Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-02-13


ing branches over her head. Slowly,
steadily rises the storm; already the wind
begins to rush past her with fierceness
that makes her limbs tremble. Standing still,
with her arm round a saping oak for sup
Port and feeling "a natural thrill Of terror
"a she acknowledges TO herself that she
scarcely knows where 10 turn, she happens
TO lift her head, and there on the right she
sees an old brokendown cottage, or hut
rather, close TO tall fir tree that appears
to bend over it US Offering II protection.
1t will give shelter at least Running
towards il she steps quickly, thankfully,
into the miserable one bare room OF which
it can boast. Dead leaves blown in by
many winds, strew the earthen floor.
wide open chimney holds on its hearth the
gray ashes Of dead fires old and gone.
The Duchess, with sense of rather I'M
canny loneliness, looks with ungrateful
backward glances at this spot that alone
has held out to her the arms of pity. How
long has it stood here prey to ghosts?
Not so long, apparently. In one corner
stands pile of rotten fire logs, and near
it bundle of twigs, or 'kppens," as the
peasants call them, that suggest a desire on
the part Of the late tenants 10 light one
more fire before they should leave this
dilapidated rome forever.
Through two large holes in the thatched
roof the rain is falling with quick, steady
drip and Norah, avoiding it as best she
may, leans dsconsolately against the open
doorway and gazas with many misg wings
on the dismal scene without. 1t must be
now about D O'Clock, according to her cal
culation-in reality it is considerably later
and they will all lie now in the library,
some gathered round the welcome tea
nortv n.b r,i,, In, saa
IN the softe,t chairs to be found
Denis too, will have como in long ago
from his shooting, and perhaps-perhap
will now be thinking of her and wondering
where she is. a little uneasy, too, it may
be. She can almost sec his handsome,
rather melancholy face OF late, with the
eyes turning SO constantly to the door.
Well well; why think of it2 He may
wonder and watch, and long for her com
ing; but of what avail will il all be- There
is no end to il but one. She will not dwell
upon it. Let her rather turn her thoughts
10 the fact that she is imprisoned here until
the storm shall cease, and that even after
that she will not know what direction to
take To reach Nentry.
How dark it grows! Blacker and blacker
frown the heavens. The dimmest twilight
is all that is left OF the day just done.
/
With what n contenptuous sheer Katherine
will hint at the barbarous bad taste of those
who can plunge so unreasonally whole
household into a state OF apprehension for
the sake Of their own idle whims! And be-
sides
Great Heaven what Is that9
Only the report OF gun But coming
through the gathering darkness OF the
descending night it strikes with u cold ter
ror at her heart. And then all at once,
she scarcely knows why, that past scene
upon the gravel sweep stands out before her
mental gaze once more. Once again the
dogs yelp Of agony sounds in the air. once
again Moloney is felled TO the ground; she
sees him rise, and marks the deadly threat
of vengeance in his eyes.
fear, born Of nothing, as true fear
sometimes is, becomes strong within her.
/ Her heart beats fast, her hands grow cold,
her cheek pales. How if that murderous
though silent threat has been even now full
filed ii even now he, her SOULS leloved,
lies powerless dead, with the heavy cruel
pattering rain falling falling always on the
dull insensate body.
1t is but little thing after this TO pict-
ure the white CHASTITY upturned face, with
the dead soaring eyes, and parted lips
showing the cleaning teeth just little.
Oh, Heaven Oh! no, no, MOI
She shudders violently, and filings out her
hands as though TO ward off the awful
sight; and, as she thus stands trembling all
over, again that sharp sound rings through
the darkness. She clutches the doorway,
and with dilated eye stares outward strain
ing sight and hearing
Again--close at hand It now sounds
rings cut the sharp crack of a revolver, and
fnl ~ ha Ia, 9
To her Impractical ear both sounds are
alike, but for all that instinct is alert
within her, and holds up warning hand,
and not for one moment is she deluded by
the reasonable solution OF the problem that
Denis on his homeward way has Just
knocked over n brace Of cock.
Conquering a sickening sensation that
comes very mar 70 fainting, she rushes i'm.
petuously cut OF the house and through the
binding rain makes her way to the spot
from whencs tho sounds have come TO
her surprise very short run brings her to
rise in the ground that betrays TO her the
fact of IA road that lies just below where
she is standing A high bank, topped by
furze bushes hides that part OF the road
where she now stands from the public way,
though a dilapida;ed gateway lower down
PERMITS her TO see where the road runs. As
she draws nearer to it she becomes con-
scious that broken sounds are beginning to
fall upon her ears; painting breaths, NUT
tered curses, the swayng movements of
feet. in this moment she knows as we'll as
though she can already see him that Denis
is on the road, close TO that broken gate
way, md that he is fighting fiercely for
dear life.
All ut once her faintness leaves her A
cold chill PUSHES through her, hardening
every nerve. Springing to the top of the
high bank she looks through the furze
bushes down on the road beneath, and sees
CutDTED vyrTT