Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-07-21
"le Valley an de Shadder.'
81 HARRY sTILLwELL EDWARDS.
lCIpyright. 1904 by The Century company.
All rights reserved.
CHAPTER III.


ION went the young woman, her
sthight, strong limbs bearing her brave
lyI; ON into the great road, ON through
tHc village with its lazy groups sitting
a.Eut in the afternoon shade, on past
NJ Jail. never stopping. She moved rs
oIIe in trance, ard the strange light
sd bnc from her eyes
I'm de valley IN dc shadder, Ben, "
slb shouted, IAN er-fearin nIthin.
All I'm comm back leanin on his rod AL
hiE staff I'm er-comin back. F"
People looked at her curiously, but
slt stopped for none. The shadows
fell: night found her on the lonely high
why. The tall pines crooned above; IT
sejmed rs though a spirit sighed from
thr lips Of the dying man. A Awhippoor-
VIII called from the depths Of the forest
III her il was n voice from the past, and
stfange things caught at her dress as she
gllded by.
Iii dt NaAA'F 7aaN
whispered. Z" an leanin on his rod an
stlff. ," No moon rose 10 comfort hr,
bJjt mocking bird sang as he used TO sing
ini the haw bush by the cabin when the
h3by was rolling on his back in the sand
aid she was sewing. On, never falter-
ink tired of limb. hungry and athirst.
bJt onward still.
AZ dawn of day she dropped down by
a Friendly door III the city's suburbs and
told her story The hospitality Of the
suLth animates the humblcst dwelling,
add the humber the roof the broader
thI unquestioning hospitality. Her
THIRST quenched. her hunger appeased,
sll, dragged her stiffcning limbs into n
n,w road and continued her journey.
The sun came forth and parched the
gJDund. but the trees lent her shade
hJr and there. Thirst came back, but
tli sparkling brook danced across her
WHY. Hunger, too, came again, yet the
h,lkpitable cabin followed it-night and
slIep. when far in the night she sank IN
a fence corner, murnuring, En- de val
lel an dc shadder." And as she slept
njthing evil passed the sentinel that
tb| ere stood guard beside her
with the dawn the blistcred feet rc-
strncd their weary way. The history Of
oik day was the history Of the next. She
stlrted on Thursday; on Monday morn
ink she passed through the great white
columns of princely home and told her
stlry for the last time and at 10 O'Clock
tht next morning the trial Of Ben Thorn
ajfor murder was to begin at jefferson
vile, in Twiggs county, seventy odd
M les away
THE evening Of the same day found
MEndy back i'll the city, and with her
WIS gray haired man-Marse Bob, she
cal led him-and the people who passed
him on the street touched their hats 10
him and looked back as his tall form
wInt by. A buggy was 10 bear him 10
Jacksonville in the early morning, but
fot her there was work yet 10 BE- done.
i'w'en you pass Black Ankle, - she
sal d to him. I'm be der. :" Before he
ccIlld stop her she had gone.
Not voice broke the stiffness Of the
hsLnlet ~ she entered among the brood
ink cabins. save the far barking of Bill
Fiwler's dog. She had heard that ami
mIlls STE spirits. Was he barking at his
masters ghost come back again: Her
fl,bh crept and she almost screamed n
shb trod unawares on the spot where the
M An died. There was no light i'll the
liltlc house. no sound Should she en-
tet The wall Of baby came out 10 her
Llsfecble wall, as Of one sick or starv'
inE. She laid her hand upon the latch.
'No." she moaned, mot now. Hits
del las chance, de las" She passed
dt|Mn into the black swamp, lying there
inlthe clouded moon like the grave itself.
En- de- valley an de shadder, " she
whispered. IAN er-fearin nuthin. "
Az she entered there, that other night
cahe back, and its horrors ruse about
hdr. There was the bush that clasped
hdE knees, there the crooked tree that
balrred the way and there the tangled
b1ike.
Then the lagoon, with its wide, still
st}etch Of water lay at her feet.
'Benr' she called, but the name died
inlher throat. She raised her head again
aIld threw the knife with all her might
-bye, for the handle seemed i'll her