The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-02

Makcracc had said about his resiles,ncss
my inclination was 10 pay no heed to these
noises; but mysterious something, moro
powerful than my own will, insist Il HAT
should; and I'm spite OF every effort could
not hep listening, ms " my lfe depended
upon what should hear.
Curious TINT iinl myself uttcring these
words, which literally represent the fact.
Then peivcr.cly, iu minute or two, when
all was quiet again. must needs want to
henr more. ! WIS disappointed that there
was nothing more 80 hear, and IN my
irritable slate must fOfSuoth sp ing ont
OF bed, open the door quietly. ana creep
softly on to the hudiug This time !
WIS surprised TO see light inside the
house. | wins not three yards from the head
| Of the upper flight OF the new stairs, and
by looking over the hindrail could see
where the broad landing joined the lower,
and SO down To its foot III the nall
But here my surprise was intensified ten
| fOid by behOlding my cousin in the act OF
turning to and fro upon its base one o. the
newels which surmolinted the pedrstals ut
the termination of the balustrade.
lie has set a small dark Ian ern on the
| lower stair; now he rnises It, and by it's
| light examines the carved ornament, which
| appears to move on u pivot. lie works the
! piece of mechanism, whatever 1t Is, several
| times, and eventually, seeming satisfied,
| crecps noisClessly out OF sight But the
! cirCunsi anCe winch startles and mystihes
| ms beyond all else Is that hu wears u par
| of short riding boots, with socks drawn
over the feet to deaden the ad, and
| my cap and pea jacket. Restraining tho
| impulse to call HIM, 1 go back to
my room bewildercd, and without maxi
| ing sound. While Striving to divine the
meaning. OF what has passed, am again
! attracted by n light flashing outside the
| window. looking outs dc the window, |
| dimly perceive, 10y the aid OF the lantern
| lie still carries, Makerace lea Ing ont 81
the stable my horse, saddled and bridled
! Finally, after examining the sirrup
| feathers and girths and softly closing tho
! stable door, he puts out the light, and, 1
suppose, mounts and rides away. But the
deep snow muilles every sound save the
| Clauk OF bolt III tho direC ion of the
| stable gates; and beyond II ghosty pale
ness, which the white sneet now over
! spreading roofs and ground 7, fleets for "A
few yards under the dark night, nothing
can lie seen.
Once give naturally unsuspicious ma
ture cause To suspect. and dIstrust be-
! comes habitual, and often unreasonable.
| From the moment j saw Mnkerace lnten-
tOnaily disguised i'll my can and coat.
was convinced foul play was meditatcd.
| To instantly slip ON some clothes WAS the
unconscious act of the next lew minutes;
| then, 10 make quite sure was not dream
ing, took the candle which had hghted,
ana walked straight INTO Makeraces room.
| or course 10 was empty. 4 selmlu's I'M
| pulse to look out from alOit when on "a
| dangerous coast urged me to ascend I'M
/ me1lately To an attic window In the roof
whence a view OF the whole country Tor
| miles round could be had. Yet 1t was
barely six o'clock, and sull pitch dark.
Nevertheless putting out the light, up
went. Nothing was visible save the FAINT
glimmer from the snow, which. | dlscCv-
cred by opening the window, had ceased
falling; and big star twnkllnI in the
east seemed TO bctOken n cieIr morning.
SDrely puzzled as 10 the best course 10
take, fingered longer ut the window,
suppose, IMAM thought, ana at ienGth be-
came aware OF the approach Of dawn.
Gently, gently the night lifted. : had
seen IT many "a time I ON the masthead;
but the gnOstly, weuu wht,uess ali around
had "A strange nuu rather appalling effect.
As the country was gradually revealed,
tho sensation OF solitude exceeded any
thing had ever experienced mt sea. The
maiu road to Worcester WAS only here and
there marked by the thin lines OF hodge,
rows, winch with the Struggling copsc and
larger trees looked gaunt ana fantastic
under the weight OF Their winter garb. As
the light increased, odd patchc, OF dark in
the hollOws, indicating homcsteads or SOL
ltary barns, plantations, ponds, or indie
sclluaDle spots that STOOD conspicuOus from
beng more sheltered and less enOMClnu,
became visible. Suddenly, as the morning
bIlghtened could trace IN tue snow "A dis
tlnct line OF horses hoof prints along the
lane that ran past the stable gates down
from the house TO the highroad. Clearly
they showed the way MakcTare mad taken,
and, II | may 50 eN press it. were the
only signs OF life To be seen; they seem, Il
TO give mo clue, and | followed it
up eagerly. In places, however, II WAS
lost; but my quick eye enabled mo to take
il up again and again where II crested
hills, dipped into hoilows, and emerged
upon the succeeding side OF tho rising
ground. For IN incOncelyahle distance all
along the road toward Worcester, / plainly
tracked the horses hOOfpuuts Ly the in
crcasIng hight; then, remembering there
was telescope among NV KIT, | fetched
1t. and by lis aid could make tnem out II
great way further
was in the act Of lowering the glass
when black speck moving along the LAST
patch OF roadway Visible IN the distance
stopped me, aud u close Inspection OF the
object showed 10 To be "A rluerless horse.
Yes, certainly and | watched hiui
quietly trotting by himself through
tnat lonely waste until th.ck SNOW
nthes, winch were again falling, shut INN
from my sight. what was to understand
The next tew minutes served, with what
had gone b ufOre, to suggest The trulh, a.
give me an mixing OF AlakcIace's lntcu-
IONS and jumped 10 conclusion, rs by
instinct; Tor who was this slOuchln up the
hill through the struggling cJpse but the
man hnnselI-no longer Wearing my peat
. jacket and cap, but his own soft wide
awake aud close ftting shooting coat!
Win the qulCkness OF lightning uudcr-
, stood that he would wish 10 appear That |
had left the bOuse, and hardly dared
breathe II to myself-had come TO some
, unilmcly end upon the road, which idea
my Tderless horse, by naturally returning
10 his stables IN Worcester woald confirm
, aud that now, having prepared TINS show
of facts, he was coming back to carry ont
on my person the remainder Of the diabol-
cial scheme, whatever IL was, that lie haO
planned-in short, by some meaus Oh
other, here, with no one but ourselves in
, tins Isolated house, TO make away WITH
me. al ms, | say, was the conclusion
Jumped to IN far less time than IL takes IN,
, 10 utter IL, and IA confirmation OF these sus
picions Immediately followed lie wa,
ringing Ut the front door; ne, who hac
, gone out by the back and could SO return
mad he wished; but no, he was trying 10
bring me To the porch by the ring wnicf
he hoped should understand us that %
the OLD nousekccper coming TO her morn
ng's work. Ii was just the nour | WAS 10
expect her-half-pasL seven.
> As guided from my post OF OBSERVE
ton at the window IN The roof down 1,
my own room, 1 decided what TO do
. | would leave tho house by tho STA
ble-yard II could, without being seen
. | would not yet confront this man, tol
the dread with winch ms actions hlleC
. me was so overwhelming, that whatcve
amount Of superstition there may b.
| i'm my nntuTa fDIlnHa NV ll-rppnrHluV il