A Daughter of Maryland.

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1140, 8 November 1904, Page 4

A Daughter of Maryland.

OHAPTEIt XLL—Continued. THE RKTURN OF MiZK, Aurian Lancier uttered (i cry of dismay Q3 aho beheld the fato of Eaton Bcrnors, and fearing that she would commit some rash act in her oxoitoinout hor father caught hold ofhorsaying: "Be calm, Aurian. Ho may oseapo yet. Look! isn't that his head just tibovo that mass of burnt wood '{" She had already caught sight of tho object pointed out by her father, and was Boon able to distinguish the figure of a man on the surtaco of tho swirling wators. "He doesn't soein to bo making any effort to save himself father. He has been hurt I He is tossed helplessly in tho river I He will bo drowned, if ho is not dead already, unless something is douo to save him."

" Too true, my daughter; but if ut hundred mon woro drowning there,!! could not save one of them, in my prosont coudition Hark ia that a horseman coming ?" , ! Aurian had not stopped to hear him finish his speeoh, but catching up a short pole lying near by, sho rati down to tho edge of the high bank. Tho doomed man was still being borno on at tho mercy of the stream, Even could she havo roiched him with the polo in her hand it would have been of no avail, as ho showed no signs of life,

Seeing that his body was being carried Bwiftly down tho stream find that she was unablo to aid him whero sho was, Aurian looked hurriedly around for some way or means to veaoh him. Thinking only of reaching tho spot in season to catob hold of the victim of tho Hood, she ran along the bank a short distance, when sho leaped recklessly do<vn tho precipitous desoeni, reaching the point of lodge b.«ely in season to seo listen Bornors' whito face appear almost at be feet, Clutohing upon his clothes with all tho power sho could concentrate, she gulled him from tho water upon a rook, so only his feet lay in the stream, Then, ovorcome by her ordoal, sho sank beside his dripping figure almost as helpless as he,

She had a dim consciousness of hearing »shout from the river bank, and a (ow minutes later strong arms raised her up, and she was lifted to her foet and assisted to the ground above. The now arrivals were Daniel Berners and a party from Sylvania, Ino first giving his attention to his unconscious eon,

It was a long lime that they had to work over Eaten Bomcrs boforo he showod any aign of life. A doctor had arrived and b waggon and team sent down from Syl. , vania to get him home, He bad cither reoeiyed a blow from ono of. the foiling timbers, or struck his head on a rock whon he bad been precipitated into tbo Lash, and it promised to prove serious. By the time they had got homo Aurian declared that she was fully recoverod from the result of what she had been through. Her father, however, while ho had received ao permanent injury would bo confined to to his coach for a day or two, Although no lucid account of iho mishap at the old Granary could be given, it seemed that Major Lancior, prompted by some desire, had ridden dowD to the ruins aocotnpaniocd by Ham Patch, and. that while the latter was leftjto shift for himself, he had ridden down the bank of the stream,until be had beon recalled by aery of " fire" from the negro, How that fire will always remain a mystery, for Sam Patch told so many slories to acoount for its origin that it was impossible to know whioh to believe But it seemed most likely that ho had accidentally lighted it from his pipo, and it had quickly sproad until reaching th'o mill. .At any rato it had gained good progress by the time Major Lander dashed upon the scone, Oak, fcightoned by tho flames, reared and plunged furiously, backed madly down the declivity on tho west sido of tho old build- , ing, until he had unseated his rider, sond ■ , ing bim headforemost into tho baseraont. Stunned by tho blow ho lay there until the arrival of Aurian, barely in season to save him from the fire. Upon freeing himself of his master, tho horse had started home- . ward at tho top of his spoed. jnstoad of rescuing the major, as ho might have dono without danger to himself at that time, the frightened Sam Patch followed after the runaway Oak. Tho exoitement naturally arising from . this adventure drove all thoughts of tho missing Maze from their mindSj if Aurian is oxoopted, Sho lookod anxiously for tho return of Eobert. who came about dark, with the intelligence that he communicated to her alone that ho had not been'hole to learn anything of Southard Wo than tho meager fact of silonce over his falo,

" Poor Mazo 1" said Auripn. "1 do not Buppose I shall over seo bim again. How hoe seems the old saying,' It never rains but it pours.' Everything seems to be taking place at once, I must run down and Bee bow Mr Bernors is gotting along," She found the latter hotter than she had eipeoted, though he complained of a sevoro pain in bis head,

" You must keep quiet," ho said, " and you will speedily recover, lam going to delegate your nurso."

"Then I know I shall soon got woll," he replied, " Aurian, lam almost glad it all happened," "Why, Esten Bernersl you cannot realise how near you oaine to losing your Wo, I cannot help shuddering now as I recall that startling situation, and I see you falling in that burning mass." "Then my death would have brought you aomo regret," " I cannot forget thatit was for my sake

jp* jpS fit fit By J, Waldo Brown $* jp* Of* fff* fff*

you incurred that awful risk. II you had not rocroasod to help Die you would have been—"

" Aurian, do you think me so hoattloss to have boon übln to see you perish before uiy oyos without lifting a hand to aove you? But it was you who saved my life after nil, and it is I who mi the debtor and not you."

" If I am going to be your nurse 1 shall have to forbid yon talking so much; at least, until you are strougor." '■ It shall ho as yon say. only rotiicraber yo'j are to bo my nurse. I ask for no greater favour." To be continue/I