The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-04-05

ffo1n beH1n6 n canas noiss. HE tbs
seft rushing Of skirts against the door and
the walls; thep . strange, inarsacuiste ofy'
Of anger Of Of terror. Barbara heeItated
for b moment, then turned the handle and
pushed open the door, She stood ON the
threshold with the Light held In one hand
in 'front.' Of her and the sword grasped In
the other.
The room was In darkness, but across
the narrow space Illuminated from the
door there foated noiselessly vague black
object on level with her eyes Again the
shapeless thing came and disappeared. A
third time 1t returned from Its circuit
But now 1t came swiftly toward her, dis
closing horrible white face, in which
were two round and flaming eyes that
seemed TO scintillate yellow sparks.
The light was blown out, and Barbara
Rankin, still holding the blade pointing at
the intruder, fell with crash on the stone
floor In dead faint
Long after she came TO herself. She was
cold and stiff, and she crept to her bed,
where she lay trembling and wondering
until dawn.
Morning brings light and comfort 1t
brought the explanation Of the mystery Of
the night An owl had found Its way
down the open chimney into the dining
room. One could see where the terrified
bird had chung desperately to the exposed
bell wires.
Barbara stepped forth into the morning
air, and making her way to the spot where
the Lindean burn breaks from under the
cover of the wood stood shading her eyes
with her wrinkled hand and gazing visit
fully along the road that wound down into
the plain.
The first snow of winter had fallen. 1t
lay In the hollows of the wood in long
swathes, like winding sheets, which the
descending leaves had spotted as with
blood
With the stream fioated frail and painted
argosies, and below the surface the water
was full Of sodden and rotten leaves, all on
O downward voyage Nature was visibly
dying from age and exhausted energies.
Out of the mist, making his way toward
the house Of Lindean, emerged man on
horseback. A flush of joy came into Bar
bara's withered cheek, and she made sew
eral swift steps toward the house.
She stopped to look again, and light
faded from her eyes and color from her face.
lni5 WIS uOb tiiG ruling VI a. IdChhauci Va
Lindean. The men of that blood rode with
straight back and free rein, whether they
, were following their king to. battle or
hunting the kings subjects on the moses
of the Lammermuirs.
Barbara waited as II frozen to the ground
until the horseman came up. He was q
messenger from the nearest village, and he
held out to her letter. 1t was addressed
to her, and she opened 1t mechanically and
looked at the writing within.
1t was telegram from tho neighboring
market town, and it told in its summary
way that Lord Lindean was on his way to
his own house-dead. He had come so far
on the previous day, intending to ride
home the same night; but, changing his
mind, he had gone to his bedroom in the
inn.
He had his gun case with him, and the
piece may have exploded by accident in his
hands or-heaven only knowsi A shot was
heard, and he was found with his brains
spattered on the floor
How much of tho message old Barbara
eomprehended no one may say. She knew
that the last prop of the house of Lindean
had fallen, and her heart stood still for
ever.
She sank to earth, with the letter clinch-
ed in her grasp, and the dead leaves foated
down on her white head. There was none
10 receive the last lord of Lindean. Black
and White.