The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-10-14

| &C Tor MS skill. lhorndyke was anxious foi
the return OF the Phantom. and was now
in the habit Of daily taking walk up ths
gently sloping cap OF the cliff, which srn
denly breaks away to the sea in an almost
sheer precipice, TO get, II possible, glimpse
of his craft. Oftentimes on these occasions
Gertrude would be with him.
One day Ames asked him TO give McCary
an overhaulng for some papers taken by
his sister from Mrs. Badely's desk, which
were now missing. Accordingly, when next
he met the doctor, he asked him for the
papers, McCary had his gun with him, and
his gray eyes were bloodshot, bctokening
| free use OF liquor. He started and the gun
slipped from his hand II there were any
| doubts before that he was the thief, they
were now dispelled. Before he could formu
| late an answer Thorndyke leaped for and
laid hold Of him. With one hand he twist
ed him around. with the other drew from his
breast pocket a mass of papers, then with
finishing push thrust him backward. BY the
time the sury redcoat had gotten to his feet.
Donald had found what he wanted. and then
walked off with the gun over his shoulder
without even looking to see what might be
McCary's next move.
| A few days later when Donald walked TO
the cliff Gertrude was with him. He was
| hundred feet in advance Of her as he reached
the brow Of the promontory. He gave a
shout as he sprang forward, for there,
| stretching out for miles. vessel after vessel,
was the British feet.
| Then he heard behind him a piercing
shrek. Turning he saw Gertrude throw her
self on the form of McCary, Just as he sent
bullet whzzing by his head. In moment
he tore himself from the girl and put off in
full fight, and Thorndyke after him. They
met on the verge of the clia, from which by
| q mighty effort the doctor was thrown head
| long.
| Then, turning, Donald hurried to where
the motionless form Of Gertrude lay. His
passion broke against all restraint, and he
| poured into her deaf ears the story OF his
| love, and kissed her white lips. Her eyes
| opened slowly, and he knew she had not
| been deaf to all be had said She looked him
squarely in the eyes and said Donald, have
you only courage while in the grip Of muir
derous monster and-and over the body of a
lifeless woman? My poor boy-my hero-oh,
my love"
On the morning Of the 5th of September
| Mrs. Thorndyke was too i'll to rise from
her bed. John Phillpse, the doctor at
| Edgartown, was called.
Nothing ails your mother" he said to
Donald, Saving the disease Of old age. You
may have her with you for awhile yet, but
she's tender, lad"
Next morning the British landed on the
| island, with but little warning of what was
to come. Capt. Scammel with several ma
| rines was at the house. DR.. Philipse and
Rachel Thorndyke were in the main room
Donald had had time to hide himself to
| await developments. No one seems to have
| known at the moment what had become
| of Gertrude Ames, OF course, was still con-
fined to his room.
Without knocking. Scanned entered and
demanded that Gertrude King, Beverly
Ames and Donald Thorndyke be surrendered
| to him. At that moment the hall door
| opened and Gertrude entered. Her face was
| flushed as though just awakened from nap.
| Seeing Scammell, she uttered scream
and turning, fled through the door by which
! she had just entered slamming the portG!
| behind her. Rachel placed herself against
! the door, but one Of the marines pulled her
rudely away and sprang up the stairs. with
Scanned close behind.
As Thorndyke appeared on the scene he
| met a marine, who opposed his advance, but
he was shortly laid out by blow from the
| butt of gun. A third marine had attacked
| the doctor, and Donald dealt with him in
tue hdlHc summary ldSulOH. lueu UP tue
| stairs TO his mothers room, where he knew
he would find Gertrude, he rushed.
Ames was leaning against the wall con-
fronted by the marine who had come up
| with Scammell. In front Of the bed stood
Gertrude with a cooked pistol in her hand
and facing Scammel.
| As Donald entered the room, he heard
| the brave girl say, in answer to some ques-
| tion Never alive, sirl Settle with him!
am the promised wife of Donald Thorn
| dykel"
Donald drew his sword, and with the
| cry: Turn, you villain turnl" he smote
Scanned across the shoulders with the fiat
of the blade. As the two men shifted, cir
| cling for an advantage, Seammell neared the
door, and quickly turning, rushed to the
room below. Here there was more room
| for the play of swords. The officer was
clever, but Donald drew him foot by foot.
| Suddenly throwing his wrist out of line, his
point fell off. Like lightning Scammell took
the bait; the next instant his sword was
| spinning through the air. Before the whirl-
ing steel reached the ground, Thorndyke's
blade had passed through the throat of the
villain.
In the meantime in the room above the
marine had shot at Gertrude. The bullet
had missed her, but had done its deadly
work on the aged sufferer in the bed. Ger
trude fired with her pistol, and the marine
lay on the floor dead.
! Over the bed where lay his beloved dead,
Donald swore a vengeance which should not
cease untd his country was rid of the butch
crs invading il. Ames reached out his hand,
and thus was cemcnted anew the covenant
between them.
For the two days the British remained on
Marthas Vineyard Donald and his little
party lived in disused shed deep in the
heart of the forest. On the second evening
! he returned alone TO the house, and was
surprised to find il still standing, showing
no evidence Of having been entered since
they had fled from il. a crude coffin was
constructed and the mother was buried in
the woods near the edge Of the home lot,
DIR. Phillipse doing the last offices. And
there she still rests, marked by the stone
Donald lived To see begin to c.umble away
| under the hand Of time.
THE END.