The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-09-08
EBENSBURG, A.. FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 1882

As movements more narrowly, as well
as could, across the table. After a time il
seemed to me that the direction of his gaze
must be at Mrs. Ms head or a little
above it, but there was nothing ] could see
to account for this. To be sure she wore,
fastened into the thick top coil of her hair,
jeweled pin of some kind which seemed to
sparkle at times with intense bIilliancy ; but
still, why this repeated and offensive con-
temptation at her own table Of married wo-
man, on whom, so far as L know, either
A. nor had ever set eyes before
Could these two have been known to each
other in some by-gOne love affair, OF had the
man gone out Of his wits, or had he taken
too much drink?
How this memorable dinner struggled on
to conclusion 1 hardly remember. The
more fidgety got the more IRE sistably was
L drawn to watch A.. His face wore a
pale, scared aspect quite foreign to him. for
he was ordinarily a CHEEKY, common sense
fellow, not easily disturbed. At length il
seemed that our hostess became aware of
the intent observation she was being subiec-
ted 70, and before the ladies had rose from
the dinner table. her handsome face had
grown very white, there was a visible trem-
bling movement in her hand, and her ewes
took an uneasy expression not often there.
As soon as we men were left alone, and
almost before we could reseat ourselves A
turned to our host and in an odd muffied toni
announced that he was unwell, and begged
permisson to take his departure Mr. NJ
glanced at me with a puzzled air che was so
very sorry. Could he do anything? And,
n To-
service" By this time it was evident that
something was really amiss with A., so
l made sort of excuse that feared he had
hard days march and got soaked, sent out
sincere apologies to Mr.. NJ, and reiee-
ting the kind offer of the carriage, we found
ourselves out in the moonlight. The moon
was well up, and as we passed the old ruin
Ous,chapel you could see, through little win
dow in the gable, the wall beyond half lit up.
and dappled over with long shadows by the
| trees alongside. We walked for long time
in silence, 1 contemplating what to say
whether to be stern or sympathetic, but de-
cidedly inclining to the former Indeed,
whether he were well or i'll, the extraordi-
nary gestures and demeanor of A. that
evening were unbecoming in the extreme.
| and, taking place, as they did, in the pres
ence of his senior officer, could not be pass
ed over. NJ. A." at length IiDegan, in
an .Official tone, 81 must ask what is the
meaning" He had been hurrying on with
/ his face aveIted from me but now, as 1
! spoke, he suddenly stopped, turned round.
and, grasping my arm, broke in with, so
| help me God, Major the devil stood behind
! her r. "The devil stood behind her - I
I caSI i,
do you mean ?'' 1 mean what l say the
devil was standing behind her all the time -
His voice fell almost to a whisper, and he
! looked back toward the house, which was
still in sight. 1 could have no doubt who he
meant by her, but was so taken aback that
! what to go on saying to the man knew not.
| 1t was obvious he was nnder some strange
mental delusion. We walked on. Presently
he spoke again, as if to himself" Behind
her by the mantle-piece -" behind her
chair" that fearful things face" those
! fendish eyes, my Godr''
AS l said before, am not superstitious.
but it was neither qnite comfortable nor can
ny hearing these queer exclamations under
the peculiar circumstances in a moonlight
walk, dark, outrageous thickets one side
and the melancholy murmuring sea.
As far as my memory serves, we were still
a little way from the lodge gate, when A
stopped again an instant, and said Z" Lis
ten what's that7" l could hear nothing,
but in few seconds came the distant clatter
Of gaIlopiug horse along the drive. "Some-
thing has happened to her, - whispered A,
laying chill hand on mine. Anything the
mattel?" I shouted to the groom who pass
ed US on the horse. The mah called out
something which we were unable to catch,
and galloped on. We could set him pull up
at the gate. and a woman come out to open
it but by the time we reached her. horse
and rider were out of sight. She was stand
| ing staring down the road after them, and
asked her if anything was wrong. Jesu
save US. Sur - she exclaimed, crossing her
self, 1.-the man says meelady is dead-she
has taken her lifei' dead ! taken her
life '' was my ejaculation. ''Why, we've
only just left the house." Here was indeed
a climax to my bewiderment But what an
announcement! l was utterly unable to re-
alize tit seemed so monstrous. My first
impulse was to run back at once to the hall
and see if we could be of any use but on
second thoughts itseemed better not. Then,
as we hurried out of the park through the
tall massive gateway, heard my companion
mutter, evidently still possessed with his
hallucinations Z" Did she see it, too?''
About halfway to Moynetown We met our
car coming out to fetch US, and mounted it.
''I seen Ms man ridin' by jist now like
smoke,'' was the remark of our whilom Jaci-
turn jarvie there's somethin' up, behave.
They tells quare tales of that house, an the
ould chapel. an the lights seen about it o.
nights, an the sthrange noises paeple hears
thereabout Och, thin, shure an there's bad
luck in that house, Sur 20 I was too stupe-
fed to stop the fellows gabble till his words
were out, and they have often recurred to
nv mind since. When we got back TO our
inn, the i'll news was already in the air.
sent for the landlord, inquired for the prin-
eipal medical man in the town, and dispatch
ed an urgent message to him intimati0g what
we had heard, and begging him to go out to
the Hall Immediately. Word was brought
back that the doctor had already been sent
for, and gone. This DONE l felt hardly
dared ask further questions Of any one Just
then. Yet the whole thing seemed like a
horrid dream, hardly credible. We two sat
up late into the night in the little inn parlor
i absorbed in the occurrence Of this event
full evening, and in painful anticipation of
hearing more A speaking not wor0,
but glowering into the fire.
Next morning we were to make an early
start. Before the fall-in bugle sounded the
little bustling landlady had communicated to