St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-10-30
Of what nature we could not determine

ments silence, "was he drowned1"
"Oh! no." replied Mrs. Deane, and
we now saw that she was laughing
heartily. "He was only in pursuit OF
his hat which high wind had just
lifted from his head and carried in that
direction. The very next week he
was married to my rival, Jenny White;
and my faith in the constancy of low
ers was decidedly dampened.'
We sat long in the pleasant twi-
light, listening to the stories Mrs
Deane related. We led her at last t.
speak of her only son, wild boy, who
had left her many years before, and
gone off to sea. She once cherished
hopes that he would return, but sh,
told us now with faltering voice and
eyes misty with tears, that the vesse
in which he sailed had been wrecked
on the coast, and that all the crew
were lost except two sailors who es
capped to tell the fearful tale. We
were sad and silent now, for Willie
Deane had been playmate of ours
But Mrs. Deane was lively, cheerful
woman, and soon wiping away the
traces of her emotion, she recovered
her usual animation, and hustled out
of the room to procure lights, as it was
becoming quite dark. While | sat
watching the fire-fies flashing about
in the darkness, the vine-leaves were
put cautiously aside, and the shadow
of face, for moment, darkened the
window. Nor was / dreaming, for
turning towards Kate, / saw her
glance riveted in the same direction.
The face disappeared, and almost i'm
mediately Mrs. Deane entered, bearing
two flaming tallow candles in bright
~ polished brass candlesticks. Sim
ultaneously there was rap at the
door, and opening it Mrs. Deane ad-
mitted stranger. A large cloak
shrouded his person. The face was
so shaded by an odd-looking hat
slouched over it, that little was visi-
BILE except the Withholding black
eyes and fierce moustache; but the
cheeks were white and livid as those
of corpse. A stiff bow was the on
ly salutation, and seating himself, he
expressed wish to see Mr.. Deane.
I felt the blood run chill to my heart
for good uncle Jerry had long slept il
the narrow house assigned to all the
living.
"My husband is dead, sir" rcpliec
Mrs. Deane, composedly.
An ominous silence succeeded, anC
as the old clock tolled the hour of eight
I saw the stranger press his hand t
his side as though seized by some sud
den spasm. 1t was very white hand
but there was large, red stain upol
it, and l saw jewel flash Brilliant.
in the light.
Then the stiffness was again broker
by his deep, sepulchral voice. "Can
you tell me, madam, how far it is hence
to the blasted pine near the four cor
ners, on the road to Welby?
Even Mrs. Deane started, as she an
severed this question, for it was the
very spot where Ned Miller had beer
murdered, five years ago that very
night. 49, a.. ~
| expected the old house dog would
commence bowling, and | must confess
too that l glanced at the candles, tt
sec whether the light they emitted wal
in the slightest degree tinged wit
blue. But Kate thought only OF on
lonely walk homeward, and rising sh
babe our friend cheerful good nigh
saying she thought we must go as i
was getting late.
"Wait a moment, girls" said Mr.
Deane, Michael will be in from tn
meadow and he shall 60 home wit
YOU But Kate was too proud to az
cept this offer, though her face wa
quite paid with fear. So we steppe
tremblingly out into the moonlight.
"Walk swiftly, Man," said Kate
Selling my hand, did you notice HOY
white his face was, and that red spo
on his hand 2"
Indeed l did," was my scarce aud
ible reply, "who or what could he be ?
Thought at first" whispered Kate
that it might be Willie Deane come
softly home from sea. Did you no
observe that Lion, though he rose ant
snuffed around him, did not bark o
growl as he usually does at strangers
What odd questions he asked"
We were walking rapidly; blu
thinking we heard steps, with nel
vous feeling Of apprehension we bot
turned our heads at the same momen
and looked back toward the cottage.
Great heavens the stranger hat
just left it and was coming in the sam'
direction. We increased our speed
but the black shadow behind us ad
vanced over the ground at prodig
ious rate. Once / thought ] heard ;
faint halloo but Kate hurried me on
Let us cross the meadow" she said
1--WE shall reach the bridge sooner, ant
he may not take the same route"
So we turned aside from the mail
road, and ran swiftly through tn
sweet-scented clover, glittering witt
the evening dew. Again l glance'
back over my shoulder. The strange
had taken the same route. Almost ex
hausted we crossed the low stile F;
could hear his deep breathing and tn,
heavy tramp tramp of his footsteps
close behind lis nearer he came, ant
Just as we reached the old bridge, al