The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-07-08

| SiA IHUulIS, uItH HiS SOliChIiat pOSHNN'
character become more than ever i'm,
practical. and he lonPed to grasp the
ocult powers of which he read. In this
mood he first opened the little cali
bound look.
An introduction in English announc-
ed that it was a collection of inCanta.
tions from different tongues, whereby
the spirits OF the dead, and even OF the
living, might be controlled. The book
was in manuscript, and, oddly enough,
these incantations were written in Eng
lish characters, although the words
were all strange.
Tonight Browning Carter had come,
under the mystical shadow of the oak,
that he might try the power of the spell
which was to show him the spiritual
form of the woman he should love.
With much painstaking he had learn
ed to repeat the words, which meant
nothing to him. 1t had also gwen him
some trouble to master the musical
intonations on whose vibrations so
much depended.
When his watch pointed five minutes
to twelve he rose. A quiver of excite
ment 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 de
creasing circles.
The stiffness was the tremuous one
OF summer night; save for the weird
chanting there was not distinguish
able sound. Even the oft tapping of
the sea was unhef 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 a village clock slowly
struck twelve. The chant grew softer
a:.d slower, and, at the last stroke,
ceased.
Carter leaned dizzily against the old
tree. For the first time, looking be
tween the dunes, he noticed the sea.
Suddenly an odd, numb sensation crept
over him.
On the quiet moonlighted water
figure was moving. Slender and white
robed, it seemed to be walking on the
water. Slowly it advanced, with an un
naturally steady motion.
Browning Carterleaned heavily against
the supporting oak. Nearer and nearer
came the slender, white figure. and the
young man could see that it was a
woman's, and that over the shoulders
hung long, dark hair. She moved
slowly across the white sand ofthe beach
and entered the hollow.
For a moment she paused, while the
heart of the watcher beat wildly. Closer
then the figure came, and as it drew
nearer he saw the dark, wide open
eyes. When but few feet away,
she turned her head, and Carter felt
wave of sadness roll over him ca
the white face was a 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 four hours fast, with which he
had prepared himse!ffor his experience
told on him, and ne was unable to
move.
After some time his strength came
back. and he rose and walked to where
the figure had vanished. He saw Cnly
a sudden fall of the ground, and be-
yond a cottage built by some summer
resident. All the world seemed sleep
ing.
A few days later Carter was snatched
| 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 gayety grated on
the nerves OF the mystic, who had been
somewhat unnamed by his midnight
experience. 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 Trernalue. Whether she were
pretty or not Carter could not tell; for
she wore veil, thick enough to con-
ceal her features. But she had low,
pleasant voice, and wonderfully easy
unaffected manner.
To Carter remark that she had been
in none of the other sailing parties, she
answered that her health had not per-
mitted it.
He hoped It had been merely pas
sing indisposition.
Yes; only cold.
Tha young man noticed tinge OF
constraint in Miss Tremaine's answer
and that she immediately lett the sub
ject
The party had started out in the
afternoon, for Its members wished to
sail home by moonlight. The supper
on board was merry one, and Carter
was surprised at the heartiness with
which he joined in the general
gayety.
1t really is better for me, he decided
mentally, TO see more of people.
As the moon rose the party grew
quieter; even the songs became less
rolllcklng. Suddenly the gay little
damsel TO whorl Carter W S talking saw
his face change, while he stopped ii
the middle of MS sentence.
- IL.