Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-08-29

thoughts busy with the past, the doc
tor was in no talking mood, and the
greater part of the walk was accom-
plished in silence. Once, as they left
the sea behind them. and turned into
the narrow, shadowy lane that led 10
I,ettv's home. she thought she heard
a cry, half gasp, half sob, as from
some Injured animal, and she stopped
and listened. DIR. Lenrard asked what
It was. and she told him.
1T Is the wind that is rising he
said. See the clouds that are bank
ing up over there. We shall have a
storm tonight
Still the girl stood and listened, her
healthy cheek blanching with terror
to which she could give no name; and
again, further away this time, but
still distinct, the long-drawn breath
broke the stiffness. This time tine
doctor heard 1t TOO; perhaps because
he had been listening for it. That
was the reason he gave to Lefty.
ut is nothing but the sigh of the
wind through these old trees" said he.
"You need not tremble 50, child. The
night Is SO clear that we should see
il any living creature was near
about
Very comforting to the practical doe
tor, no doubt, but not at all so to
Lefty She went the rest Of the way
with her head turned back over her
shoulder every few steps to see II
anything followed, and her ear
strained TO the utmost to catch the
faintest repetition of that gasping
sound, but none came, and the doctor
left her safe inside her own door, and
laughed at her pale face as it showed
in the light of the lamp.
"You will never do" said he, ITO
live your life by the sea, if the rising
Of the summer storm and the breath
ing Of the summer wind can fill You
with superstitious fancies. / thought
you were wiser, Miss Lefty"
Lefty tried to answer his light
words, but she could not: ana when
ne was gone, and she sat down on the
side of her bed, she could not keep
from bursting into tears. A sore pain
seemed 70 lie heayy on her heart, a
dim forebodlng IL evil Swallowed her
rolnd; and under its sinister influence
the girl shiyered and moaned as
though rent by bodily suffering And
through it all there rose those now
half-forgotten words:
Il will live to curse you yet, | will
live TO curse you!'
And then, in the room. by her side,
above her, all round her. the air
seemed to thrill with that gasping
cry, as Lefty had heard it in the lane,
Till the poor girl left as if she We're
struggling in some terrible dream, or,
else losing her reason altogether.
Whether that cry was a reality or Il
delusion remained a mystery; but
whether or no. the wind was risigg.
and that rapidly. and the doctor re-
membering ii would be high tide that
night. went round by the village to
his home.
lie had gained his own gate and
nrned round TO look at the angry sea
Far out--as far as the eye could
pierce through the thick darkness
the waste of water spread heaying
and falling like living thing a ter
rihle sight-While over all played the
sickly glare of the lightning.
DR.. Lennard turned hastily from Il
and, turning, stumbled over some
thing in the path STOPPING, he saw
that it was woman lying prone on
his doorstep her light dress clingnS
closely to her. her long hair trailing
open, and lifting Ter In his arms,
carried her into the lighted hall, think /,
ing with pity that it was some poor
night wanderer who had lost her way,
and perhaps fallen from exhaustion.
As the light fell fully on the figure,
the doctor staggered under his burden,
and a deadly chill stole over him He
the pale silk dress. the
flossy golden hair. No need to raise
the still white face 10 know that it
was his wife.
The barging-to of the hall door, AM
the flicker of the lamp as the rough
wind rushed in, reused hin, and he
carried her up to her own room, and,
LAYING her on the bed, rang for
judith. The old woman came, and
her fresh face blanehed suddenly at
the sight that met her eyes.
Mrs. Iennard lay on the bed, her
hands tightly clinched, her face rigid, I
with her wet hair falling in furnished
masses round II. Her pale silk dress
was stained with sand and water,
and Of her shoes one Wis missing al
together, while the other had plainly
been up past the ankle IN n sand pub
die; and standing by the bedside,
more worn and hasgard than the old
woman had ever seen him, even in
these last years, was Dir, lennard;
looking uuiet1y hut Sternly down on