The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-11-22
THE BLACK CROSS.

1IlL l9IiAOh NNOCD,
A black cross had been set against
Judge Hawkins name. Why it ia not
for me to say We were not accustomed
to explain our motives or to give rea-
sons for our deeds. The deeds were
enough. and this black cross meant
death, and when it had been shown lis
all that we needed to know further was
at what hour we should meet for the
contemplated raid.
A word from the captain settled that.
and when the next Friday came dozen
men met at the place of rendezvous
ready for the ride which should bring
them to the judges solitary mansion
across the mountains
was among them and in as salts
factory a mood as had ever been in my
life, for the night was favorable and the
men hearty and in first rate condition.
But after we had started and were
threading certain wood l began to
have doubts. Feelings [ had never be-
fore experienced assailed me with a force
that first perplexed and then astoumded
me. l was afraid, and what rather
heightened than diminished the I'M
wonted sensation was the fact that was
not afraid of anything tangible, either
in the present or future, but of some
thing unexplainable and peculiar, which
if it lay in the skies certainly made
them look dark indeed, and if it hid in
the forest, caused its faintest murmur to
seem like the utterance of a great dread.
as awful as it was inexplicable.
| nevertheless proceeded and should
have done so if the great streaks of light
ming which now and then shot zigzag
through the sky had taken the shape of
words and bade us all beware. / was
not one to be daunted, and knew no
other course than that of advance when
once stroke of justice had been planned
and the direction. for its fulillment
marked ont. Iwent on, but began to
think, and that to me was an experience.
for l had never been taught to reflect
only to fight and obey.
The house toward which we Were rid
ing was built on hillside, and the first
thing we saw on emerging from the for.
est was light burning in one of its dis
tant windows. This was a surprise. fo
the hour was late, and in that part of fhe
country people were accustomed to re
tire early, even such busy men as the
judge. He must have a visitor. and a
visitor meant possible complication of
affairs; so halt was called and / was
singled out to reconnoiter the premises
and bring back word of what we had n
right to expect.
l started off in a strange state OF
mind. The fear had spoken Of had left
me, but a vague shadow remained
through which, as through Il mist, l saw
the light in that far away window beck
oning me on to what L felt was in some
way to make an end of my present life
As drew nearer to it the feeling in
creased; then it, too, left me, and ]
found myself once more the daring
avenger. This was when | came to the
foot of the hill and discovered had bui
a few steps more to take
The house, which had now becomo
plainly visible, was a solid one of stone
built, as I have said on the hillside Ii
faced the road, rs was shown by tho
large portico dimly to be discelned in
that direction, but its rooms were main
ly on the side, and it was from one Of
these that the light shone. AS 1 came
yet nearer perceived that these rooms
were guarded by a piazza, which, com
municahng.with the portico in front
afforded an open road to that window
and a clear sight of what lay behind 1t.
was instantly off my horse and upol.
the piazza, and before had time torem
ize that my fears had returned 10 me
with double force l had crept stealthily
toward that uncurtained window and
looked in.
What did see? AT first nothing but
a calm, studious figure bending above a
batch of closely written papers, upol
which the light shone too brightly fol
me to perceive much of what lay behind
chem. But gradually an influence, of
whose workings L was scarce conscious
drew my eyes away, and began to dis
cover ON every side strange and besuti.
ful objects which greatly interested me.
until suddenly my eyes fell upon a vi ion
Of loveliness so enchanting that forgot
| to look elsewhere and became for the
moment nothing but sight and feeling
1t was a picture, or so l thought in the
first instant Of awe and delight. But
! presently l saw that it was woman
living and full of the thoughts that had
never been mine, and at the discovery a
sudden trembling seized me, for had
never seen anything in heaven or earth
like her beauty, while she saw nothing
but the man who was bending over his
| papers.
There was door or something darl
behind her, and against it her tall, strong
figure, clad in a close white gown, stood
out with distinctness that was not alto
/ gether earthly But it was her face that
held me and made Of me from moment
to moment a new man.
For in it discerned what had ncvG
believed in till now, devotion that hat
no limit and love which asked nothing
in return. She seemed to be faltelihs
on the threshold of that room, like ON,
who would like to enter but does no
dare, and in another moment, with
smile that pierced me through, shl
turned as if to go. Instantly l forgo
everything but my despair, and leane,