Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-04-16


and 81 concluded be had met with an
accidsni and uceded my attention. - ]
said: "Yes. crnle inside. The wind VIII
extinguish the lamp. and | have nc
matehes about me.
Il want you to come with me al
once. Ny brother has met with an acci-
dent IL is n matter Of life and death
Come"
"Wherey' | asked burriedly, shiver-
ing with cold. for he would not come in
ITO The Laurels / implOre you TO
make haste" was the aRitated answer.
Your manner" ] asked in despair. foi
The Laurels was five miles away.
Guy ChilverS Are you readyi
Come"
All could do was TO step back into
the hall, put ON my furred coat, and
ask him 10 wait while / harnessed the
horse. He agreed 10 this and accompa-
MED me 10 the stable, even Offering 10
hold the lantern while attended 10 the
horse, fm my man had gone TO bed with
a cold. BY its light i studied his face.
He had an almost faultless profile, with
a hard mouth and dark. restless eyes.
He looked rather like All actor. could
not say whether liked his looks or not
Seldom, if ever, have seen face which
so attracted and repelled me at the sans
time.
had expected my tired horse TO go
slowly, but to my surprise he seemed
unusually fresh, SHED and even at
tempted to rear when my impatient Wis
itor laid his hand on him. 1t was with
difficulty that harnessed him at all
The horse had always been perfectly
quiet and steady before, but severaI
times during that lonely drive thought
he would have landed us i'll a ditch.
At last we reached rusty iron gate,
where Chilvers leaped out, and, seizing
the horse by the bit, slipped the rein
over the post Then as got down he
flung open the gate and pushed me in
Quick" he said. "or we shall be
too late"
The house looked dark and forbid
ding, but ray of light shone through
the door, which was ajar. felt strange
ly nervous and excited as entered
What if this were trap to rob and muir
der me?
My guide opened door and disap-
peared from sight, leaving me alone in
the uncanny place, which was quite
unlike any house was ever in before.
/ believe had he been gone one instant
longer must have made the best of my
way out into the dark drive and left my
patient to his fate, 10 unnerved had
become However, as / took one step
toward the door he reappeared, carrying
lamp which cast curious shadow on
the wall
Come up stairs" he said quickly.
"Harold is there. Step quietly" And
he led the way into a large room, which
struck me MS the most uncomfortable
bedroom ever entered. But instantly
my whole attention was fixed on slim,
boyish figure lying on the bed, fully
dressed, with the blood flowing from a
deep wound in his left side.
For minute thought him already
dead, but he raised his head feebly as
we entered and whispered family:
"Guy, it was my fault. / struck you
first"
Chilvers leaned over him and raised
! him in his arms, so that the fair, curly
head rested on his shoulder, and said
ave were mad Harold, both Of us
She was not worth my brothers life.
Here"-and he beckoned me to approach
/ the bedside. Save this boys life and
all my property shall be yours.
/ was about to protest that doctors dc
not take such exorbitant fees, but even
| as | stepped forward the lad turned
from me with painful effort, chung tC
his brother and sobbed out his young
! life i'll his arms.
Twas Mortified, although III my pro
fessIouaI experience | had attended
scores Of doathbcds In silence l adj
vauccd IN h.W til. poor young man, bu'
he land down ta1 lltgloss form aud cam,
to my -lar saving o..u'y
lyon u. r..-ar.. sr Nn -n Am.
he pointed to the door
But, Mr. Chilvcrs, " began, lit il
necessary that My sentence remain
ed unfinished Something, | know no
what, took possession of me, and founC
myself running like u mailman dowl
the dark avenue, without any knOwledg,
of how or why l left the house. A grea
terror overcame me, but my good Dixi,
was still tied to the gatepost, and
scrambled into the buggy and urges
him homeward.
When my man arrived next morning
he said reproachfully: Whatever's beer
happening to Dixie, sir? He's that don
you II not be able to drive him for
week.
~ was summoned in hurry las
night" i replied with caution. John
does DR.. Seward usually attend the pee
pie at The Laurels?"
"The Laurels? Why, bless you, sir
there amt no people there. It's bee,
empty for years, was the astounding
reply.
A little later | met the rector as
was going through the village
The reverend gentleman saw at
glance that was much perturbed, an
l tried to talk commonplaces. Soon
however, the question slipped out, ID
you know anything of The Laurels?'
"Ah, it is a strange, uncanny place,
was his answer mo one lives Their,
and the natives all give it wide bertl
Two brothers named Chilvers owned
at the end of the last century. Legend
say that they were devotedly attache
to each other, but both were high spiri
ed, fiery tempered fellows, and
woman in the case-doctor. they fell
love with the same girl, niece of OIL
of my predecessors, l believe. The
, servants, who lived ON we'll into tn