Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-03-08
CHAPTER v.
THE YOUNG WITCH.

CHARlER v.
THE YOUNG WITCH.
When Atlee on1 his men returned TO
tne s,tt ement but little adverse COM
ment was made upon his action. Hillary
had broken his bonds, dehed the law,
and. when ordered to surrender, attempt
ed to escape. Still, his action would have
teen denounced had not the settlemenV
become honeycombed with the half-ex-
nressed belief that Hillary was indeed in
league with the devil.
Dorothea Hillary, his daughter, was at
this time nearly twelve ears cd. For sew
eral days after her fathers tragic dlsap-
.pearance she remained in the cabin IN the
woods. but soon the more human sentl-
ment ame 10 the surface, and the leaders
of the village consulted as TO her future.
The cabin and farm which her father had
built and claimed was settled upon her.
so that in years to come she would be
comfortably we'll off, as as worldly
possessions 90. But in the meantime 1t
would not do for the young girl to be
neglected.
After much debate, the question OF her
future home was settled | y Athlel Len
nox Offering TO receive her into his home
and care for her, in return for what wolk
she might be able to do about the house.
He was the village doctor.
Dorothea's new home proved to be
pleasant one. The girl was bright and
sweet-tempe red, and soon became a
favor.te not only With the family into
which she had been received but by the
Villagers generally. Her very loneliness
mn ealed to their honest he rts. In time
she was warmly welcomed by every one
she met, and her figure hecane q COM
mon one by the fresides OF all, with the
exception of the minister's.
When Hillary's death was announced
TO Mr., Granville he was inexpressioly
panied He felt that n unprepared soul
had been sent to it's Maker, and fealed
lest some act of his might have stood IN
the way of its being prepared.
This feeling of regret also prompted
him to offer any aid in his power to the
little waif left among them. He would
even have taken her into his own home
had not another been provided for her:
The first Sunday after Dorothea had
pone to live with DIR. Lennox the minis
Ter invited her home with him; for, while
Sunday visiting was discount enanced IN
Sagnauck, he tightly considered this ln-
vitation more of work OF mercy than a
worldly pleasure.
After the cold dinner, which was al
wars served on Sunday to dispense with
any unnecessary labor, the mily were
gathered in the m nister's study Dor
! otbea. with childs bashfulness, had
, seated herself by the window and an
! rwered the minister and his wife In
monosvllables. Even had she felt Tree
IN talk it is likely that she would have
1 done the same, for the remarks which
D her father had frequently made about
the minister caused her to look with
doubt upon his friendly advances: AS
vas his custom on Sunday, Mr.. Gran
{ Vile was CO echis'ng his family.
J "Whe is Satan?" he asked mis- younger
: daughter, Ashulah.
: Dorothel turned her great brown eyes
/ toward the minister and startled him by
! asking: .,
II aDid YOU ever ee him?"
II He was about to reply hastily In th'
J negative. when Achsah spoke up;
: INV child. my child, what are you say
IS ing? You could not see the evil one.
q SBut have, papa.
II "Wh { did he look iikeP" osked Doro
IS thea, turning 10 the girl. -,
Achsah looked at her qu' stioner with
!, shrewd CLEAN in her eyes, and replied
d like your father.
The next instant Dorothea had picke'
a up book lying upon the desk near ne
II ond Aung it at the creature. Achsa
y, ~ smiled and sid:
II "That cannot hut me as much as som
3 other things you might do" and the in
~ cident was passed over without any NOR
ID words. But that evening Achsah wa
taken with one of those nervous attack
u tn which she was subject, and the minis
o. Ter remembered her words.
9r Was the daughter like the father, i
le Ie,pue with the evil one2 The questio
ID rave him a subject for long meditation.
~ Dorothea was not invited to repeat he
~ visit.
re Some months after this occurrence a
~ incident happened which deepened nj
II GranviIle's meditations on wltchcraf
o. When Dorothea was removed to tn
doctors home, a small chest filed VT
Ia books and papers, had been found i
y Hilla rvs CABIN.
es The doctor had glanced hastily at tt
rs latter, and, finding that they referred
u u Hill ary's family connections in Englan(
ae laid them careful away. These, with
}" 10 ket which Dorothea always wore su
pended around her neck, were the onl
e' links binding the little waif to her friend
o. if she had any. The minister heard
y; this locket, and with the test Of mi
OF tiyes wished to see it. But this Dorotht
re refused to allow, and in his distortt
G Imagination the poor man wOve a stol
n, a. of cabalistic relics and internal charm
10 For what else, he reasoned, could it be
IL ID sedulously guarded by one SO young2 ,
a. At len ,th, one day, he exercised b
authority as minister of the parish, ar
commanded Dorothea to deliver up Il
49, charm. She refused to obey, but
eI forcibly drew the locket from her boso
he and opened it.
il A fair face, the counterpart OF Dorc
re, theas, only more mature. met b s gaz
OF and beneath the glass of the other sic
es of the case was lock brown hair.
ol He dropped it involuntarily, and Dor