The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1894-01-04

where In the house, an I'll stick by ye,
thick or thin"
Jerry had grown old in the family
service. His advice had great weight
with us, and ended in our driving
through the stubby, water-soaked field
to the remains of the Peridln gate
where we waited while he asked at the
house for shelter. There was no alter
native.
Come onl' shouted Jerry, soon re-
appearing.
He began to collect our wraps and
umbrellas, Maud gathered the fullness
Of her silkeu skirts In one hand, and
with the other kept her cloak about
her. Jerry essayed to hold the family
umbrella over her head, but the wind
turned 1t inside out and whirled it out
of his grasp. Our feet sank above the
ankles In water, and the rain beat upon
us under our huttering cloaks. With
difficulty we made our way up the IT.
regular path to the house.
At the hall enrance stood a tall,
thin woman, shading the alckering lamp
she held with one transparent hand; the
wind blew her long black dress closely
about her spare form.
"Come in she said, as we hesitated
upon the threshold, the driving rain
pelting in upon us. at is a dreadful
night" shutting the door. 81 am glad
to offer you shelter" But she did not
look glad.
Our footsteps sounded hollow and
strange in the gloomy hall; hers were
soft and silent. She ushered us into d
large room, empty save for a few
chairs and table, and without further
words went to make ready a chamber
for us. We sat in silence, peering out
into the inky darkness of the sky; only
the sound of the storm broke the In
tense stiffness of the lonely house.
"If you should get scared in the
night" Jerry whispered at last, "jist
you yell fur me. I'll be somewhere
neal. hilCi i w Undt l. Van III INV
horses, I'll jlst hint fur to have the
room next yours, or a pallet in the
hall"
Presently we followed our hostess up
wide flight of stairs, which creaked
ominously with the unusual weight
Probably for twenty years only her
~ ha1 hoop
She ushered us into 4 room at the foot
of the upper stairs.
81 hope you will be comfortable she
said, putting the candle on the burea u
Now goodnight"
"Comfortable, indeedw echoed Maud
miserably, when the door closed be
hind her.
She took up the light and walked
slowly around the room, trailing heI
wet garments after her; first she
pressed softly on the walls, but found
no door other than that by which We
had entered; then she searched dill
gently for some hidden thing in the
large dark wardrobe; but it was fllet
to overlooking with bed linen, yellowet
with age. She opened every drawer
looked brhind It, and behind two trunks
but discovered nothing in any way
mysterious.
''Oh, Chris" she cried in dlsmay
''the door has no lock- | shall uevel
dare get into bed, | am so miserably
coldln
Indeed we were both cold, and very
wet also; the floor was bare; the wlni
shook the windows aud swept under tn,
door in icy draughts. We listened [,
some tokens of Jerry's presence in Thu
next room, but after Miss Peridin'
steps died away nothing could be hear,
to Indicate the presence OF a humai
being. Finally we rolled the bed il
front of the door, and colder and colde
and more miserable than ever, crept 4
between the blankets.
Maud lay rlgidly still, afraid to los
the slightest sound, bnt we hear
nothing save the bowling of the win
and the branches beating on the win
dow outside. The candle burned lowe
and lower; we bagan to feel comfort
ably warm and less frightened PEI
haps we even dozed. was startled b
Maud, who suddenly spshng up.
"Do you hear that, Christ" she asked
cluFching my arm.
= A sound of moaning mingled with tn
wind, and after a pause a song wa
sung softly.
'I'd rather have drowned in the For
than be herein my sister almost sobbet
Again came the moaning, louder, bu
dying away 10 sigh; then the son@
and a sound OF footsteps so soft non
but strained senses could detect them.
1t was vain to call Jerry. We kne,
that If he were asleep little less tina
an earthquake would awake him.
Maud crept to the floor and seized tn
fickeilng candle; but as she raised
the wick sank in the hollow rim c
tallow, burned up brightly and wen
out. Her exclamation of dismay wa
cut short by the uncanny sounds abov
our heads.
81 don't think I can bear this" sh
said in an exciting whisper. 81 fe,
like throwing myself out of the wiz
dow.n
was up now, and as frightened a
Maud.
"We must find ont what 1t isl sh