Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-04-04

utes to twelve he rose. A qulver OF ex-
citement ran over him. He took up his
position some twenty feet away from the
tree. Keeping time to the lovely
rhythmic chant, he began to move slowly
around the tree in gradually decreasing.
circles.
The stiffness was the tremulous one of
q summer night; save for the weird
chanting there was not distingaiahable
sound. Even the soft tapping Of the sea
was unheard in the little hollow.
Slowly Carter turned around the tree,
each time coming nearer to the rugged
trunk, until he was SO close to it that he
brushed it as he went around. In the
distance village clock slowly struck
twelve. The chant grew softer and
slower. and, at the last stroke, ceased.
Carter leaned dizzily against the old
tree.
For the first time, looking between the
dunes, ne noticed the sea. Suddenly an
odd, numb sensation crept over him.
Out on the quiet moonlight water a
figure was moving. Slender and white
robed. il seemed to be walking upon the
water. Slowly it advanced: with IN un-
naturally steady motion.
Browning Carter leaned heavily against
tEe supporting oak. Nearer ana nearer
came the slender, white figure, and the
young man could see that it was
woman's and that over It's shoulders hung
long. dark hair. She moved slowly
across the white sand Of the beach and
entered the little hollow.
Fo: a moment she paused, while the
heart of the watcher beat wildly. Closer
then the figure came, and as it came he
saw that the dark hair framed an intense
white face and dark, wide-open eyes.
When but few feet away, she turned
her head,s ) and the young man felt wave
Of sadness roll over him. On the white
face was look of intense anguish.
Then the figure moved on, past the
gaunt oak and out of the little hollow.
Suddenly she disappeared, and Carter,
with quivering limbs, sank to the ground.
He would have followed her; but the
twenty-fo hours fast, with which he
had prepared himself for his experience,
told on him, and he was unable to move.
After some time his strength came
back, and he rose and walked to where
the figure had vanished. He saw only a
sudden fall of the ground, and eyond,
a cottage built by some summer resident.
All the world seemed sleeping
A few days later Carter was snatehed
from his dreamy life by party of young
fellows who had come down from the
city, bent on making the most of their
vacation. Their gaiety grated on the
nerves of the mystic, who had been
] somewhat unnamed by his midnight ex-
! perience. Courtesy, however, forced
him to lend himself to all their plans
and to enter into all their boating, sail
ing and fishing parties.
On one Of these he was presented to a
Miss Tremaine. Whether she wer
pretty or not Carter could not tell fo
she wore veil, thick enough to conceal
her features. But she had low, pleas
ant voice, and wonderfully easy, un
affected manner. ~
To Carter's remark that she had beer
in none of the other sailing parties, sh'
answered that her health had not per
mitted it.
He hoped it had been merely passing
indisposition.
eyes; only cold.'
The young man noticed tinee Of con
straint in Miss Tremaine's answer, ane
that she Immediately left the subject.
The party had started out in the after
ooon, for its members wished to sal
home by moonlight. The supper o
board was merry one, and Carter wa
surprised at the heartiness with whic
be joined in the general gayety.
"It really is better for me-" he de
cided mentally. ito see more Of people
AS the moon rose the party gre,
auieter, even the songs became less rol
ticking. Suddenly the gay little dan
, sci to whom Carter was talking saw b
face change, while he stopped in th
, middle of his sentence
| why, what is its'' she asked.
But Carter did not hear her. He Wa
looking across the boat to where sat Mi:
Tremaine. She had taken off her. THE