The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-26

no though Iongingiy. But when he turned
his hoad toward the door his sullen Jury
grew. and terror lay upon every hmD'
IL was now that Gorromalt was speak
sng. -
suddenly the dog made a leap for
ward-a terrible. bristling wolf, he SEEM
ed 10 me though no wolf had ever seen
or imagined any more fearsome thah
Rory now.
lie dashed himself against the door
snarling and mounting. with his shout
noslnR The narrow slit at the bottom
Aunt Elspeth and 1 shook with fear.
NV uncle was death white, but stood
strangely Qrooding. He had his right
elbow upon his breast. and supported
with. his left arm. while with his right
hand he plucked az his beard.
For sure" he said, at last, with nm
effort 70 seem at case; "for sure the dog
Is fey with his age and his blindness
And IL that were not So IL might look
as II he had the fear on him, because
OF some one who strove 10 come IN.
at is Mureall." / whispered. above
my breath.
No" said Aunt Elspeth. and the voice
OF her now was as though II had come
out Of the granite all about rs, cold
H.
ready in the room"
We both turned and looked AZ her.
She sat quite still. on the chair be-
twixt the fire and the table. Her face
was rigid, ghaStly. but her eyes were
large and wild.
A look. first OF fear. then almost Of
tenderness, came into her husband
face.
Hush. Dlspeth." he said that IS
foolihness."
1T is not foolishness. Archibald" she
resumed. in the same hard. Unconditional
voice, but with a terrible intensity. Man
man. because you are blind. is there no
sight for those who can see2"
There is no one here but ourselves
But here Aunt Elspeth half rose. with
supplicating arms.
"Muireall. Muirealll Muireall o Ellie
aroon"
l saw Archibald Campbell shaking as
though he were a child, and not strong
man.
"Wil you be telling MS this. Elspeth, "
he began in a hoarse voice: will you
be telling me this. if Muireall IS in the
room, beyond Rory there who viii be at
the door? Who is trying 10 come in at
the door,"
ITS man. ] do not know the man.
IT Is a man. II is Death. maybe. DO not
know the man. o Ellie aroon, Ellie
aroon,"
But now tho great. gaunt. black dog
terrible in his seeing blindness he was
to me began again his savage snarling,
his bristlng. insensatc fury. lie had
ceased moment while our voices filed
the room. and had sidled a little way TO-
ward the place where Aunt Elspcih saw
Muirean. whining low as he did so. and
swishing his tail furtively along the
whitewached fagstones
! know not what awful thing would
have happened. IL seemed to me that
Death was coming 10 all Of us.
But at that moment we heard the sound
OF a galloping horse. There was a lull
in the wind and the rain dashed no more
ike a streaming, whistling whip. Even
Rory crOuched silent. his nostrls culver
ne. his curled snout showing HIS fangs.
Gorromalt stood listening intentlv.
by the living Cod" he exclaimed. his
eyes like a goaded bulls. 81 know than
horse only one horse runs like that at
the gallop IT'S the gray stallion | sold
three months ago 10 the man at Drum
doon-ay ay. for the son of the man az
DrumdOon, A horse 10 ride for the shoot
ing-a good horse for the hills that was
what he wanted Ay. ay, by God. horse
Tor the son OF the man m Drumdoon' IT'S
the gray stallion: no other horse in the
Straths runs like that-d'ye hcar2 dye
hear? Elspeth. woman, is there hearing
upon you for that? Hey, tio;-a-tlot
tlot-a-tlot. Observation-Disclosures, tlot-
a-tlot tlOt-tot-tlot! | tell you. woman,
it's the gray stallion sold to Drumdoon;
it's that and no otherl Az. by the Scr
rows. it's Drumdoon's son that will be
riding there"
BY this time the horse was close by.
We heard his hoofs clang above the flag
stones round the well at the side OF the
house. Then there was a noise as OF
scattered stones. and a long. scraping
sound, then silence.
Gorromalt turned and put his hand 70
the door There was murder i'm his eyes,
for all the smile. a grim, terrible smile,
that had come 10 his lips
Aunt Elspeth rose and ran 10 him. hold
ing him back. The door shook Rory the
hound tore at the splinter at the base OF
the door. his fell again bristling. his snarl-
ing savagery horrible 10 hear Tho pine
logs had fallen into a smOuldering ash.
The room was fun Of gloom, though the
red. sulen eye of the peat-glow stared
through the sem-darkness.
Don't be opening the door Don't be
opening the door, she cried, in a thin,
screaming voice.
"WhSt for no. woman, Let me go
Out o the way, Rory-get back! Down
wi ye!'