The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-04-03

HIS Whlte hair and his garments seem ed to be smouldering. He gripped at them with his hands. then coming to a little bush-it was the top of Nya's | tree which she had thrust into the | and began to beat himself with it as though to extinguish the flames. In an instant it took fire also burning him horribly, so that with a yell he wards the wall As he came they saw | his face. It was that of Eddo. At this moment, seized by some sud-
 f6e stenaa Mols sank sank down I upon , lift her to her feet again. but she thrust him away. saying slowly and in gasps:
 Let me be, the doom has hold of
 me, I am dying. I passed within the Fence to fire the Tree, and it's poison is at work within me, and the curse of
 all my people has fallen on my head. Yet I have saved thee, my sister, I have saved thee and thy lover, for the Dwarfs are no more. the Grey People are grey ashes. For my loves sake I did the sin; let my love atone the sin if it may, or at the least think kindly of me through the long, happy years that are to come. and at the end of them then seek for lost Noie in the World of Ghosts if she may be found there"
 As she spoke they heard a. sound of something scrambling among the stones, and at one of the four en-
 frances of the turret there appeared a hfeeous. f1re-twisted face, and little form about which hung charred and smou1dering strips of raiment. It was Eddo. who had climbed the wall and found them out. There he sat giower- ing at them, or rather at Noie. who was crouched upon the floor. Come. hither. daughter of Seyapi," he screamed in his hissing, snake-like voice. "come hither, and see thy work thou who hast made an end of the ancient People of the Ghosts. Come
 ,f% l &>11 Al thing for would learn the truth be- fore die, that may make report of 1t to the Fathers of our race"
 Noie heard. and crept towards him; to Rachel and Richard it seemed as though she could not disobey that summons. Now they sat face to face outside the turret. clinging to the stones. and her long hair flowed out
 'I did it. Eddo," she said. ''to save one whom I love. and him whom she loves did it to avenge the death of do I did it because the cup of thy wickedness is full, and because I was appointed to bring thy doom upon thee. Thus ends the greatness thou hast plotted so many years to win. | Ed6o." |
 Aye" he answered. thus it ends, ] for the magic of the White One sthere | has overcome me. and thus with it l ends the reign of the Ghost Kings, and l the forest wherein they reigned. and | thus. too. thou endest. traitress. who | hast murdered them and whose soul shall be split with their souls"
 As the words left his lips suddenly | Eddo sprang upon Noie and gripped | her about the middle. Richard and Rachel 1eapt forward, but before ever | they could lay a hand upon her to save | her. the dwarf in his rage and agony | had dragged her to the edge of the | wall For a moment they struggled | there in the vivid light of the flaming | 60rn r,1, one wild, savage shriek, and still hold ing Noie in his arms hurled himself | from the wall, to fall crushed upon its foundation stones sixty feet beneath.
 Thus perished Noie, who, for loves sake. gave her life to save Rachel, as once Rachel had saved her.
 It was morning, and after the temp est the sky was clear and cool, for heavy rain had fallen when the wind dropped, although far away the dense clouds of rolling smoke showed where the great fire still ate into the heart of the forest. Rachel and Richard seated hand in hand in the little tower on the wall. looked at one another in that pure light, and saw signs in each others face that could not be mis- taken.
 What shall we do?" asked Richard
 Death is very near to us.''
 Rachel thought awhile, then answer ed:
 The dwarfs are gone, we have nothing more to fear from them. Yon- der where the fire did not burn, dwell their slaves. whose villages are full of food, and beyond them live the Um- kulu, who know and would befriend | me. Let us go and seek food who de- sire to live on together. if we may"
 So they climbed down the wall, and with difficulty, for they were very feeble, crawled over the stones which they had piled up in the passage to keep out the dwarfs, and thus passed to the open belt beyond A strange wi lands that had been covered with giant trees were now piled over with white ashes amongst which, here and there stood a black and smouldering trunk. The journey was terrible, but following a ridge of rock whereon no great trees had grown, hand in hand they passed forest in safety. until they came to one of the towns of the slaves upon the fertile plain beyond, which led up to the desert- No human being could they see, since all had fled but the kraal was full of sheep and cattle that had been penned there before the fire began. and in the huts were milk and food in plenty. They drank of the milk, and, after a while, ate a little then rested and drank more milk, till their strength began to return to them. Towards evening they went out of the town, and standing a mound looked at the fire wasted plain behind. and the green, grassy slopes in front.
 They seemed quite alone in the world, those two, and yet their hearts were full of joy and thankfulness. for while they were left to each other they knew that they could never be alone.
 "See, Rachel" said Richard, pointing to the smouldering wreck of the forest, there lies our past, and here in front of us spreads the future clothed with flowers
 ''Yes Richard" she answered. "but Noie and all whom I love save you are buried in that past, and in front of us the desert is not far away"
 Life is ours, Rachel. and love is ours and that which saved us through many a danger and brought me back to you will surely keep us safe. Do you fear to pass the desert at my side?"
 She looked at him with shining eyes. and answered:
 .No. Richard I fear more, for now I seem to hear the voice of Noie speaking in my heart, telling me that trouble is behind us, and that we shall live o1,t nIlr lives together. as my