The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1873-06-25

The next | knew somebody had
pounccd upon me. and WAS still
sitting my screams with his hand.
1t was 4 man with I black mask
on, rs | coald see by the moon
light, though | was too frighlon-
cd then TO know what was 4 mask.
4 gray.haired old man, too cov-
cred with blood for me TO know
him rs Mr.. Clemens, lay doubled
up in 4 heap in the middle Of the
road. and y still smoking revolver
w:,s on the ground beside him. In
the distance I could hear the
sound Of retrcating carriage
wheels, Mr.. Clemens horses hav-
ing taken fright and run.
The terror Of my infantile days
had been Il mysterious black man,
with whom my nurse had been
wont to threaten mc, but ont Of
whose memory [ had in q meas.
ure grown until this revival Of his
supcrstitious presence.
stopped screaming in the iu-
.ensity Of my fright at his bodily
appearance. When he uncovered
my mouth, could only clasp my
hands and gasp:
"plcase, Mr.. Black Man, | will
be good. Mr.. Black Mani"
lie seemed to consider while
he held me fast, and while he con,
sidcrcd ] could sec his eyes shine
through the mask, and ! remcm-
Der thinking in the midst OF my
terror how much the eyes were
like Raynall Ford's.
lie had on i long black, OIL
cloth coat, with the collar turned
up high, and though the sleeves
were very long, | could sec Il
strangely white and slender hand,
and on one of the fingers, glitter
Ing like an eye Of fire, a large dia-
mond.
"He's got a ring like Mr.. Ford's
too," l said to myself, with shud-
der. 20,
lie put me upon the ground
presently, and still holding my
hand, led me rapidly away. At
ter a little, seeing that [ did not
step quickly enough (my limits
wcro numbed with horor), he
took me in his arms aud strodc on
faster than before. - -
When he put me down again
it was in my uncle's grounds,
though ] did not know it then,
and before he Quilted me he bent
down and said:
"Don't you know me, httle
Dick? I'm Phil Dering.
fell down on the grass where
he left me, and ut once became un
conscious. The sun was high
when | awoke and staggered to-
wards the house, and up to the
breakfast room where my uncle
was reading the Times, and Hor-
tense doing the honors of the ia.
bic. | shall never forget the
startled look she gave as | stood in
the doorway.
| was too exhausted to speak
for some time; and when could
talk, must have given most dis
jointed account Of what had un-
dergone.
But it was, in its fragments, of
nature to cause my uncle to 80
ont with q couple Of servants to
the road upon which had been.
They found old Mr.. Clemens ly-
ing quito dead Che had been shot
twice., and laying by him was the
fatal. weapon by which he had
been slain.
1t was Phil Dering's revolver,
and that morning Phil was arrest
cd for murder.
lay i'll for some weeks and dc
lirious. | don't know what | talk,
cd about, but whatever said, it
about broke my cousins heart,
and she would have kept every
one but herself away from hear.
ing nc, if she could.
! should not have known uor'
tense she was so changed.
When I began to get better,
improved rapidly, and was soon
strong enough to play about
again. Then one day my uncle
took me in the carriage to the
tri:,l-Phirs trial for the murder
Of Mr.. Clemens. lie talked to me
ali the way, and tried to make me
understand about an oath: and
that | was TO tell before great
many people all that | could re-
member about the night Mr.. Gle
mems was murdered. Though ]
did not want to talk about it at
first, it had been so terrible, l was
persuadcd b. my uncle's gentle
talk, and promised to do so as he
wished. I was not at all pre-
pared, however, to sec Phil there
Nobody had explained to m'
about him, and when | saw him
whom loved so, :nd had not seer
for so long, looking so pale anc
thin. so sad and caccworn, anc
when he smiled at nc in the ora
fashioned way, only so sorroWtnl