The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-09-05

hair, came running down the steps to open
the carriage door herself, and as she flung her
arms round my neck her kiss seemed TO charm
away all fear. So we went in together, and be-
fore long were sitting opposite each other atas
good dinner MS a man need wish to see. How
bright and CHEEKY she was, my poor dear
lasse, how happy in the thought of the NOR
ROW Her spirits were almost wild at times.
Did you ever hear OF what OUR Scots neigh
hors call being fey THAT sudden flow of
spirits, from no particular cause, which they
hold to he presage Of mishap to the person
IN whom IL is seen | think Lucy Gcdge was
fey that evening.
The dinner came TO an end at last, aud II
began TO he timo TO think of moving; we had
some way to 20, and the road was none of the
best after the weather we had been having.
Lucy arose TO prepare for our journey, leav-
Ing me to finish my glass of port by the fire.
when, as she reached the door of tho room,
she turned and said ,
"Oh, uncle, forgot to tell you it is such
horrid weather, and the roads are so bad,
that am going to have the carriage brought
round to the garden door that opens off the
Broad Terrace. IL will save us half mile"
THEN she went to put on her hat and cloak
II was nothing to me which door we went
from, and in fact felt rather glad at the
"
half mile; so in due time Lucy came back,
and we started out for the carriage. ! must
tell you that in order to rot out hy way of
the Broad Terrace we had to traverse little
used part of the old house, and came out at
last through long passage 10y small pos
tern door, with flight of several steps out
side. The unused rooms and the passage
smclt damp aud fusty, and was glad TO feel
even the cingiug outside air when the little
door crcakcd open at last 10 let us out. As
went down the stops, they were so slippery
with the wet mist that IT was all could do
TO keep on my legs, but Lucy tripped down
after me like n nymrb, and we reached the
carriage safely. We had not gone tar before
she stretched out her hand carcssingly to me,
and said, "Unclo John, are you sure you are
wrapped up warmly enough Your hand
felt 80 cold Just now us you helped Inc
down tho steps"
al help you, my dear" said I. al never
helped you; had quite enough ado to keep
my own legs ~
"Oh, yea, uncle, don't you remember ?
AS came through the postcrn, YOU stretched
out your hand and led me down the steps,
and it made mo shver all through-your
hand was like ice! Are you quite sure you
are wrapped up cnoushP'
would have taken my oath in any court
of law that | had nothing to do with the girls
safe exit, and she would have sworn on the
other side so held my tongue, aud allowed
her fancy. You Know what old Sir Samuel
luke says
eli she viii, she will, You may depend ont:
And If sic won't, she wont, and there's end
on'tY''
So we rolled on chatting of this and
on that until we reached what was the only
really serious obstacle to our drive.
There is dip in the road, at the bottom
of which runs n brook, with broad level
meadows OH the other side In summer time,
or even in ordinary weather, it is Just bit
when the floods are out il will be 4 roaring
| torrent in half an hours time with the moss
water coming down from the moors. | felt
| Just little uneasy about it, but nothing to
| speak of: we had to cross 10y wooden
| bridge that had done duty for good many
years in storm and sunshine, only ii did
come into my head what bother it would
be the bridge should have been carried away,
and we should have to 20 back to Morbecls
after all. Just as we came to the beck, the
horses SHED and stopped, in spite of all the
coaclman could do to soothe or urge them.
So at last says lie to the lad who was beside
him:
"Jump down, Jcm, and see if the bridge
is all right"
Down got Jem, and hunted about for q
while in the darkness: but all of sudden
| the mist lifted on the other side of the beck
which was roaring down in speat by then
| and there was woman all in white bccFun
ing undey a big oak-tree SO he cried out
81 say, missus'
She made no answer. but kept Oh that wav
ing of her hand, and Jem cried out again:
'' say, missus, can we cross the bridge p
In another moment he was up beside thu
coachman saying, 500 on, George, | cam
hear what she says, but she mods, ant
beckons TO say it's all right" and we drove
on. can'ttcll You how it happened exactly
my dear boy, but just as we got to the middle
of the bridge there was a horrible crash aIit
craclle, and we were all struggling for dea
life in that hill-torrcnt. ] managed to ge
one of the doors open and dragged Lucy
drcnched and inscnsble, on to the wreck o
the carriage, and between us we got her Il
shore. Both the horses were killed, partl,
by drowning in their traces, partly by kick
ing each other to death in their agony,
fancy but George, Jem, and | managed T.
rig up n sort of litter, and made the best 4
our way back, with Lucy on it, to Morbccl
Hall. We got her in and the womcnkin
put her to bed, and the doctor was brought
but it was TO late Apart from the shoc
| lllt tbI'l, SIlt SoIlie injury W VII
spine, believe, and she died just at mid
night, without ever u moment of conscious
ness.
/ leave you to imagine what suffered tina
next day, which was to have been my dan
) ling's wedding moriiing-and now they wer
, streaking her for her grave! | could d
nothing but sit dazed in the library, tliinkin
of what might have been and what was bu
my revere was interrupted by old Mr.:
r Partridge, the housckecper, who come in ia
some instructions. After | had said all tn;
, thought necessary, ] noticed that I'll
, fingered ms if 10th to go, but though
little of il till she half muttcred a. sli
reluctantly turned the handle of the door
, "Ah, poor lamb, ] knew how it woul
5 he when | heard her speak of the Broa
Tcrrace!"
, This reused me TO curiosity. "Whi
+ do you mean, Mrs. Partridge p ! sal,
, what * there against the Broad TIE
u race p
4 She turned and looked at mo with
: gaze philosophical, half Apologize rs 81
: said:
D "Do you mean 20 tell me, strand W
o half Gedge, as II body may say--that 80
1 never heard of the Cold Hand of Morbeck
I Did you never hear OF Mistress Alicia, the
h her whose portrait hangs over the mantlepic
@ in the oak drawing room p
There rose before my minds eye pictu
- ut which ] had often gazed with stran,
y underlined feeling of pleasure, pain, and phi
o combined. Tie face was that of proud ~
If lovely woman, but 1t bore the expression
II one who had passed through some terrib
II agony, which had hardened instead of softe
F! ing her nature. answered that knew
q well, but not of any story specially conncct
If with IL. And what has that 10 do with