Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-01

the grester proportion Of the clearing,
up to thick woods that closed it In.
The Daylight WAS very clear and grey,
showed them rib.nd Of white fooipsth
wandering amorg the gorse. II passed
some hundred yards from the pit, and
ran the whole length of the clearing, east
ana west. By the line Of its course, Dick
jagged 1t should lead more or less d.
rectiy to the Moss house.
Upon this path, stepping forth from the
msTgin OF the wood, white figure now
appeared. 1t paused little and seemed
to look shout: and then, at 8 slow
pace, and bent almost double, i.
began to draw nesr across the heath
At every step the bell clsnked. Face, It
had none; white hood, not even pierced
with eye holes, yelled the head; and IS
the creature moved, 1t seemed to feel its
way with the tapping of a stick. Fear
Tell upon the lads, IS cold IS death.
"a leper" said Dick, hoarsely.
His touch is DEATH" said Matcham.
'Let US run"
mot so," returned Dick. "See We not?
he Is stone blind. He guideth him with
stat. Let us lie still; the wind bloweth
toward the path. snd he will 20 Dy and
burt Us not. Alas, poor soul, and we
should rather pity him"
II will pity him when he Is BY" replied
Mitchem.
The blind leper WAS now abou at halfway
towards them, and Just then the sun rose
ard shone full on his yelled face. He
had been tall man before he was bowed
oV his disgusting sickness, and even now
be walked with vigorous step. The
dismal beating Of his bell, the patteripg
OF the stick. the eyeless screen before
els countenance, and the knowledge that
ne Was not only doomed to death and
Suffering, but shut out for ever from the
touch OF his fellow-men, filed the lads
bosom with dismsy, and at every step
Shst brought him nearer, their courage
ana strength seemed to desert them.
As he came about level with the pit, he
paused, and turned his face full upon the
lads.
''Mary be nv shielal He sees ua!"
said Msichsm family.
"Hush!" whispered Dick. "He doth
but hearken. he Is blind, fooll"
The leper looked or listened, which.
ever he was doing, for some seconds.
Then he began to move on again, but
presently paused once mort, and again
turned and seemed to gszs upon the lads.
Even Dick became dead-Wbite and closed
his eyes, as II By the mere sight he
might become infected. But soon the
bell sounded, and this time, without any
farther hesitation, the leper crossed the |
rem sinder OF the little heath, and dissp- |
pesred into the covert Of the woods.
"Ha saw u.s." ssid M,tcham. az
could swear itin
"rut!" returned Dick. recovering some |
sparks Of courage. "He but heard US. !
He WAS in fear, poor soul. An We were
olind and walked in perpetual night, ye
would start yourself, il ever tHlg rus
tied or bird cried peep"
"DicS, good Dick, he saw u.s." re-
psated Ma:cdam. "When man heark.
eneth, he doth not as this man; he doth
otherwise, Dick. This WAS seeing; II
was not hearing. He means foully. Hank,
else. If his bell oe not stopped!"
Such was the case. The bell rang no
longer.
"Niy," said Dick, 81 like rot that
Nsy," he cried agsiD, ~ like that little
What msv this betokeI? Let Us 20, BY
the mass!"
"He hath gone ess.," added Mstcnsm.
'Good Dick, let US go westward straight,
ssall rot breathe till l have my back
turned upon that leper"
"Jsck, v are too cowardly," replied
Dick. eve shall go for Holy wood, or as
lair, at less., as 1 can guide you, and
hat will be due north"
They were aioot ut once, passed the
stream upon come stepping stones, and
jegan TO mount on the other side, which
MAS sleeper, towards the msrgin Of the
Tood. Ihe ground became very uneven,
all Of knobs and hollows; trees grew
or ia cluRps; 1t became 6ifl
;ult to choose path, and the lads some
what wandered. They were weary, be-
tides, with Yesterdays exar:ions and the
stk Of food, ard they moved bat heavi-
y and dragged their feet among the
srd.
Presently, coming to the top Of knoll,
hey were aware Of the leper, some hun
red feet in front OF them, crossing the
ire OF their march by a hollow. HIS bell
VS. silent, his stan no longer tapped the
round, and he went before him with the
wifi and assured footsteps of 8 man who
ees. Next moment he had disappeared
nto little thicket.
The lads, at the first glimpse, had
rouched behind tufs Of gorse; there
ney lay, horfor-struck.
"Certain he pursuetn u.s." said Dick
'certalU! He held the clspper of mis- bell
d one hand, saw ye? that 1t should not
ound Now may the SAINTS aid and guide
S, tor l have no strength to comozt
esii encei" =
"Wnst msketh he?" cried Mstchsm
WHIST doth he want? Who ever heard :
ne like, that leper, out OF mere malice.
hould pursue uHfortunates? Hath bs
OF his bell to that very END, that peopte
lsy avoid hn7 Dick, there IS below
lis something deeper"
"Nay, care not" mosned Dick; "the Is
trength is gone out Of me; my legs are
Ike water. Tn saints be mine assist (
ncel"
"Would ye lie there idle?" cried
1atchami "Let Us back into the eren.
7e have the better chance; he caunot
sesl upon Us unawares."
"Not l." said Dick. "My time Is come,
I'D peradventure he may pass us by"
"Bend me, then, your bowl" cried the
Their. "What! will We be mani"
Dick crossed himself. would ye have 9
e shoot upon 8 leper?" he cried. "Tne
snd would fail me. Nay, now" he
ided-"nay, now, let bel With SQUAD
en- will fight, but not with ghosts and 4
pers. Which this is, wot not One Z
other, heaven be our protectioni"
"Now," said Matcham, "ii this be
ans courage, whats poor thing Is man =