The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1896-08-07


mouth, and how 1 didn't faint on the
spot has always been a mystery to me.
The spirit of the fog, OF the high
Vayman, kept firm hold on me, butdid
not change the direction of my foot
steps. When the first intense fright
gave place to sort of semi-conscious-
ness, L found myself being guided in
fashion which gave me to understand
that the ghost, gypsy OF garotter,
whichever it might be, at least knew the
road. / no longer stepped into puddles-
or scratched my hands in the hedges,
but was assisted along, apparently
without an effort.
Why l did not cry out is the mex
plicabie thing. 1t was doubtless that
first shock which had paralyzed my
tongue, vet / was being taken to some
lonely spot, there, l presumed, TO be
robbed or murdered, or both, by one
whom 1 could recognize only as
blurred shape, if indeed it was of this
world at all.
And all this while terror kept me
dumb, while the thing neither relin-
quished nor frightened its grasp, SO far
not rough one, but held on the even
tenor of its way up the hill which, un-
2
ering altogether, should lead, / knew,
to our own avenue
"Of course L was fully aware that
some terrible design was in the mind
of my ghostly companion, and feared
lest every moment should be nay last.
Still, with life there was hope, though
L specially dreaded the bylane which
branched off towards the gypsy en-
Viii INN "A IL
rectly.
Then new, strange feeling crept
over me. l was dreamily conscious of
leaning heavily on the garotter's arm
and finding it a strong one. wondering
at the same time if this awful expert
ence was the punishment OF my disobe
dience. How fervently 1 vowed that
if L got safely out of this scrape, moth
ing on earth would ever again tempt me
TO risk my life after dark among the
lanes of Treeleigh.
Suddenly we stopped. L gasped
| still mute as fish, and shut my eye
! tight Already, in anticipation, I fel
| the murderous knife at my throat, tn
robbers hand rifiing my dead body
| The arm around me perceptibly tight
ened its grip; my heart stopped beat
1
| pered in my ear: There really ar
| footpads about, but you have no reaso.
| to be frightened. All want from yol
| is one kiss to last me my lifetime
Before L could recover nv senses tt,
highwayman had pressed his lips u
my cheek. The spell was broken,
opened my eyes with piercing shrek.
But he had vanished as silently aud
adroitly as he had come. All 1 saw was
the indistinct light of lantern as our
| lodge-keeper opened the gate and
! fastened towards me.
In dazed kind of way / reached the
house without further adventure. Who
| my assailant had been L never knew.
| assumed him to be a gypsy imperti-
| nently retaiiating on me for some of
| Mr.. Treherne'S judgments. The voice
| was one / had never heard before, but
| so remarkable was its low aud peculiar
| quality, that should recognize it again
among thousands. l may add that my
| husband was so yeXed at my missing the
| carriage, which had returned without
me, and also at my making show OF
myself by shrieking outside our own
gate, that | had to give up the school
and my artistic dreams forever"
The completion of Mrs. Treherne's s
| narrative elected round of applause
and a fire of chaff The hostess, keep
| ing her eyes fixed on her friend, alone
made no remark, when noise outside
betokened the return of the men from
| hunting.
The door opened, and, following the
host, there entered a tail, good-lookins
sunburned man of about IS.
| Mrs. Treherne, still immersed in her
"reminiscences, was gazing at the fire,
when her hostess voice aroused her:
Kitty, here is my brother, who is
dying to be introduced to you. He has
only just returned from South Africa
where he has been ever since he left
Treeleigh many years ago"
Mrs. Treherne looked up with the
half-interested air of woman to whom
a stranger has just been presented. She
held out her hand.
Indeed" she said. carelessly; ''dC
you also know that little artist colony
We were just mentioning it,"
| Il thought no7one=ever remembered
Treeleigh but me, Mrs. Treherne. Ter
years ago L carried away from there q
memory that will last my lifetime
This remark, innocent enough in it
self, was uttered in a particularly deep
musical voice. Some thing quite un-
usual in its timbre arrested the atten.
ton of everybody present, who, as il
impeiied by common impulse, looked
| across at Mrs. Treherne and it must
be admitted that that lady gave abuu
dant cause for curiosity. At the firsi
sound of the newcomers voice she
started violently. and stared at the own
| er thereof with an expression of mute
dismay. She made an effort to speak
but without success, and falling back
in her chair, covered her face with her
| hands
For an instant there was silence then
came burst of laughter. The Phan.
tom of the Misti" they cried.-Madame