing her hands almost bent Oh
springing into the stream after him, she
scanned the rock-strewn center stream
appalled,.
"HeIp-oh! who will save him? Ray,
my Lowell my lovel come back! Oh, I
have sent him to his death"
She paused, fascinated p%aralYzed. A
wild swirl of waters had shot him with the
fpron nf q nofonn1f onaincf q nraQf lQU<
ged rock. He caught at a p~rQjr1ectlo1
his head sank on his breastF n theE
Just as his feeble clutch was tori loos'
the appraised a-N.H>Sas in full view, an
| thnc.uign the rent sleeve of the outer Goa
there showed an undergarment. striped
b~ideous-the shameful garb Of the Star
convict!
Dead-drowned! With a choking gasI
Flora Merwyn sank helpless to the We
vet sward, praying to die, for the crue
rock seemed to have awarded Ray Wet
ster his death blow, and the heartles
waters swept him from view. Sh
watched the extreme end of the rock
island, but he did not reappear. In re
union, death had stepped in with mercj
less tread-love revived had been dealt
last crushing blow.
Lost, in the hour Of fnding-doomed
at the threshold Of hopei and that toe
In behalf of the man who had inDocentl'
Tronged him.
And what Of that father? Her sense
reeling, Flora Merwvn's heart and sou
seemed crushed anew as, from the dis
tant village, an ominous, an unusua
sound beat out upon the still morning air
A bella bell noisy with diSSonan
clangor; the bell she had once heard il
fancy pealing, sweetly her WI weddins
chimes!
1t was ringing no hour now, no call tt
church, or school, or council, clang-
%ponderous iron tongue, the hoarse throat
vibrating, told Of excitement, haste anc
peril.
Clang-clang! the unfamiliar al arm
bore an accent Of sombre warninG-ire,
riot, bloodshed!
A call to arms-to rescue, she read II
every brazen note the integrity Of 6
great bank at stake, the safety of it;
pilot hanging on a mere quivering
thread.
Alas! far more sen timent was the peal
ing significance. 1t was something else
beside a clang Of disorder. That ring
ing babel of discord was q requiem OIL
sorrow, it announced to the world tina
Flora MerwYn had lost q father as wei
as lover in one tell, fatal hour-that she
was homeless, at the mercy Of a harsh,
cruel world-an orphan.
For the mob had risen, and ''the
worst" had come!