Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-08-29

ltdIeu ulSlulSSluS Cyuuey. 1Ho ufiy aitoA
an event occurred which changed the cur
rent of my thoughts, which, thank God
altered my whole life since, and which
has made Sydney Loch the most faithful
friend have.
It was late in the afternOon-a winter
dusk. I was upstairs in my bedroom
writing letter to Nelly, voWing that
would never give her up, and yet seeing
no prospect of ever being able to claim hel
for my wife. It was that hour when the
day begins to pass into the night, and
shadows have grown gigantic, and mems
thoughts are turning toward dinner. Sud
denly was reused by a quick step and
knock at my door. I called out 'Come
in," and Sydney appeared on the thresh'
old. He looked very pale and excited
as far as could see him by the dim light
of my candles, and he spoke in a strange
voice.
'He is here, sir; the old gentleman in
gray-in the passage.
L jumped up, and was following him in
a moment 1t must have been we'll past 6
o'clock, and yet the lights in the corridor
were still unlighted. l looked all round,
but could see no one.
"Where?" I said in whisper; for
think the gloom and the boys strange
looks had frightened my common sense
out of me. .
Sydney took me by the arm and pointed.
I felt he was trembling all over. And for
my own pat, an uncomfortable chill
seemed to he creeping through my limbs.
"There, sir, there-don't you see him 2
at the top of the stairs. He's beckoning
US to follow-come."
1 strained my eyes in the direction
where he pointed, but could discern moth
ing. However, 1 caught hold of Sydney's
arm and followed him silently, like a
sheep. Why did so cannot at this mo-
ment conceive.
The boy led the way down stairs, appa-
rently keeping his eyes fixed on some
thing he could see in front. l held him
blindly. We went down and across the
hall, and then out of the front door into
the cold air. 1t was quite dark outside,
though one or two blurred stars were
Pickering palely, and the moon, thought,
was struggling behind q cloud. Round
the house we went, faster and faster, into
the gardens at the back, and down the
slopes toward the sea. Sydney seemed to
be dragging me along. Once I caught a
glimpse of his face, and 1 saw it was
deadly white, though his eyes were strain
ing wildly after the phantom he was fol-
lowing. Still he went on and on. We
were nearing the beach now, and could
hear the surf beating against the rocks
and dimly see the white crests of the
waves hanging in the foggy night. Now
we were on the beach. felt the seaWeed
under my feet and stumbled. Still the
boy dragged me along. Now we must be
on the brink of the water, I thought, and
shivered. Then put out my other hand
and clutched at Sydney's arm.
"In Gods name, where are you going %
I said, in a terrified whisper.
The boy did not answer. He stopped
dead. The darkness was thick about u.s..
We were standing in mist, and even the
blurred stars had faded out. Suddenly /
felt a wave break over my feet. And at
that moment, Kissing out and echoing
ears the sound of a harsh and hollow
laugh-the very laugh I had heard in my
dream!
The gloom was so dense that | could
only see the outline of Sydney's body,
though I was grasping him with my two
hands. There was a perfect silence. Still
I stood there motionless, rooted to the
rock. Then felt the boy start off again,
toward the house. Another wave washed
up against my feet as I turned with him
and 1 began to ascend to the gardens
again. The fog was growing thinner.
Presently it parted, and strong wind
seemed to have risen suddenly out 1T sea.
Now I could distinctly see Sydney's eyes
still fixed on the invisible thing before
him. could see, too, that we were mount
ing the pale avenue of fir trees, and from
the distant windows of the library dim
light was casting shadows down upon our
faces. But we did not make for those
M INV nff fn
left, and we entered the deserted part of
seemed to have lost all power of volition.
believe I should blindly 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
he led me on rapidly, and never faltered
or hesitated once. l think that the moon
must have come out, for there was faint
| light shining through the windows as we
passed, and by that light he guided me.
We crossed several empty rooms and pas
sages, and at last out, into long corridor.
That, too, we traversed. At the further
end door opened before us. I stepped
through it into my own library, and stood
there in the lamplight, gazing stupidity
into Sydney's face.
He, too, had paused. But he never
spoke word, nor looked at me. His eyes
were fixed on tall bookcase in corner
of the room. Presently he began to move
slowly toward it and I, still holding him,
followed. Then, as we approached it, to
case swung back upon its hinges, reveal
ing a small closet, which had never seen
before, with some dusty rolls of paper ly-
ing on shelf within it. With a weird
cry Sydney sprung forward, wrenching
himself from my grasp. He seized the
papers, and, turning, thrust them into my
hand. Then, with his face as white as
SLOW and eyes distended, he raised one
arm and pointed to the window. In an
other moment he had tottered back and
!allen on the floor.
But 1 was already at the window. In
my frenzy dashed my shoulder against
it. The fastenings gave way. The glass
came crashing down about me. was out
side, standing in the Chill, blue night.
Round me the wind was whining and blus-
tering. The fog had melted away. Over
head the stars were burning golden. The
banished clouds had gone. But no sign of
any human figure, man or ghost, was there.
| Ouly CuSoOlnlC "lCA 10 Ill VlCCo,
bending over it and at the far end, in the
dimness, the high moon over the whiten-
ed sea!
x
When, l went back into the library 1
found Sydney in dead faint on the floor.
1 rushed to the bell and rang it till its
tones went pealing and clashing through
the house. Then l raised the boy in my
arms and carried him easily into the light
ed hall. The blood from the cuts of the
broken glass was running freely down my
| t,op Rt,fT rotr