The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-07-28

all the letters she wrote and received
and practically established censor
ship over her mail. His was a love
that demanded sacrifices rather than /
made them, and Olive was beginning |
to realize her mistake when Harry |
Lawson, an old playmate who had |
gone TO Chicago some years ago, re- |
turned for a holiday. He was so de-
lighted to find his little tomboy friend |
developed into a demure but lively |
beauty that he promptly lost his heart |
to her, and she reciprocated his affec- |
ton.
A couple OF days after Lawson had |
returned TO the city letter from him
arrived at the post Office addressed to
Olive. Mcdonald recognized the hand
writing and was unusually surly as he
delivered the missive. Olive noticed
his anger and knew its cause and re-
eeived the letter with defiant toss Of
her head. The result was a bitter
| quarrel and the end of their engage
ment. Next day she posted letter to
Lawson, and from that time on their
| correspondence was fast and furious.
II he had dared, Mcdonald would
have destroyed the letters; but, with
| all his faults. his sense of duty was
too keen to allow him to commit such
wrong. But to be obliged to take
love token from his rival to Olive in
stead OF merely handing it out at the
office was simply maddening.
As he neared the river fats where
Olive lived the storm was rolling away
to the east, and the moon in her first
quarter was casting a faint light
through the broken clouds. A short
distance from the river bank his horse
stopped suddenly and stared before
him. Mcdonald raised his head and
peered sullenly into the semidark-
ness. The little valley through which
the Spadina wound was in reality the
channel 1t had originally cut for itself
through the plateau which it drained.
As Mcdonald looked at it this valley
; appeared to be filed with gray fog.
While he was wondering vaguely at
the unusual occurrence he became con-
scious of a dull continuous roar and
} realized that what he saw cleaning
before him was not mist, but water.
The little river was flooded and was
/ OAtC bOtO hAiihe dhNtCht ChdnhCi.
He then remembered that all the pre-
vious night and previous day there had
, been an unceasing series of thunder
, storms sweeping across the north,
? where lay the sources of the river.
Owing to the improved drainage sys-
ten the rainfall had all poured into the
river at once, and the result was flood
; as sudden and overwhelming as comes
with the breaking of a mighty dam.
4 As he looked at the flood of water he
knew that the Lucas house on the river
fats must at least be surrounded by
l water. Urging his horse to a gallop, he
! reached the river bank and found there
: group of farmers who were looking
3 out on the scene of destruction. By the
I dim moonlight and flashes of lightning
Q that were still vivid they could see all
4 kinds Of wreckage floating in the boil
Ing torrent. The Lucas home was al
: ready submerged to the second story
and Olive and her parents could be
3 seen huddled on the roof awaiting 9
3 rescue that seemed impossible. The
few boats owned by the farmers ha6
been swept away by the waves tha
had rushed down the valley. The wa
ter had risen ten feet in as many min
utes and was still rising. When Nc
Donald realized the situation he wa.
conscious of fierce feeling of exulta
ton. This new difficulty would only
serve to make his martyrdom mor'
complete, and Olive would get her gif
from his rival with a greater sacrific,
on his part He felt that it would be ,
glorious revenge.
Having been a raftsman on the lake
In his youth, the stormiest water ha,
no terrors for him, and he began +
cast about for some means of reachin
those who were in such deadly peri
He remembered that the farmer who's
barn stood few rods away had a tanl
wagon box that was used to carry wa
ter to the thrashing machine engine
1t was made water tight, and, as
could keep water in, it could also. i
closed, keep water out. 1t would max
an excellent float for raft.
4 Calling on the men who were stand
| ing on the river bank to come and he'll
| him. he ran to the barn, telling then
on the way what he wished to dc
Willing hands carried the tank to tn
edge OF the water. and Others lifte
one Of the wide barn doors from ii
hinges This door they spiked secure
Al ly on the top of the tank, and with
a 4 few strokes OF an AK Mcdonald mad
rude oar from plank. This oar b
A fastened TO the end of the raft with
a rope. and, taking with him the lar
tern with which the farmer had bee
I'D lighting him at his work. he got aboar
his strange craft and was pushed OF
nd into the stream. With his heavy GA
TX which he used chiefly as a rudder, b
lie worked his raft out into the curren
d. which bore il toward the Lucas hous
he Mr.. Lucas also had a lantern, and Q
he saw that rescue was coming b
er waved II frantically. Calculating b
of direction to a nicely and fighting II
ly unfamiliar currents with the skill of
ce raftsman and the strength Of gian
ly Mcdonald forced the angry water
he drive him straight toward his destin
ng ton. The raft struck the house squar
er ly. and as It did the building yielde
he perceptibly and tottered to its found'
he ton. Realizing the danger, Lucs
as grasped Olive and hurled her forwar
re, upon the barn door, where McDonal
IFS who had forsaken his oar for a IN
IN ment, caught her and laid her in saf
~. ty. As Lucas followed with his vii
re In his arms the roof seemed to sli