shed high above the terrified girl. No sound could be heard above
the wild warring of the elements--the thunder's roar, the furious
lashing of the waves and the white, radiant lightning blazing across
the vast expanse of water, making the scene sublime in its terrible
grandeur.

"Rex! my love, my life!" she cried, in the intense agony of despair,
"you will never know how well I loved you! I have faced death rather
than betray the sweet, sad secret--I am your wife!"

Was it the wild flashing of the lightning, or was it a red light she
saw swinging to and fro, each moment drawing rapidly nearer and
nearer? Heaven be praised! it was a barge of some kind; help was
within her reach.

"Help!" cried Daisy, faintly. "Help! I am alone out on the water!" she
held out her arms toward the huge vessel which loomed up darkly before
her, but the terrified voice was drowned by the fierce beating of the
storm.

Suddenly her little boat spun round and round, the swift water was
drawing her directly in the path of the barge; another moment and it
would be upon her; she beat the air with her white hands, gazing with
frozen horror at the fatal lights drawing nearer and nearer.

"Rex, my love, good-bye!" she wailed, sinking down in the bottom of
the boat as one end of the barge struck it with tremendous force.

* * * * *

Leaning over the railing, evidently unmindful of the fierce fury
of the storm that raged around him, stood a young man, gazing
abstractedly over the wild dashing waves. A dark smile played about
the corners of his mouth, and his restless eyes wore a pleased
expression, as though his thoughts were in keeping with the wild,
warring elements.

Suddenly, through the terrible roar of the storm, he heard a piteous
appeal for help, and the voice seemed to die away over the angry,
muttering waves. He leaned over the railing breathless with
excitement. The thunder crashed almost incessantly, and there came a
stunning bolt, followed by a blinding blaze of lightning. In that one
instant he had seen a white, childish face, framed in a mass of
floating golden hair, turned toward him.

One instant more and she would be swept beneath the ponderous wheel,
beyond all mortal power of help; then the dark, hungry waters closed
cruelly over her, but in that one instantaneous glance the man's face
had turned deadly pale.

"Great God!" he shrieked, hoarsely, "it is Daisy Brooks!"

CHA