The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-05

quite fortultouSy; for the practice or bne mousse
was to 60 steadily through the Bible, from end
to end, one chapter night And yet, az he read
of Balak the King of Moab, who would have
curse fall upon Israel, and how Balaam was con-
strained to bless the people. his mind was
haunted with misgivings; and then came the
verse: Surely there is no enchantment against
Jacob, neither is there any divination against
Israeli according to this time it shall be said OF
Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought"
But the mechanical reading came to an end then
he gave out the Pslam-
''They in the Lord that firmly trust
Shall be like Zion HILL
Which at no time can be removed
But standeth still.
AS round about Jerusalem
The mountains stand Away,
The Lord His folk doth compass so,
From henceforth and for aye;
And they sang that to the plaintive tune of
''Martyrdom,n Alison leading; and then Alison
and the girls Went, and he was left alone.
There was something disouieting in that chap
ter, however perfunctorily he had read out the
verses; and now, as he sat in the big armchair,
plunged in profound reverie, he tried to recall
them. And what was it that had caused the
curse of Balaam to fail! What had changed it
into a blessing? Surely the fact that the chill
dren of Israel were under the special protection
of the Almighty, who had interfered with the
ordinary course of nature on their behalf
"And it was long ago, he continued to reason
with himself. in these half-disconnected musings,
''and it was in another part of the world alto
gether. But, long ago as it was, long before that
there were the other powers, in the glens, and
among the hills, and by the lochs, and who has
put them awaya Before ever the children of
Israel were brought out of Egypt, the kelples
were in every water in Scotland; and the under
ground people in every lonely mound and hillock;
and spirits in every wood and glen and on every
wide untenanted moor. Who could think that
they had al been destroyed Balaam's curse was
turned into blessng-but that was in another
onla
day to day on behalf of particular people.
But that was all over now; and here IN
Scotland the mysterious powers that dwelt In
earth, and air. and water, were allowed to work
their WILL as thousands upon thousands of stories
testified. And who was Alec Jameson, that any
interference should be made on his bebaifs A
common sailor that might lose his life to-mor
row, or next day, by stumbling over the edge of
q quay, or falling down a stair, and the world
pay no heed at ALL No, no; there could DE no
for miracles in former days. when there was a
whole nation to save; but this was merely a
sailor lad in Inverness Who was to interfere to
save him9 And already the fire was kinded-
the consuming fire that was to eat through him,
and wither him. and destroy him for ever
That night old Robert Graham could not sleep;
when he dozed off for a few minutes appalling
visions presented themselves to him, and he
would awake with cry of terror gazing wildly
at the door of his room as if he expected strange
candle and tried to read and then he would
walk up and down the room for another half
hour, thinking mostly of Inverness and of what
might be happening there in the dead Of night;
and, finally, when the first gray light of the
dawn appeared, ne completed his dressing and
was right glad to get out into the actual world,
though it was as yet all voiceless and untenant-
ed, and spectral
During that day he was quite anxiously civil
towards hs niece; though he did not notice that
she. on her part, was disturbed and restless and
absent from time to time for a considerable
period.
''Ailie, lass" said he, at their day dinner,
I'm thinking of taking trip to Edinburgh in a
week or twos time"
Eyes, uncle~
''Would We like to go wi me2' he said; but he
kept his eyes down, for this was not natural
part for him to play.
me, uncle9' she said, in great surprise
Both of US have as hard work as most folk"
he said; what Wi the farm and the house; and
we're no so i'll off, though it's lot O. money to
spend on the railway. But we've often said We
would like to see Edinburgh; and lass come to
your time O life shouldna have it to say that We
neer saw a town bigger than Inverness; and I'm
thinking We'll just have bit holiday trip to-
gether, if ye're willing. Your mind has been set
on other things, as weel ken: but young lass's
fancies alter and alter as the days pass; and
dare say yell be as we'll pleased to see Edinburgh
as anybody And We'll spend so much
money after a., for We'll go to some quiet, Clean
comfortable hit inn or lodging house about the
Cowgate; and for the sightseeing-for we maun
see the Castle and the Cation hill and Hollywood,
and mony things like that-weel we'll just do
it foot, as heaps o better folk have to do. Ay,
ay, lass, your mind will haze plenty to think o.
when we climb up Arthurs Seat and see the big
town lying below ye. It's fine sight, that I've
heard folk say there's not finer in the three
Kingdoms"
Alison Graham could not at all understand
this unwonted complaisance on the part of her
uncle; but she said little; she seemed pre- occu-
pied. Ard had he, also. not been busy with
his owr affairs, he might have complained of
her repeated absences from the house in the
afternoon. But he did not notice. He was
looking forward to tho evening, and the renewal
of the torture. What wao happening in liver
nessl The pining and wasting had lasted now
nearly twenty four hours, there would
come the occasion for the driving in of those
vengeful knives.
just before supper he thought he would steal
into the saferoom for mir ute, and see how the
corpse like image looked after the melting of the
previous night. He had not ordered the fire to
be lit as yet; and as he had left the window
barred, he took match with him in order to
light the candle He approached the door silent
ly and stealthiy as if there were coffin in the
room
His fingers tremblea as they CROPPED for the
handle of the door, though he could scarce have
told why; what was there to harm in a
piece of nodded waxi Inside, the little
chamber was quite dark He felt for the head of
the match. And then-over there at the window
recess-he saw something white. His eyes were
fascinated he went forward; it was something
wavering. blue white, and spectral in the dark
ness; was it on the lid of the iron chestl A kind
of wave OF shadow passed over it, and it partly
Disappeared the next moment 1t shone out with
appalling distinctness-the likeness of a gal
lows in cleaning white fire. Demonstration,
speechless, with palsied hands and frenzed eye
balls, he stood and glared at this awful thing;
-
shrieks, uttered in rapid succession-rang
TIN rough the silent house, and the old man fell
helpless and senseess to the floor.
fro BE CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.