Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-06-16
TO KEEP UNTIL DEATH,

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Allison Gray leaned over the garden
gate and listened to the moaning oil
the sea on the other side of the hill.
1t was a gray December afternoon,
one of those misty days when there
are no dehnable limits to earth and
yea, and sky, and everything we sec
appears shadowy and unreal.
Alison had lived all her life in the
remote little Cornish village, OF which
her father was rector, and except for
an occasional visit to some cousins
who lived near London, she had never
been beyond her own quiet birth
place, where nothing ever happened,
and nothing ever changed, except the
seasons, as year after year, drifted
BY
Alison's mother was dead, and her
father was too shy and retiring to
make many friends, so with the ex-
ception of the people in the village
Ind few farmers she knew scarcely
any one.
They were, moreover, unfortunate
in their Squire, whose house, Penar-
thur, was the nearest to the rectory.
Ashton Tregassick was seldom at
home, and rumor dealt i'll with his
name. Sometimes he would bring a
party of friends to Penarthur, but
they never came TO church, nor were
they visited by the county, although,
to judge from the gossip of the vii
layers, there was no lack of wild mer-
riment on the part of host and guests.
Indeed, it was said that sometimes
the scenes of Penarthur were beyond
all description when Squire Tregas-
sick was at home.
Alison felt strangely restless that
afternoon, and presently she opened
the gate and went out. From the rec
tory a lane led up long, steep hill,
then along fiat stretch of road for
about a quarter of a mile till one
came to the rush-grown, wild-swept,
sandy dunes, beyond which lay the
sea.
just as Alison reached the top Of
the hill she heard the sound Of a
horses hoofs beating the road before
her, and the next instant huge,
gray, riderless horse dashed toward
her at terrific pace. On seeing her
he swerved violently and leaped the
hedge on the side opposite to her. A
tremendous crash followed, and then
perfect silence.
Alison climbed up and looked over.
There was ditch on the other side,
protected by railing, and the horse
had caught his fore feet in this and
turned over, breaking his neck in the
fall. Alison looked at him as he Law
below her, a huge, inert mass, his
great tanks streaked with blood, and
his neck and breast covered with
foam. She reflected that he had
probably thrown his rider, who might
be seriously injured, and she resolved
to walk on a little farther and try to
find him.
There was nothing on the road,
however, so she ran across the sand
hills, tracking the horse by the marks
of his hoofs and looking anxiously
into every hollow, but she could see
Finally she reached the
shore, The tide was out, and far as
The eye could see was a long stretch
Of sand over which came sweeping O
lamp, sat mist.
Alison looked to the right and the
left, but could distinguish nothing.
STAY What was that black speck in
the distance, close to the edge of the .
sea? She hurried toward it, strain
ng her eyes to see what it was. Pres
emily she slackened her pace to get
Ter breath The object never moved. |
Gould 1T be the figure of a man? A
lew steps more ard she felt certain
hat this was so.
She ran on again faster than ever,
md finally saw before her the pros
rate figure Of Ashton Tregassick,
whom she knew by sight, having Of
EN- seen him riding through the vii
age.
Alison knelt down beside him, and
or the moment thought he was dead,
'ut as she laid her finger on his wrist
he felt his pulse beat, though family,
md at long intervals. She unfasten-
d his collar and felt in his pockets
or spirit-fask. She found one, but
was empty.
Then she rose to her feet, and as
he turned toward III sea she saw to
er unspeakable horror that the tide