The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-02-16

| IA'oAioiiy uue littio uut lookeu peace.
full enough, with its ruddy pomegran.
ates hanging in ripe fullness and it's
china trees dropping golden nuggets on
the hard beaten path of the little yard.
A faint wreath Of blue smoke curlod
skyward from the two chimneys that
decorated either end of the cabin, sug-
| costing lavish extravaganza in the,
| matter CT firewood.
Plantation traditions had 1t that no
foot but Savanna's own had crossed its
threshold for years. Such services as
she could not render herself were churl-
ishly demanded and as churlishly ren.
dered by those who only too willingly
accepted their wage without penetrat-
ing into the inner mysteries Of the voo-,
DOCS home.
Knowing all these things, it was not
without sense of daring and of person
al peril that Jessica dismounted from
her horse at little distance from the
cabin and approached it on foot At
this late hour Of the afternoon Savanna
would scarcely be expecting intruders.
Would that make her more or less i'm
plaoablef
Not even the warning note of the old
woman's watchdog heralded her ap-
proach. She reached the cabin door I'M
observed. The wooden shutters to the
front windows had been closed for the
night.
Jessica knocked timidly, then more
boldly; then she stopped to listen. She
could hear the old orone moving about |
on the inside Of the cabin, and the pun.
gent odor of frying chicken penetrated |
the chinks. Made bold by these tokens
that life Of ordinary human proper
tions was stirring in the witch's cabin,
she waxed bold enough to try the han
die to the door. It yielded to her touch,
and she stepped daringly over the
threshold. Then she stopped with low
cry OF amazement. She was standing in
room furnished with all the old fash
Toned elegance that marked her own
bedroom at home.
All the rudeness of the cabin walls
had been concealed by damask hangings
which bore singular likeness to those
in one Of the locked up rooms in the
house. The bed and its furnishings
were Of the same old style elegance.
Drawn close to the fire was lounge on
which were heaped silken cushions and
soft shawls until it was luxurious {
nest Jessica could see that a recumbent
figure occupied this soft place.
Ru thfo int L. IL
swallowed up every other sensation. {
She stole nearer on tiptoe and leaned |
over the back Of the lounge. With fold
ed hands held close against her breast,
as If to still the too loud beating of her {
heart, she looked down in bewildered
admiration upon the pure profile and d
closed eyelids Of very beautiful face. b
She could hear old Savanna moving t.
softly about in the next room with evil
dent precaution against disturbing the q
sleeper. With no thought for the crone's q
wrath against herself Jessica staid on. o
In her capacity as temporary head of t.
her fathers estate she owed it to herself il
to solve the nysterysof this woman's a
presence in the cabin OF one Of his n
slaves. This new view of the case made n
her less stealthy in her movements. She b
had duty to perform, and it gave her "
boldness. She had half mind to sum-
mon Savanna by call and demand an al
explanation. 1t was rendered unneces- to
lary. il
The sleeper awoke while Jessica was 70
till bending over her. With startled
,asp she lifted herself on one elbow and fiji
eturned the girls close scrutiny with fu
interest. p1
"Who are your Jessica asked with is
mpulsive directness.
In voice of inexpressible sweetness in
he answer came slowly:
II am Ellen Basoom. th
"Ellen Bascom?" M
A low growl like that Of an infuriat- ha
animal about to spring upon its prey an
aused Jessica to turn her head. Sayan- of
q was standing in the doorway that tn
onnected the two rooms with eyes he
blaze. lu.