St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-30

take the STAG Tor Marshfield. l had
expected TO start in the morning, ana
make day of it, but | was delayed
until the afternoon. 1t was delightful
Indian summer weather. and l did not
mind night walk, as | could rest IN
Weymouth.
Don't stop at the Phantom imn,"
said my wire, as we parted.
1 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 | ever am
But y"u used to keep dog ,
II stalked away laughing. s
''Nightfall overtook me on the border
of the old Dedham woods. 4,
Il remember the strange mysterious
feeling that came over ME as l entered
the shadow of pines of that lonely road
among the skeleton trees. l stopped
and looked back. The west was red :
corn stacks stood on hillside farm, and
could hear the merry voices of the
huSkerS. The air seemed hollow and
still. AS | stood listening there came
vivid impression that somehow 1 was III
the cOmpanionShip OF the old coach dog,
L oSCo " Could lcCl
shrink as | recalled how meauly l had
treated him, and I eased my conscience
with the reflection that 1 had done as
well for him. and myself, as l could.
There are subtitle atmosphereS IN
which mind may commune with mind.
anu convey impressions and needs and
warnings. That dog might make his
presence felt in some way by electrical
force is possible. | cannot say. but re-
peat i'll seemed to feel that the old
coach dog was somewhere near me i'll
these woods, and had a sense that was
there
Il entered the lonely way, when an
other strange thing began TO haunt me.
1t was the eyes of SearIe. l had never
forgotten them. l could almost see
them again now. Every rattle i'll the
Savln bushes seemed to bring them
back again.
"As L walked along with witch hazel
stick for cane, great light rose like
fire among the tops of the grey rocks
ard skeleton trees. 1t was full hunters
moon coming up from the sea. After
time 1t went into cloud, but the way
was still clear. 1t was almost as still as
death.
Occasionally timid rabbit would
cross the way; once a white rabbit
leaped out before me, and L felt my
heart beat, and thought again of the old
coach dog, oearle's dreadful eyes and
the tales of the Phantom inn. at which
| used to laugh when 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 leaves. Once
the eyes of white owl confronted me
on decaying limb thought again of
Searle.
Here and there the faint poisonous
odor OF the wild dogwood bushes drifted
across the cool air; again l met the old
familiar scent of the wild grapes. which
hung over the erevices 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
heard sound that stopped my feet at
once and sent chill over me. 1t was
hollow tone. like the ringing of a sup
per bell, such as used to be common in
the farm houses and iuns. | looked in
the direction of the sound, when | saw,
little way from the road, window
and light among the trees. l stopped
| nervouSly.
lis it imagination?' 1 asked myself.
is 1t dream of the old story? Snail |
run or turn toward the hall?'
Il was frightened and my heart beat.
but ain not man to run. After hest
| tatIng for few moments, turned into
the wood III tue direction of the window
| and the light and found path there.
l began to follow cautiously. | walked
| to the place where l had first heard the
| bell and seen the window ana the light,
but the window and the light were ap-
| parently as far away now as when l
| started from the road. As | watched |
| could see it move back, but 1 could hear
nothing. stopped again. The window
aud the light soon seemed to stop.
| Should run? No; would shout. So
l cried out, 'HuIlop
1.-The rocks answered my loud call
with many echoes. A startled partridge
| rose on whirrIng wings from some wild
alder bushes near me. Then. all was
J still, Or-dId Imagine it'll thought l
could hear the low, piteouS, suppressed
whine of dog. The light vanished.
II knew not what to do. l was I'M
armed. l went forward very slowly and
cautiously, when the path grew soft and
the earth began to crumble beneath my
feet. paused and listened
"A cry pierced the hollow air. How
can describe il? 1t thrilled every nerve
in my body. can hear it now it seemed
as though all the intensity of a human
heart was in tit said, it shrieked as
the cry of some pent-up force-it said
"'Silasp
al knew the voice. 1t was warning
tone. l knew that dogs tone of warning.
| stepped back and listened again.
IL heard struggle down in the dis
lance. Where was L? 1t came to me. |
was on the border of ledge of rocks.
Below me was pond. Had l taken a
few steps more, would have gone over
into the water. felt that the way led
to false projection over the water. |
had been drawn towards a trap to de-
stroy me. felt the situation then as
clearly as l can see it now. My every
nerve quivered with terror, but my Will
grew stronger than ever before. | never
knew how strong or how weak l was,
till then.
las stood listening. fearful oath
rose from the pond. L will not repeat
it. Then all was still. 1 looked I'D to
the sky. 1t was the only object that
seemed friendly. The clouds parted be.
| low the huntar'S monn and a vida oil