Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-01-24
TWO HOUsEROLDERS.

may ~ icHH "tSN' 1855 SAHe VnS0
srst spied the house it put no desire in
~, 10 Int lust to give thanks.
'''I Far conceive my case. It was near mid
.,nHt by this, and ever since dusk l had
,'asn tracking the naked moors a-foot, In
~ teeth OF as vicious nor'wester as eves
a.sncbed a man TO the skin and then blew
.he cold home to his marrow. My clothes
W.. .sare .odden; my coat tails tapped with
Vic like pistol shots. my boots squeaked
~ / went. Overhead the October moon
's.s in her fast quarter, and might have
,aon slice q finger nail for all the light
~ Afforded Two-thirls Of the time the
mrack blotted her out altogether, and
with nv stick clipped tight under my arm
II, ewes puckered up and head bent like
hnttinp rams, but little aslant. had TO
pssn nv wits agog to distinguish the glim-
,ner Of the road from the black heath to
rioht and lett. For three hours had met
neither man nor mans dwelling. and Tor
ali knew) was desperately lost. Indeed,
At the cross roads, there had been nothing
for me but to choose the way that kept the
wind on my face. and it gnawed me like
dog.
ynulled M at last, turned right about face,
leaned back against the blast with hand
IN nv hat and surveyed the blackness
bad traversed. 1t was at this instant that,
Oar away to the left, point of light
caught my notice. faint but steady, and at
once | felt sure it burnt in the window Of
A house. The house." thought |. lis .
GOOD mile off, beside the other road, and
the light must have been an inch over my
hal brim for the last half hour" for my
4 l.l - y that
This refec, ION lDli Oh so wide moor
had come near missing the information
wanted, and perhaps a supper-sent a
strong thrill down my back.
cut straight across the heather toward
the light, risking qrlags and pitfalls. Nay,
SO beartening was the chance to hear fel-
low creatures voice that broke into a
run skipping over the stunted gorse that
cropped up here and there, and dreading
every moment to see the light quenched-
Suppose it burns in an upper window,
and the family is going to bed, as would
be likely at this hour" The apprehension
kept my eyes fixed on the bright spot, to
the scandal of my legs. that within five
minutes were stuck full Of gorse prickles.
But the light did not go out, and soon
flicker of moonlight gave me glimpse of
more imposing than looked for-the out
line, in fact of tall barrack with clus-
ter of chimneys at either end like ears, and
a high wall, topped by the roofs Of some
outbudings, concealing the lower win
dows There was no gate in this wall. and
presently guessed the reason. was ap-
preaching the place from behind. and the
light came from back window on the first
floor.
The faintuess of the light also was ex-
planned by this time. 1t shone behind a
drab colored blind, and in shape resembled
the stem of a wine glass, broadening out
at the foot, an effect produced by the half
drawn curtains within. came to halt,
waiting for the next ray of moonlight. At
the same moment rush of wind swept
over the chimney stacks, and on the wind
there seemed to ride human sigh
On this last point may err. The gust
had passed some seconds before caught
myself detecting this peculiar noise, and
trying to disengage it from the natural
chords of the storm. From the next gust
it was absent. And then, to my ,lislnay.
the light faded from the window
was half minded to call out when it APP
peared again, this time in two windows
those next on the right to that where it
had shown before. Almost at once it in
creased in brilliance, as if the person who
carried it from the smaller room to the
larger was lighting more candles; and now
the illumination was strong enough to
make fine gold thread of the rain that fell
within its radiance, and fling two shafts of
warm yellow over the coping of the back
wall into the night. During the minute
or more that | stood watching no shadow
fell on either blind
Between me and the wall ran a ditch,
into the black obscurity of which the
ground at my feet broke sharply away
Setting my back to the storm again, fol-
lowed the lip of this ditch around the
walls angle Here was shelter, and here
the ditch seemed to grow shallower Not
wishing, however, to mistake bed of net
Ties or any such pitfall for solid earth,
Kept pretty wide as | went on. The house
was dark on this side, and the wall, as be-
lore, had no opening Close beside the
next angle grew mass of thick gorse
pushes, and, pushing through these,
found myself suddenly on a sound high
road with the wind tearing at me as furi-
ously as ever.
but here was the front; and | now per
ce'Ved that thu surrounding wall advanced
some way Def IRE the house. so as to form a
narrow court age. So much of it, too, az
FACED the road had been whitewashed,
winch made il easy to find the gate But
Is aid my hand upon the latch had .
surprise
A line of paving stones led from the gate
@a heavy porch, and along the wet sur
iaee OF these fell streak of light from the
Aunt door, which stood aiar
That door should remain six inches
spen on such night was astonishing
ssuough, until entered the court and found
Its sun as room, owing to the high
. "Ml and DOUBTLESS the porch gave addi-
vua' protection. But looking up and as
.ur'ng myself that all the rest of the facade
mas oiaek as ink wondered at the in
Aa'es-thus careless of their property.
s,; az was here that my professional in
So received the first jog. Abating the
s sU"nu OF my feet on the paving stones, /
!, up TO the door and pushed it softly.
i"opened without noise.
hnn ss.epped into fair sized hall of modern
sm,au ' paved with red tiles and lit with a
wos vial hanging lamp. To right and left
roo, uoors leading to the ground floor
S Along the wall by my shoulder
nhe OF pegs, on which hung half .
cl"N en mats and greatcoats, every one of
h,o'SN shape, and full in front of me a
br,se staircase ran up, with staring
w,;oH : carpet, the colors and pattern of
ms, can recall as well as today's break
nn ohaer this staircase was set a stand
win waking sticks and table Uttered
cro,s sioNes, brushes, a hand bell, riding