The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-08-04
PA. AUGUST 4. 1886.

Still the boy dragged me along. Now We
must be on the brink Of the water, |
thought, and shivered. Then l put out
my other hand and clutched at sydneyis
/ arm
In Gods name, " here are YOU going -
said, in a terrified whisper.
I The boy did not answer. He stopped
dead The darkness was thick about Us.
We were standing in a mist, and even
the blurred stars had faded oat- >rddcn-
| ly felt wave break over my feet And
at that moment. kissing out and echoing
across the darkness. there grated in my
ears the sound Of harsh and hollow
Iaugh-the very laugh had heard in my
dream,
To- gloom was 80 dense that | could
only see the outline of Syiney's body.
though | was grasping him with my two
hands. There was a perfect silence. Still
| stood there motionless. rooted to the
rocks. Then felt the boy start off again,
toward the house. Another wave wash
| ed up against my feet a. | turned with
I him and began to ascend TO the garden
again. The fog was growing thinner
Presently it parted, and strong wind
ssenled 10 have risen suddenly out Of the
sea Now | could distinctly see Sydney's
I eyes still fixed on the invisible thing be-
| fore him. Icould see, too, that We were
mounting the pale avenue Of FIR treesand
from the distant windows Of the library
dim light was casting shadows down
upon our faces, But We did nos make
for those windows Ny guide turne, off
10 the left. and We entered the deserted
part # the house | felt utterly spell
bound | seemed to have lost all power
Of Solition. believe ! should hlindIy
have followed that boy to my death
We had plunged into labyrinth of
shadowy rooms, leaving the outer air.
How We got into that part of the house |
cannot tell. had not been there for
years. sydney could never have been in
it. and Yet he lei me on rapidly and new
er fIItered or hesitated once. think
that the moon must have come out. for
there was a faint light shining through
the windows a. We passed, and by that
light he guided me, We crossed several
empty roonis and passages, and at last
came out into long corridor. That. too,
We traversed. At the further end door
opened before u. l stepped through it
into my own library, and stood there in
the lamplight, gazing stupidity into sgd
ney's face.
He too had paused. But he never
spoke d. word, nor looked at me. His eyes
were fixed on a tall bookcase in corner
Of the room Presently he began To
move slowly toward it. and I, still hold
ing him, followed Then as We ap-
preached it, to my utter amazement. the
whole bookcase swung back upon its
hinges, revealing a small closet. which
had never seen before, with some dusty
rolls Of paper lying on a shelf within il.
With weird cry sydney sprang forward
wrenching himself from my grasp. He
seized the papers, and turning, thrust
them into my hand Then with his
face ~ white as snow and eyes di>ten-
ded he raised one arm and pointed To the
window In another moment he had
tottered back and fallen ON the floor.
But l was already at the window. In
my frenzy dashed my shoulder against
it. The fastening gave. The glass came
crashing down about me was outside
standing in the chill, blue night Round
me the wind was whiningand clustering.
The fog had melted away. Overhead the
star were burning golden. The banish-
ed clouds had gone But no sign of any
human figure, man or ghost, was there.
Only the de~0llte avenue, with lis fir
trees bending over it, and at the far end,
in the dimness, the high moon over the
whitened sea
When / went back into the library |
found sydney in dead faint ON the floor.
| rushed to the bell and rang ii till its
tones went pealing and clashing through
the house Then raised the boy in my
arms and carried him easily into the
lighted hall The blood from the cuts Of
the broken glass was running freely down
my face and hands But did not mind
it, for felt as if life had suddenly come
back to me And when my mother and
the servants came out and gathered, star
tied and lamenting. around us, | fell
down on my knees beside the boy and
wept a. never / wept. / think, before
that d,iy OF since.
| have no more TO tell. The eloset in
the library opened, found by a secret
spring. but what hand opened il that
terrible night never knew. Among the
papers which sydney had thrust into my
hand was the long lost document which
confirmed my title 10 the estate. sydney
was for long very i'll; but at last, with
careful nursing-I knew my mother and
t1lt4 w AtA't
else. who shall be nameless, did more
than we-he recovered, and has ever
since remained with me. Neither Of us
ever spoke much Of the things We had
seen that winter day. The mystery Of
my inheritance Is mystery still. and
men viii bury it with Us in our graves.
Only this know and viii tell you, that
hour to this, sydney has never seen a
ghost.
30 | am Grant of Tullybardane, and
the heiress Of Glen Leyannoeh l. my
wife. E. Haa,a. IN Bsigrtr,a.
Lost His Veto.
Daniel. said the President stemly, IL