The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-07-09
The HOUSE
OF Lirldearl.


fixed on the brands that flared up and
then sank in red embers, lighting In
flashes the strong. worn features. and
making her shadow dance fantastic
dance on the floor and walls. Her
thoughts were back In the past, follow
ing the downward path OF two genera
lions Of the Stockholders. Forty years
age! How far away seemed those days
when hope and love dwelt for brief
season IN Lindcan Tower! How fond
was the old lord, then a man in his
prime, OF the beautiful lady whom he
had brought to be the mistress Of Lin
| dear; how proud Of the bright-eyed boy
who by and b. came 10 carry on his
ancient line! But there came strife,
and after It sorrow, and at length
shame. The unfalthful wife was dead
long ago. For thirty years and. more
her namelhad never been uttered with
IN these walIs. The spirit of the late
/ lord had passed In the storm that
wasted the wood Of Lindean. Nobody
mourned him-unless II were Barbara
| herself. He grew harder and darker OF
mood with age and bro0ding on his
wrongs He never came near Ilndean,
except in his black fits. Then he would
drink deep, and the place would became
Ike hell In those old days Barbara
too, had had her romance. That, like
ali else. had turned to gall For mo-
ment the memory Of It slrged up out Of
the hurled past In all Its bitterness. Yet
worse by far than 4 dead grief Is liv-
Ing sorrow, On the master OF Lindean,
the last scion OF his race, She had be-
slowed the treasure of her old heart.
Others might blame him; to her he was
always the gallant Maynard Ind whom
she had sculded and pettet long ago.
For her he had always the kind word
and bright look. But he had fallen far;
he had followed dark and devious WaYs.
He had made haste to;sluander his pat
rimony. and was bankEkupt already in
purse and reputation. OF ali that be-
ionged to him there remained only the
desolate mansion and the barren acres
around H. Word had come that he was
on his way home to the only shelter left
to the heir OF Lindean.
At any hour the wanderer might APP
pear. The old care-taker looked up.
again TO listen. Was 1t fancy, or did
she see the tongue Of the great bell,
from the deserted banquet room sway
| ing nolselessly to and fro? Her eyes
must be growing dazed with ale. Aye,
Time was the conuueror Of all things:
1t had dragged down the strong stemof
IIlndean well nigh 70 the dust. Once
youth and mirth and movement had fill.
/, ed the house from kitchen to battle
,nent. Now its life had burned down 70
one tiny and expiring spark. Death Is
sIeu.h hound that tracks down the
| great and small alike. Youthful limbs
| may for n time outrun him; but STUN
bic, and his fangs are in your throat.
With old age he draws nearer and
nearer; there IS no escaping him, Bar
ba:a glanced fearfully round, as Il she
heard his breathing behind her-as II
the grislg presence might be crouching
for the spring in the shadow OF the Old
dresser
God have mercy! the bell pealed out
] fmperiously, impatiently, as the old lord
was wont to ring It when his summons
was not answered on the instant. Bar
bara started upright her hair stirring
] and her flesh creeping from rear,
hundred strange thoughts race through
| her brain. Could Il be the dead father
| who needed help? Stlll, the bell clang-
ed loudly. For Barbara there was only
one thing to be done. The house was IN
her care. The last servltor OF the Black
adders must not fail. She must answer
the call.
With shaking fingers the brave old
woman lighted the candle and retraced
| the dark passages. In the hall she took
down from lis nail Vivian Blackadders
sword and approached the closed door
4 of the dining room. From behind It
| came q noise IKE the soft rustllnG OF
skirts agnirst 1.-THE floor and walls; then
| strange inarticulate cry of anger or
of terror. Barbara hesltated for mo-
ment, then turned the handle and push
ed open the door She stood on the
Threshold with the light held in one
4 hnnd In front of her and the sword
| grasped In the other The room was IN
J darkness, but across the narrow space
| Illuminated from the door there floated
nolselessly vague black object on q
level with her eyes. She stepped back
n pace and remained spellbound. Again
the snapeless thing came and dlsap-
peared. A third time It returned from
It's circuit; but now It came swiftly5to
ward her, disclosing horrible White
lace in which were two round and liam
Ing eyes that seemed to scintillote yell
low sparks. The light was blown out,
and barbara. Rankin, still holding the
blade pointed at the intruder, fell With
f 4 Gt'sA III '"' ''0ns ''' :, Z
Long nfter. she came TO hersell she
was cold and stifl, and she crept to her
bed, where she lay trembling and won
dering until dawn. Morning brings light
and comfort. II brought the explanation
OF the mystery Of the night. An owl
had found lis way down the open chin
ney into the dining room. The, spoty
Irapress OF It's wings and tulons was
traced all over the whitewashed ceiling
and corniees, and one could SEQ where
the terrified bird had chung desperately
10 the exposed bell wires,
II might be the harbinger OF another
night Wanderer Barbara stepped forth
into the morning air, and making her
way to the spot whore the Lindeun burn
breaks from under the cover of the
wood, stood shading her eyes with her
wrlnkled hand and gazing into the
plain. Under the ragged canopy Of the
leaves bruodcd pale amber-colored
light. Not breath OF air was stirring;
vet the russell and yellow leaves lost
their hold and flOated down to earth In
O perpetual gentle shower. The first
snow OF winter had fallen. 1t lay In the
ilollows OF the wood In long swathes,
like winding Sheets which the descend
!EE leaves had spotted as with blood!
The scarlet hIpbesries cleaned from
the naked thorns above n tangled ta-
pestrV OF hracken and bramblc. With
the stream hoated frait and painted ar
goRies aud below the surface the water
was full Of s0dien and rotten leaves, all
Oh downward voyage. Nature was VS.