Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-06-29

guest and master, wife, miss, or BARN
black, black be their fall!'
And the woman, whose voice had risen
to a kind Of eldritch sing-song, turned
with 2 skip, and was gone. | stood
where she left me, with my hair on end.
In these days folks still believed IN
witches and trembled at a curse; and
this one, falling SO pat, like a wayslde
omen, to arrest me ere | carried out my
purpose. took the pith out of my legs.
/ sat me down and stared at the house
of ShaWs The more / looked, the pleas
anter that countryside appeared; beng
all set with hawthorn bushes full OF
flowers; the fields dotted with sheep;
fine fight of rocks in the sky; and every
sign of kind soil and climate; and yet
the barracks in the midst of it went sore
against my fancy.
Country folk went by from the fields
as | sat there on the side of the ditch,
but | lacked the spirit to give them
good-e'en. At last the sun went down,
and then, right up against the yelloW
sky, saw a scroll Of smoke go mounting
not much thicker, as it seemed to me,
than the smoke of candle; but still
there il was and meant a fire, and
warmth, and cookery, and some living
inha bitant that must have lit IT; and this
comforted my heart wonderfully.mo3r!,e,
/ feel sure, than a whole flask Of the lily
set so great store by.
SO [ set forward by little faint
track in the grass that led in my dlrec-
ton 1t was very faint indeed to
be be the only way to a p place e+he OF
Presently it brought me to stone up
rights, with an unroofed lodge beside
them, and coats of arms upon the top.
A main entrance, it was plainly meant
to be, but never finished; instead OF
gates of wrought iron pair OF hurdles
were tied across with straw rope; and
as there were no park walls, nor any
sign of avenue, the track that | was fol-
lowing passed on the right hand OF the
pillars, and went wandering on toward
the house.
The nearer / got to that, the drearier
it appeared. 1t seemed like the one
wing of a house that had never been
finished What should have been the
and showed against the sky with steps
and stairs of uncompleted masonry.
Many Of the windows were unglazed,
and bats flew in and out like doves out
of a dove-cote.
The night had begun to fall as | got
close; and in three of the lower win
dows, which were very high up, and
narrow, and wel-barred, the changing
light of little fire began to glimmer.
Was this the palace had been coming
to? Was it within these walls that
was to seek new friends and begin great
fortunes? Why, in my fathers house
on Essen aterside the fire and the
bright lights would show mile away,
and the door open to a beggar's knock
| came forward cautiously, and giving
ear as I came, heard someone rafting
with dishes, and a little dry, eager cough
that came in fits; but there was no sound
of speech, and not dog barked.
The door, as well as | could see it in
the dim light, was a great piece of wood
ali studded with nails; and | lifted my
hand with faint heart under my jacket,
and knocked once. Then | stood and
waited. The house had fallen into a
dead silence; a whole minute passed
away, and nothing stirred but the bats
overhead | knocked again. and heark-
ened again. By this time my ears had
grown so accustomed to the quiet that |
could hear the ticking of the clock in
side as it slowly counted out the sec
onds; but whoever was in that house
kept deadly still, and must have held his
breath.
l was in two minds whether to run
away; but anger got the upper hand, and
| began instead to rain kicks and buffets
on the door, and to shout out aloud for
Mr.. Balfour. | was in full career, when
/ heard the cough right overhead, and
jumping back and looking up, beheld d
mans head in tall nightcap, and the
bell mouth of blunderbuss, at one of
the first story windows.
Its loaded" said voice.
Il have come here with a letter." /
said, ''to Mr.. Ebenezer Balfour of Shaws.
Is he here?'
'.From whom is it?" asked the man
with the blunderbuss.
''That is neither here nor there" said
[, for [ was growing very wroth.
'Well,' was the reply, I'VE can put it
down upon the doorstep, and be off with
ye."
81 will Go no such thing I cried. II
will deliver it into Mr.. Balfour's hands,
as it was meant | should. 1t is a letter
OF introduction.
"A what?" cried the voice, sharply.
| repeated what | had said.
'sWho are We, yourselfg was the next
question, after a considerable pause.
Il am not ashamed of my name" said
I. 'They call me David Balfour'
At that, made sure the man started,
for | heard the blunderbuss rattle on the
windoW-sill; and it was after quite d
long pause, and with curious change of
voice, that the next question followed:
us your father deadY
| was so much surprised at this, that
| could find no voice to answer, but
stood staring
"Ay,' the man resumed, 'he'll be dead,
no doubt; and that'll be what brings We
chapping to my door," Another pause,
and then, deiantly, "Well, man." he
said, cpl let We in;'' and he disappeared
from the window.