The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-09-07
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qhe Romance Of Heathelleigl Hall
BY MANDA L. CROKER.
COPYRIGHT, 1889.

Hour after hour was thus whlled away
until, incredible as it may seem, the little
group had entirely forgotten their master
Suddenly Peggy, who had been vividly
portraying the fatal warnings and blood
Gurdling feats Of an ancestral banshee,
started up in genuine alarm "Why!' she
exclaimed, SAN we've been a sittin' hear a
tellin' ov the ghostliest things, an have
forgotten the master. An it's full mid
night an he must he schlapin', forhe hasn't
been Arthur wantin' one ov us; an the
lamps in the haythunlsh dark hall haven't
been loighted aythur. Woe be the day!"
With this energetic prelude she stepped
cautiously out in the ball for the purpose of
lighting the neglected lamps Cropping
her way to the nearest lamp she was about
10 light it when slight movement on the
etairs arrested her attention; a slow, shut
6inx movement came to her ear, rather in
definite, but she was sure some one else
was in the hall besides herself. The motion
continued, though seemingly mufHed.
She was about ready to scream from
sheer desperation when something like
q half-groan and half-sigh smote on her
acute ear. In an agony of fear she heW
back to the library, and with very wild,
frightened eyes and white face she rushed
ento the midst Of the gossiping servants.
As she did so she gave vent to half
suppressed scream. They all sprang to
Gheir feet in alarm, asked in breath:
aWhat is it, Clarkson?"
can shure as Pm born childer," she
exclaimed, light breaking in OIL her fright
sned mind, shat shure the nasthurs COON.
In down the stairway all alone in the dark.
hess ov the night
lie opened the door slowly and they all
came to listen for any unusual sound IN
the hall Breathlessly huddled together in
the dark doorway they listened.
And Peggy was right in her affirmation.
She had neither gone insane nor heard a
spirit tramping about, for Sir Rupert was
coming down the dark staircase unaided
and alone. Step by step, painfully, slowly,
Wearily. but surely COMING
And Instead uf gong to their master tic
assist his uncertain steps, or lighting the
lamps in the dark hall, they stood shudder-
ing invoiuntarily. Stricken with a par
aIyAing fright, not one of them thought of
Eoing to their masters assistance, or even
essayine to move. They stood rooted to the
floor like SO many useless statues, listening
to Sir Rupert's slow and painful descent,
and waiting for something they could not
define.
Down, down, the dragging, muf1ed steps
came, with long intervals for rest; and
sometimes q labored breathing, sometimes
q sigh
But suddenly there was frantic clutch
Ing of the polished balustrade, reeling to
and fro, a smothered groan, then an I'M
earthly, hopeless cry for assistance, and the
master of Heatherleigh fell down the few
remaining steps and lay struggling in q
violent CONFUSION on the floor of the hall.
His fall seemed to unlock the benumbed
senses OF the household, and affrighted and
bewildered they rushed to and fro, some to
Sir Rupert's assistance, and some for
lights.
James brought the lamp from the library
hurricdly, while Peggy made vain endeavors
TO find the hall burners. He shrank back
in abject terror from the writhing form of
his master, and held the lamp high over his
head with a wall no one could ever forget.
But Ancil and John, who had in these last
days of the Hall become faithful and most
willing nurses, lifted Sir Rupert from the
floor and bore him into the great drawing
room at the left, laying him down gently on
the deep, luxurious sofa by the great double
windows.
Then John ran for the physician, while
Peggy and her husband did all in their pow
er to restore the dying man to conscious
ness, interlardlng their work with all the
extravagant and useless Irish explosives
known. But their efforts were not success
ful. Sir Rupert never gained conscious
ness, and expired IN their arms before DR..
Whitelake arrived.
When they all gathered about the wasted,
rigid form of their master at the instance
of the physician, who solemnly pronounced
him really dead, the revulsion OF feeling
was puzzling, if not strange, to witness.
From the excited, worried experiences Of
the night the reader doubtless imagines a
scene of bewailing and inconsolable grief;
but this was not the case. Their lives had
been one of eternal vigilance, one Of con-
slant worry for years, and when they
finally realized that the master of Heather
leigh was really gone, and this everlasting
fret was ended, they stood gazing calmly
down on the still form and whispering
quietly to one another: ''It is we'll; it is
well.''
DR. Whitelake expected some one of the
great Irish hearts to cry out and bewail the
fate of Sir Rupert, but every face was de-
.eorously calm as summer sunset and he
was disappointed.
CHAPTER Xxx.
News of Sir Rupert Percivaps death spread
far and near. And former friends and fire.
quenters of the Hall whom he had kept at
distance by his gruff, unsociable manners
of late years came quietly in and, standing
by the Asilver-fring and richly mounted
coffin, gazed down on the proud old face,
which seemed to wear, even in death, al look
of forbiddance.
But where was the daughters Neighbors
stood in two's and three's grouped about
consulting on the matter. Futile efforts
were made to find her. Word was sent here
and there. Her beautiful home miles away
was visited by q courier dispatched with the
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