The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-12

But he took from the Counselor Iorns's diamond necklace. which the willy villain was making away with, and let him go-to what fate he never knew. The Doones had scarcely been de- stroyed and things settled down to their usual course again on Exmoor, when returning to the house one day from survey of his farm the new made Knight saw. sit4ing in his par Tor. the Lady Lorna, and his mother and his sister Lizzie flutterfng joy- ousiy around her.
 T am my own mistress." cried Lorna, after she had recovered her breath from Jhon's greetings -And, oh. I am so glad to be homo again.
 You shail not be your own mistress long," replied John. Darling, you shall be the mistress of mo and I will be your master"
 With tears springtng out of her 1 smiles she fell on Johns breast and cried awhile.
 Matters went along smoothly ana happily at the farm, and when the wedding day came all the people for miles around. including the gentry. as-e sembied at the parish church of Care to see the union of Lady Lorna DugAI and Sir John Ridd.
 Just as the clergyman had pronounce ed the words which made them man church. Lorna fell into the arms of her husband, the red blood flowing over her white bridal garments. John turned, to see Carver Doone riding away on his big black horse.
 Only one thought filled him-there was his bride. his dear Lorna. dead at the altar. and there rode her slayer. Rushing to his horse. which stood be- fore the church door, John mounted and rode fiercely after the bloody Doone.
 It was a long chanse. for Carver.s horse was fresh and powerful and his start had been in his favor. But | finally Carver turned into a dell known as the Wizards Slough, and from that John knew there was no escaping. In the centre was 6 black ouagmtre with only little rim of firm ground around 1t.
 John was unarmed. but as he passed under a gnarled and staved oak he reached up and wrenched or A great limb to serve him as a weapon: men showed the rent in the tree to his last day with wonder
 l Carver turned his horse as John came laundering down into the dell | after him. and placing one hand on
 his pistol. said: T would not harm
 thee. lad. have punished you suf-
 fcfently for your impudence and pre-
 sumpfion." But John. speaking not, came on. and the Boone fired The bullet struck John full in the body
 though he needed it not. but swung his great oak stick and smote Carver'a | horso full on the forehead. so that it feil down dead as if struck by an l ax.
 Then. as Carver scrambled to his feet. John dismounted and faced him. striking him lightly on the cheek at first to make his blood rise Now the two powerful men grappied. And though Ridd's blood was coming fast from his wound his strength was mighty from his anger and his love. and he tore out the muscle of one of Carver's arms as if disjointfng a don. But before that Carver had got clasp around him and he heard a rib 20.
 In two minutes John had the last of the DooRes helpless and his eyes lolled out T will harm thee no more. 2 said John. 'tGo thy way and repent" | But 1t was too late. Tn the struggle they had trespassed on the Quagmfre, which was sucking them both down. John. standing erect as he was.. managed by great effort to reach the solid ground. but Carver was caught He raised his arms. covered with foul dragged him down. Nor was John able to help him. though he tried
 John Ridd reached home more dead than alive. and they bore him to hts chamber, where for weeks he hovered i between life and death.
 | Ore day, when he was strong enough to bear 1t. they brought Lorna. not dead after all to his room. They lived happy ever afterwards. the richest and most important people in that section. and John, who died at a prodigkous aga has left his name in all the ExTnoor legends.
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