Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1905-09-30 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

CHAPTER, XXX. ~t,  MI A Maiden's Sacrifice. 1 :::•=1::."4--):::-.;.`i,:::::::t1:.:,Z1:, ..::,  After Alice had heard heir fatileeB =EXpected declaration that she had saved tlie hermit for her husband, she stood a moment leaning hoa,vily against the rock, dazed, and only hatf-oonsaious of what was passing; she heard dim„ oonfused murmur of voioea, in which nothing was definitely un,derstood, until, when the spasm began to pass, else heard distinctly her father's voice in one deliberate sentence :  "I will ixty- the price." Then Ishmael came across to where she stood and pat his arm about her waist. Housed from her stupor by the a'etion, she sprang to one side, but Lshmael caught her wrist, and leered into her eyes, saying: "Your father's spoken the word, my lame, and I'm to he your busboaad.'  Writhing in his grasp she struggled to free herself, but ore she did so the hermit's grey moustache had touched her cheeks, and his lips had rested for an instant on ,hers. Her father stood by the while tmhooding. True, his fingers toyed with the hammer, and he might even new had made use of it, had not the hermit's quick eye kept itself fixed on the slightegt motion of the arm. No, feul play Waii no use; he had met he match. Had he met mare? you'll learn to love me, my pretty Timid, I'll warrant_ I'm not RS bad as I seem," and to himself in a undiertona, "I ain't as old as  What else he woruki have said is not known far Philip Raebtirn bade his daughter deport, and turned to follow her. "You'll come to-morrow?" asked the hermit. "I'll come," lxriefly answered Raebrurn, and without another syllable followed the girl homewards.  That evening he told his daughter of Ishmael' pr?posal. ' Oth, never! never!" cried the unhappy maiden.. "I could not wed such a man. Father, it is horrible." "But, Alice, listen to ma. It is six.teen rears since I came to Nettbercombe, since I brought you here with me. I Wtlia not a. rich man; and how do you think we have lived? What income have I had coming in all these years? My girl, the truth is, I am inextricably in debt. This very roof is no longer our own; the furniture, even linen and silver we use daily, may at any moment be demanded from us. Your marriage of Ishmael will save me, will save you. t, "Father, I cannot. I will work, toil for you, work my fingers to the bone, but marry that Imam, 'tis monstrous, 'tis inhuman." "Listen Alice, do you know why I have spent these sixteen blighted years in tails God forsaken spot. I had a writing, a Ewa-ipt, telling of a treasure cave among those !arm racks—a nave full of gold, girl; gold that would make us rich, gold that will buy off all our creditors and give us luxury and wealth. That script was stolen. You do not remember it; you wore but a child. Had the thief not taken it, I should have been rich long, long ago. All that I retained of its contents was that the treasure cave was somewhere near the siren's head. 'Tis far that I have been seeking • 'tis that that has made me old before my Lane. While I have lost, that man has won. You saved me to-day, or I should have killed him where he stood, and got the clue." Father that would have been m " Alice could not bring herself to speak the wand, though the acrent betinayed what she would have said. Murder! Yes it would, pirl ; said it may be yet, Alice, unless you obey me. How the man got his knowledge, Ido not know. Perhaps it was he who stole the script; if it were, and I knew it, he should die like a "Oh, father, do not speak so passionately' • there is a doom for the murderer, a cruel, shameful, horrible doom." a I know it, girl, and you wouldn't lik;‘, to see your father to it, I suppose?"  A Revelation..