The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-04-28

OF Wrlnkleu, 1aued woman, careless
of her attire. He looked up with sur
prise as she advanced toward them.
The brusk independence of manner he
had expected to see had given place to
a stately dignity. She was one of those
women for whom a becoming dress
does wonders.
I'm glad TO see your they both
said in the same breath, and shook
hands as if the most platonic of friend
ships had always existed betw cen
them.
Miss Briggs was not so well pleased
with her survey. "He's getting stout, +"
she thought critically, 'and tritie
bald. He's not the handsome man he
used TO be-"
Emily was charmed with DIR. Powell.
She found him entertaining and agree
able. He praised her sketches. He
told her interesting incidents OF his
travels in many lands, and amusing
anecdotes of his professional life. When
the party went sightseeing, he was
her tete-a-tete if they rode, When they
walked, he was always at her side to
hold her umbrella.
Seeing this, Miss Briggs calmly re-
volved in her solitary orbit-a trifie
more independent in manner, perhaps,
and if possible more outspoken in her
radical opinions. Emily tried in vain
to persuade her aunt that the old serge
was too unbecoming for further use
fulness. Every morning she put it on
with the grim satisfaction of carrying
her point, and looking her worst.
The days went by too fast in the old
town. Night and morning and noon,
they listened to the Ginning of the
bells in the ivy grown Shandon tower,
and then it was night and morning and
noon again. Still the little party lin
gered.
One day, after lunch, they started
out to make farewell visit to Blarney
Castle. DIR. Powell and Emily gaiIy
led the way on jaunting car. Sew
eral of the party followed on horse
| back, and the rear was brought up by
a light wagonette. Miss Briggs rode
in this, not being an excellent horse
woman, and having mortal antipathy
to jaunting cars.
1t was Il drive none of them could
ever forget. But by the time they had
reached the castle, the sunshine had
faded out, the landscape was gray and
blurred, and the rain began 10 pour in
torrents. There was nothing TO do but
sit down and wait for il to stop, but
they had grown accustomed to this
peculiarity of the weather in Ireland.
An old woman came to the door, beg
ging. They tolled her in with shil-
ling, and she entertained them with
gruesome tales of the banshees and
witches that inhabit the bat haunted
ruins of Blarney at night. The doctor
han6ed Emily pencil and leaf torn
| from his memorandum book, and she
began to sketch the old peasant, with
| quick, effective strokes. Miss Briggs
sat back in dim corner, listening
carefully, for the woman's brogue was
almost unintelligible to her. Twice
she glanced up, to find DIR. Powell
looking at her.
Presently in a pause of the story
telling, he walked over and stood be-
side her. "What does this remind you
of, Coroline?' he asked abruptly.
Nothing" she answered. WHY
at reminds me of a gypsy camp we
visited one time. You have not for
gotten il, | hope Ii was the last day
of August, sixteen years ago. The
scene comes back to me very plainly.
An old hag told our fortunes. Some
how, you look just as you did then"
He walked over to Emily again.
Miss Briggs drew back little farther
| into the dim corner, and listened no
more to the legends of Blarney. She
heard, instead. the cracking of camp
fire, the stamping of horses tied in the
background, the whining tones of the
old gypsy who pretended to look into
the future, when in reality she had
only TO look into the faces before her
TO guess their fate. Then she heard
! the laughter Of the young folks ramb-
ling slowly along in the moonlight be-
| hind them. Then the low, earnest
| voice of the one beside her-no, she
would not listen, She would not re-
call single word. The old love had
lain buried deeply too long for its
ghost to trouble her now. She turned
resolutely to the old woman, although
she couldn't help remembering, now
and then, that he had said she looked
Just as she did that highland that
| night he had called her beautiful.
II know that isn't sor' she kept
telling herself, to quiet the little thrill
of pleased vanity. "He's got an axe
to grind. He wants me to use my in
fluence with Emily"
1t was nearly dark when the rain
finally stopped, and they started back
to the hotel. There was a shifting OF
seats. The wagonette led the way,
followed by those on horses, and when
Miss Briggs came through the gate,
DIR. Powell was waiting to help her on
to the jaunting car.
They drove along in silence some
time, before the doctor remarked un-
easily, 'The drivers have been drink
ing. / hope they'll not get US into
trouble"
II have never been in any kind oi
an accident answered Miss Briggs.
"I have always thought l should like
to be, just for the sensation"
For short distance they entertained
each other by recounting the most
dreadful accidents of which they had
ever heard both on land and sea-
They reached the climax at last. They
could recall no supremer horror than
had already been related.
Just then the half intoxicated driver,