The Van Buren press., 1903-06-20

came, white and trembling.
! "Drusiila, Drusilla, the water has
never before passed the big spirea
at the front gate, and now only lis
topmost branches are waving over
{ the yellow flood"
ut is terrible, mother, but pray be
calm. The house is high and as
firm on its uuderlinning as rock
Rock, rock, You are the only rock
in sight; fint-hearted creature that
you are. Where is Michael"
Il have sent him away with the
| turkeys" She would not say that
Michael had a note to Arthur Denui-
son in his pocket If he should no;
find the engineer her mothers wrath
would be too much for mortal nerves
TO stand.
Sent him away with the only boat
we could have escaped in! So Ike
/ you, Drusiia.'
He will come back, mother"
| And where is Maria?'
"Kueelng on the diniug-room table
praying
"on the dining.room table? Do
T you mean
"That the water is an inch deep
down stairs, mother. Ria will bring
your breakfast upstairs to you"
"Hreakast; what does drowning
woman want with breakfast? l tell
you, girl, we are all going to he
drowned Ike rats in hole
Drusilla said that she must see 10
removing the provisions from the
storeroom, glad to get any excuse to
get away from ;he wailiug voice and
streaming eyes that tore her heart
with futile pains.
She was glad when darkness veile4
the outer world from her mothers
| terror-stricken eyes. Cad when the
| poor. querulous voice was stilled by
sleep which, with no sense Of crimt-
nality, she has insured 10y a mild mar
cotic dropped in her evening cup Of
tea.
She must have some time to her
self to plan the morrow's campaign.
] Should Michael fail TO find Dennison,
what then? Lcaningon broken reed,
indeed. She had written simply:
The danger line has reached us. Can
YOU come or send help?' Michael
could not possibly get back before
10 o'clock, Aud when he came?
She sat alone on the veranda up
stairs The white radiance of a full
moon was shed on an unfamiliar
scene. Steadily upward, still upward
| the waters from the crevaSse had
| crept until but foot or two of space
remained between the waters ana the
/ floor of the upper yeranda, Should Ii
| rise during the night as it had dur
/ ing the day there was still the attic
/ left to retreat 10.
She leaned forward with a low cry
Of relief. She heard oars. The moon
sailed under heavy bank of clouds
/ and left her only the sense of hear.
ing. 1t was Michael, She knew the
old mans icrky, feeble way of using
his oars. OF course he had not found
anybody. He was coming home to
| tell her so. She leaned forward in
the darkness and sent a pitcous, sob
, biug cry towards the sound.
"Michael?'
Here, missy"
"Did you find him? Don't say no,
old man.
! Was Michael laughing at her? 1t
sounded maryolously like IT,. She felt
a slight yibratory shock The boat
! had come in contact with one of The
. long pillars supporting the ycrauda
roof, The moon sailed out from uu-
der the bank Of clouds, \ mans hat
was ON the level Of the gallery floor.
/ \ mans hands reached upward 60
clasp the haud.rail The leap Of an
I Iathlctc-aud Arthur Dcnuisou STOOD
/ by her side on the moon-Iightcd
ycranda. With a sob she flung her
self towards him, With glad laugh
he claspcd her close and then with a
soothing toucn he passed his hand
over the tumblcd mass of shining
hair that lay against his shoulder in
u perfect ccstacy Of relief.
She lifted her wet eyes TO ask
tremulously:
"What would ! have done, oh, my
beloved; vha, would have done #
Michacl had not found you?'
michael? And she really thinks
that / waited to be told when she
had reached the danger line? knew
IL before you did, my own, ard was
on my way TO you with great
clumsy barge gs soon us the lcvce
gave way but NemoDs hont was the
swittcr, and although his lop.,idcd
rowing could scarcely ho called fetch.
ing me ON The wings Of love, came
as directly as ] could.'
with his arm about her ne turned
and looked out upon the wutcry
world about thcm
at rs good 10 know that you sum.
( morcd me, DEAR when you had got.
ten 90 the end of your own resource.
fuI devices Nou are i'm serious peril '
"Wcrc," She corrected, nesting
/ rustmlly close 10 his side "As for
. the danger line
81 reached it, he interrupted,
laughinglN "wIth my FIRST look into
your deep, true eyes,
In the Advanced nursery,