The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-03-16
CHAPTER X1.

from his peregrnations even more
amused than fatigued by his expert
ences in the village. where he found
that rumor in the present instance had
by no means exaggerated fact. That
the Barnes Common Ghost had
walked" on Christmas Eve, and again
on Christmas Day, was universally con-
coded, whilst many of the rustics. to
whom Dick was known by sight, eyed
him askance. and seemed disposed to
give him wide berth, which he pathet-
ically averred later might presumably
he regarded rs first and foremost among
the advantages enjoyed by an 'aunted
man. for there is assuredly n certain
satisfaction in the reflection that in an
overcrowded jostling world one Is at
least secure of elbow-room.
But now Dick occupied his godfa-
theirs easy-chair beside the library fire,
enjoying the luxury of solitary medta-
tiOn-for the baronet had driven some
miles with DIR. lIollingshead to pay
visit to mutual friend, and was not
expected back till dinner, which was to
be served tonight at six o'clock.
Dick rather enjoyed this interlude of
complete mental and physical respite.
The events and revelations of the last
few days had been of so exciting and
fatiguing nature that the inevitable
reaction threatened to set in apace, and
already Dick felt q luxurious sense of
lassitude and inanitiOn creeping lazily
over him.
From the cushioned-depths of his
chair, far back in shadow, he was gaz-
ing drcamily out through the low bow
window on to the desolate lawn beyond,
surrounded by its belt of gaunt and
leafless trees. Immediately in front of
the windows the gravelled terrace had
been swept clear of snow, which pre-
cautionary measure, albeit convent
ence in respect to egress, yet added to,
rather than diminished from, the pre-
vailing air of dreariness and gloom.
His senses gradually lulled to stupor
by the ease of his armchair and the
grateful warmth of the fireside, after
his long mornings exercise in the frosty
air, Dick felt his weary eyelids droop--
close-then open quickly, with decid-
ed dissemination on his part to sue
cumb to the insiduOus attacks of slum-
Der; whilst misty phantasmagoria of
events past, present and to come
seemed to evolve itself from the inmOst
recesses of his brain and run mental ri
OF to his utter bewilderment and dis
CunijilUre.
What a marvellous story this which
the austere baronet had poured over
night into his astounded ear. How far
stranger, in good sooth, had truth
proved itself than fiction; for, had his
authority been less unimpeachable
Dick would have declined to credit the
mere possibility of the proud and
wealthy Sir Jasper's grandchild run
ming well-nigh barefoot about the Lon
don streets.
Whilst, cortes, it implied still more
powerful strain upon the Imagination
to conceive blind and inscrutable fate
leading haphazard to Dicks own door
step, in the guise of q wretched little
waif, the small friendles3 being whose
dcstinies, it seemed not improbable,
might henceforth prove ineXtricably en-
tangled with his own; for once Sir JAS
per's grandclSld was restored to her
rightful place in the baronet's heart and
home, Dick could not conceal from
himself that the future of that repen-
tant sire's godson must inevitably be
regarded from very different stand
point to that of heretofore,
With this reelection uppermost in his
thoughts, Dick laZily Enclosed his
sleepy eyes, doubtful for one iniinitesi-
nal breathing-space whether he might
credit the evidence of his own senses
and believe himself wide awake, or
whether, on the other hand, he had not
uuconsciously strayed hey ond the mys-
tic boundary line into the land of
nod.
Was he, in good sooth, awake OF
slumbering? Was it in dreamland that
he beheld? Or
No! thousand times mol He could
no longer doubt or question. lie saw
distinctly saw-at this very moment, a
small white face without in the gloam-
| ing, pressed against the window pane
and smothering the exclamation which
rose up involuntarily to his lips, Dick
sprang hastily to his feet, and in less
time than it takes me to narrate the
fact, dashed across the floor, flung wide
the heavy easement, and, without paus
ing to ponder or reflect, cleared the
broad old-fashioned window-seat at Q
bound, alighting on his feet upon the
gravel walk beyond.
All yes, to be sure, to the right o.
him, already some dozen yards in ad
vance. he, she or 1.-THE knew not which
sped fleet as hunted hare or mountain
elk over the frozen snow. A 1.-the sup
pie figure, weird enough in nondescrlp
garments, and with unkempt lock-
streaming in the wintry blast as it tori
EDWARDS through the night.
All, but il might not-should not
elude him lOngl In few moments, a
latest, he must gain on his prey, AM
grasp as in vice. with all the strength
and power of his manhood, the mis-
chievous cause of infinite trouble; TO
Dick no longer doubted that he saw be
fore him in the flesh the much-talked-o
Burnham Wrath, a momentary glanc
having served to convince him that tn
face peering in at the library windoy
was identically the same as had startle
the occupants of the vicarage parlor OF
that henceforth ever memorable Christ
mas Eve. And now he came to think O
it, the entire figure struck him as sin
gularly familiar, considering how limit
ed in both instances had been his oppoI
tunities of observation.
But rounding the angle of the terrace
darting behind laurel bushes, EDWARDS
EDWARDS through the frosty gloamin
the figure makes its way; and on come
Dick, gaining steadily upon the objeC
OF pursuit, rejecting the while, with
grim smile, that whatever the supernaI
ural endowments of the ghost, it is yt
singularly deficient in length of, liml
and consequently all too heavily hand
capped in this race against his ow
three leagued boots upon which it ha
been constrained to enter, sadly again'
its will. All. surely it is very mort;
now, in its tagging pace, its uncertai
gait, its hating stumbling movement
its half-frenzied, appealing, backwaI
glance = premonitory symptoms
standstill.
For Dick is close upon the little I'll
! ure now which has stonnpd so suddeI