The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-05-21


/ it with his hands. He had got tn
news of Hortensese engagement, thougl
who told him of it, or if anybod,
did, | never knew.
He might have gathered it from |
chance word or stray look. Their
was dinner party at my unclc's tha
day, and when the company was gath
cred, nobody was missing but Phil
He had gone home Hortense wa
never SO gay, | am sure, or so beauti
full Raynall Ford, self-possesset
and gentlemanlv, and not looking
much like the half wild individual
had seen in the shrubbery-was more
smiling and affable than his won't
His hair flowed sleek and shining
either way from the parting, and on
his cheeks glowed two round spots o
scarlet that seemed twin flames He
was very merry So were they al
indeed.
But | could only think of Phil, ,and
swhen the ladies and gentlemen quit
ted the dinning room, crept away
and got my hat Hortense came to
me as | was putting it on, aud asked
where | was gCing.
ITO find Phil,n | said, GROSSLY.
And she, never susDecting that he
had gone home, said softly:
"That is good little Dick, " and kiss.
ed me as she had before. But this
time she left my cheeks wet with
tears
"Shall tell Phil you cried ?" |
asked with childish wisdom, and feel.
ing myself Suddenly endowed with
new Importance.
Hortense looked back over her
white and dimpled shoulder as she
was leaving me, and seemed to hesi-
tate. Then che said with a sigh:
Yes, tell him, dear; but not that
said you might"
1t was thick dusk when reached
the road, going down the long shrub
berry walk; for | was a little afraid.
Little did my cousin guess where |
was going She imagined that Phil
was about the ground somewhere,
whereas he was miles away, at his
fathers house.
| was only eight years old, and
had never been permitted to go out
on the open road quite alone like this;
but far from being afraid, | held up
nv head and tried to whistle, and
strutted along as though had been a
major general.
II don't know how far had walk
ed or how long; / had very vague
idea of the way, surprising | had to
follow the road. But | had gone far
enough to tire little fellow out like
me pretty thoroughly; for when | sat
down on log by the wayside to rest,
l presently slipped down upon the
soft turf, and screened by some tall
weeds from the immediate view of
any passer by, went to sleep.
must have slept for hours. Twas
woke by dazzling flash, and a SEN
sation as though something had burst
in my head, and then I heard groans,
and there was another fash and re-
port that made me jump up scream
ing.
The next | knew somebody had
pounced upon me, and was still sitting
nv screams with his hand
1t was a man with black mask on,
as | could see by the moonlight,
though I was too frightened then to
know it was mask
A gray-haired old-man, too covered
with blood for me to know him as Mr..
Clemens, lay doubled up in a heap in
the middle of the road, and still
smoking revolver was on the ground
beside him. In the distance | could
hear the sound of retreating carriage
wheels, Mr.. Clemens horses having
taken fright and run.
The terror of my infantile days
had been mysterious black man,
with whom my nurse had been wont
to threaten me, but out of whose
memory / had in a measure grown
until this revival of his superstitious
presence.
| stopped screaming in the intensity
of my fright at his bodily appearance.
When he uncovered my mouth, |
could only clasp my hands and gasp:
please Mr. Black Man, ! will be
good, Mr.. Black Man !"
He seemed to consider while he
held me fast, and while he considered
| could see his eyes shine through the
mask, and / remember thinking in the
midst of my terror how much the
eyes were Raynall Ford's.
He had on a long, black, oil-cloth
coat, with the collar turned up high,
and though the sleeves were very
long, could see a strangely white
and slender hand, and on one of the
fingers, glittered like eye Of fire, a
large diamond.
"He's got a ring like Mr.. Ford's,
too" ksaid to myself with shudder.
He put me upon the ground pres
emily, and still holding my hand, led
me rapidly away. After little, see
ing that l did not step quickly enough
(my limbs were numbed with horror),
he took me in his arms and strobe on
faster than before.
When he put me down again it
was in my uncle's ground, though |
did not know it then, and before he
quilted me he bent down and said.
Don't you know me, little Dick ?
Tam Phil Dering."
fell right down on the grass
where he left me, and at once became
The sun was high when
| awoke and staggered towards the
house, and up to the breakfast room,
where my uncle was reading the
Times, and Hortense doing the hon.
ors of the table. | shall never foget
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 a most disjointed
account of what | had undergone.
But it was, in its fragments, of a
nature to cause my uncle to go out
with couple of servants to examine
he road upon which / had been.
They found old Mr.. Clemens lying
Iuite dead (he had been shot twiee).