The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-03-25

L
Grace"
aYou torment met is your way!"
said the duke, querulously. who's dead
in the village?'
The oldest mantle old shepherd.
Dead at last-how old is he"
'.Ninety-four.
And [ am only seventy. | have four
and-twenty years to be good.
II served under that old man when |
kept sheep on Verncombe Down And he
was on the hill that second night when |
first exchanged words with your Grace.
He was on the hill all the time but ] did
not know he was there-nor did you"
''Ahl' said the duke, starting up. go
on yield the point-you may tell.
IL heard this afternoon that he was at
the point of death 1t was that which set
me thinking of that past time-and induced
me 10 search on the hill for what | have
told YOU Coming back | heard that he
wished to see the vicar to confess to him a
secret he had kept for nearly twenty years
out of respect to my lord the duke
something that he had seen committed on
Vencombe Down when returning to the
flock on a December night nineteen years
ago. | have thought it over. He had
left me in charge that evening but he was
in the habit of coming back suddenly, lest
| should have fallen asleep. That night |
saw nothing Of him, though he had prom
ised to return. He must have returned,
and-found reason to keep in hiding. 1t
is all plain The next thing is that the
vicar went to him two hours ago. Further
than that | have not heard
1T Is quite enough. | will see the vicar
at daybreak tomorrow.
What to do?"
Stop his tongue for four-and-twenty
years-till | am dead at ninety -four. like
the shepherd.
Your Grace, while YOU impose silence
on me. | will not speak. even though my
neck should pay the penalty. promised
TO be yours, and | am yours But Is this
persistence Of any avail ?
"I'll stop his tongue, | say cried the
duke, with some of his old rugged force
Now. You 70 home to bed Wills and
leave me to manage him.
The interview ended, and the steward
withdrew. The night. as he had said, was
jus, such one as the night Of the nine
teen years before. and the events of the
evening destroyed in him all regard for the
season as.one Of cheerfuIness and goodwill
He went of to his own house on the furth-
er verge Of the park, where he led a lonely
life, scarcely calling any man friend At
eleven be prepsred 10 retire To bed, but did
not retire He sat down and reflected.
Twelve o'clock struck he looked out at
the colnrless moon, and, prompted by he
knew not what put ON his hat, and emerged
into the air. Here William Wills strolled
on and on. till he reached the top Of Nern-
conbe Down spot he had not visited at
this hour Of the night during the whole
nineteen years.
1 He placed himself. as nearly ms he could
guess, On the spo, where the shepherds hut
T had Stood. No lambing was in progress
there now, aad the old shepherd who had
used him 50 roughly had ceased from his
labors that very day But the trilithon
stood up white - ever. and crossing the
intervening sward. the steward placed his
I hand upou the stone Restless and self
E rspTuachful A. he was he could not resist
/ a smile A. he thought If the terrifying
oath Of compact, sealed by kiss upon the
stones 1t pagan temple But he had
kcp, his word rather as a promise than As
a formal vow. with much worldly advantage
to himself. though not much happiness, till
Z increase 81 years had bred resctionary feel
( ings which lesl him 10 receive the news Of
F tonight with emotions akin to relief
I While leaning against the Devils Door
aad thinking On these things, he became
conscious that he Was not the only inhabi-
taut of the down. \ figure in white was
+ moving across his front with hong, noiseless
stride Wills stood motioniess. and when
the form drew quite near he perceived il
10 be that of the duke himself, in his night
apparently walking in his sleep.
I Nos to alarm the cid man, Wills elung close
20 the shadow Of the stone. The duke
went straight on into the hollow There
he knelt down, aud began scratching the
earth with his hands like a badger, After
a few minutes he aruse sighed heavily, and
Tetraced hi steps as he bad come
Fearing that be NIGH, harm himself, ye,
unwilling to arouse him, the steward fol-
lowed noiseles.ly. The duke kept ON his
path anerringly, entered the park, and
made sor the house. where he let himself
in hy a window that stood open--the one
probably. by which he had come out
Wills softly closed the window behind hi,
patron, and then retired homeward to await
the revelations Of the morning, deeming i
unnecessary TO alarm the house.
However. he felt uneasy during the re.
mainder Of the night, no less on account Of
the dukes personal coalition than because
of that which was imminent next day
Early in the morning he called at Nern
eolnbe Towers The blinds were down
and there was something singular upon tn,
porters face when he opened the door
Tbs steward inquired for the duke.
The mans voice was subdued as he re
piled. Sir, | am sorry to say that his Grace
i dead He left his room some time ii
the night. aud wandered about nobody
knows where. On returning to the upper
floor he lost his balance and fell down
stairs
The steward told the tale Of the Down
before the vicar had spoken. Wills had
always intended TO do "a after the death Of
the duke The consequences to himself he
underwent cheerfully but his life was not
prolonged. He died, farmer at the Cape
when still somewhat under thirty -nine year:
Of age
The splendid yerneombe breeding flock
Is as renowned as ever, and, to the eye, re
sem6less in every particular what it was in
earlier times; but the animals which com
posed il on the occasion of the events here
recorded are divided by many ovine gener-
ations from its members now. Landing
Corner has long since ceased to be used foI
lambing purposes, though the name still
fingers on as the appellation of the spot
This abandonment of site may be partly
owing To the removal of the high furze
bushes which lent such convenient shelter
at that date Partly too, it may be due tc
another circumstance For it is said by
present shepherds in that district that du,
ring the nights of Christmas week fitting
II