The Carlisle independent., 1917-09-06

of the lighthouse, while Keeper Me Quarrie and his wife busted them selves with the meal that they were making ready for their guests above.
 Ravengar had taken Leontine's hand in his and he was looking into her eyes.
 I'm glad you trust me-" he was say ing. Madame Navarro I know more of your life than you suppose. know that you are nominally married to a man you detest, whose conduct has been unbearable. know that he won your hand by fraud"
 The tears streamed down Leontine's cheeks. "I have nobody to trust but you. l am always grateful to you for your kindness" she answered.
 ''Kindness?" asked Ravengar Dear Leontine, 1 am conscious of stronger feelings than those you attribute to me. I love you, Leontine."
 She could not help but listen to him. There was that in his manner which robbed his words of insult, though she was a married woman. She knew that Ravengar would be faithful unto death, would be content to give all and to ask nothing.
 Gently she withdrew her hand from his.
 .Mr. Ravengar, you know that I am married" she said. "Unhappily married-yes, but legally bound. And I have a mission to perform. Until the memory of Jerry Carson is cleared 1 cannot even take the first steps to- ward securing divorce from my hus- band. He alone can aid ne by con- fessing the part he played in that trag edy. The clearing of Jerry Carson's memory means everything in the world to me, more even than life it. self"
 Ravengar remained silent for a mo- ment.
 "Leontine," he said presently, "I think love you the more because of your loyalty to that lost sweetheart of yours."
 Suddenly Leontine's eyes wandered toward the little slit of a window which gave upon the raging seas. In a binding flash of lightning she dis tinctly saw the face of Louie Lamb pressed close against the pane.
 She screamed. Ravengar ran over to the window. Nothing was to be seen there.
 Find hin!" cried Leontine. Tt is one of my husbands spies. He has tracked us here!"
 With a bound Ravengar was at the door. He rushed out into the raging storm, slipping and stumbling over the sea-washed rocks. But there was noth- ing except the whipping wind and the raging sea. He turned back and re- entered the lighthouse. Leontine was crouching, trembling, against the wall.
 'It was nothing, Leontine," he said. You were overwrought. There is nO- body outside. There could be no- body"
 Leontine had not been mistaken. Louie had started in an open boat from the mainland before the storm reached it's height.
 He beached his boat in dry cave and started to investigate the light house. A brief glance through the window had shown him that those whom he sought were inside.
 Fascinated, he saw Ravengar take. Leontine by the hand. This amused Louie. He watched them till the sud den flash of lightning revealed him to the girl.
 Louie saw that he was discovered, and bolted for the cave. Fearing Ra- vengar, he crouched low there, hear ing him pass and repass upon the rocks outside.
 Suddenly he heard a rending noise In spite of his terror, Louie crawled through the wet shingle at the mouth of the cave to investigate. A bolt had struck the upper portion of the lighthouse, which had fallen into the water. And the lightning played about the ruined structure, in the basement of which Leontine cow cred at Ravengar's side.
 Suddenly another bolt hit the dis placed stones and mortar at the top of the shaft. For an instant there was a profound silence; then Louie saw that the entire structure was lean ing toward him.
 He shrieked and dived for his cave. He was just in time. For, with a mighty roar the ruins of the light house toppled, collapsed, and went crashing to the rocks, mass of shape less debris.
 At dawn Louie stretched himself and went out of the cave.
 He started to investigate. The low est story of the tower was still intact. The bolt which had struck the light house had snapped it off above that point bodily. But if anyone survived within that sealed chamber, escape was impossible for him.
 Then Louie came upon the crushed bodies of Keeper McQuarrie and his wife, lying half-buried beneath the debris.
 He was quite satisfied now. Leon tine and Ravengar would trouble him DO more.
 
 You swear that you saw their bodies In the ruinsT' asked Sebastiaua