The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-11-30
hesitated.

need one. Say, you're goin' off, what
will you take for him?'
. I don't know, | wouldn't sell him
for anything, if | didn't have to-
I'll give you $40 for him. That is
high, but I'm lonely like, and they say
them woods are getting dangerous.
What do you say?'
You may have him.
Il felt somehow that I had done an
unworthy thing; that I had sold my
dog to an unworthy master. The dog
had such a true nature that he would
never have tricked me with any act.
How should I part with Silas?
felt my head ache at the thought of it
the dog had been so faithful. I de-
cided 1 would have Searle put q rope
on his collGr and would leave him in
the evening in the Office of the inn
with him, and so steal away from him
unknown l did so-and if ever 1 felt
like a coward, it was then.
Five years passed, when one No
vember day l received a letter at Buff
falo from Greenharbor. My old friends,
the Whites, had remembered me, and
they invited me TO spend Thanksgiv-
ing with them at Greenharbor. My
wife's folks lived in the old town of
Dedham, and she urged me to accept
the invitation. as she wished to go
with me to Dedham. Her folks were
outlived her.
80 1 secured a driver to take my
place for a few weeks, and we set out
together for Boston and Dedham. One
day, late in November, l left my wife
among her folks, and set out for
Greenharbor, intending to walk over
to Weymouth, to see some friends, and
there take the stage for Marshfield.
had expected to start in the morn
ing. and make a day of it. but 1 was
delayed until the afternoon. 1t was
delightful Indian summer weather,
and l did not mind a night walk, as
could rest in Weymouth.
Don't stop at the Phantom inn,
said my wife as we parted.
81 shan't stop at no phantom inns,
said l, IF | expect to reach Randolph
tonight There will no acorns sprout
under my feet
But said my wife's mother, they
do tell strange stories still about those
woods Are you armed?'
Yes, as much as I ever am
But you used to keep a dog
Il stallled away laughing
'Nightfall overlook me on the
border of the old Dedham woods.
Il remember the strange mysteri-
Gus feeling that came over me as
entered the shadow of the pines of
that lonely road among the skeleton
trees.
Il entered the lonely way. when an
other strange thing began to haunt
me- 1t was the eyes of Searle. 1 had
never forgotten them. l could almost
see them again now. Every rattle in
the savin bushes seemed to bring
them back again
AS [ walked along with a witch
hazel stick for a cane, a great light
rose like a fire among the tops of the
grey rocks and skeleton trees. 1t was
full hunters moon coming UP from
the sea. After time it went into a
cloud, but the way was still clear. 1t
was almost as still as death
Occasionally a tinnid rabbit would
cross the way; once a white rabbit
leaped out before me, and I felt nv
heart beat. and thought again of the
old coach dog, Searle's dreadful eyes.
and the tales of the Phantom inn, at
which used to laugh when l drove
the cape stage.
THE way grew more lonely. amid
the oaks and the russell leaves. savins.
pines and rocks. In places the road
was strewn with fallen nuts, and at
some points with rustling leasyes.
Once the eyes of white owl confronted
me on decaying limb thought
again Of Searle.
Here and there the faint poison
Gus odor of the wild dog wood bushes
drifted across the cool air; again ] met
the old familiar scent of the wild
grapes which hung over the crevices
OF rocks, and the cidery smell of some
wild apples. The moonlight fell in riffs,
as the clouds scudded, driven by some
ocean wind along the sky
Il hurried on, hoping to reach Ran
dolph before midnight, when, suddenly
| = ho+
once, and sent a chill over me- 1t
v hollow tone, like the ringing of
supper bell, such as used to be COM
mon in the farm houses and inns I
looked in the direction of the sound.
" hen I saw little way from the road
a window and q. light among the trees.
l stopped nervously.
Is it Imagination I asked myself.
Is it a dream of the old story? Shall I
run or turn toward the bell?'
Il was frightened and my heart
beat. but I am not man to run. After
hesitating for a few moments, 1 turned
into the wood in the direction of the
window and the light, and found a
path there which l began to follow
cautiously l walked to the place where
[ had first heard the bell and seen the
window and the light were apparently
as far away now as when l started
from the road. AS watched, 1 could
see it move back, but 1 could hear
nothing. | stopped again. The window
and the light soon seemed to stop.
Should l run? No. I would shout.
So | cried out, 'hullop
The rocks answered my loud call
with many echoes A startled part
ridge rose on whirring wings from
some wild alder bushes near me. Then.
all was still. or-did / imagine it'll
thought 1 could hear the low piteous
suppressed whine Of a. dog. The light
vanished.
II knew not what to do. I was I'M
armed. 1 went forward very slowly
and cautiously, when the path grew
soft and the earth began to crumble
beneath my feet. I paused and lis
tened
"A cry pierced the hollow air. How
can / describe it? It thrilled every
nerve in my body. I can hear it now:
it seemed as though all the intensity
of human heart was in it-it said,
it shrieked as the cry of some pent UP
force-it said
'Silasr'
Il knew the voice. 1t was a warn
ing tone. 1 knew that dogs tone of
warning. 1 stepped back and listened
again.
Il heard struggle down in the dis
tance. Where was I? 1t came to me.
I was on the border of ledge of rocks.
Below me was a pond. Had I taken a
few steps more, would have gone