The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-01-06

man. 1t is man. 1t is Death, maybe.
Ellie aroon!"
But now the great, gaunt, black dog
terrible in his seeing blindness he
was to me-began again his savage
snarling, his bristling, insensate fury.
He had ceased a moment while our
voices filled the room, and had sidled
a little way toward the place where
Aunt Elspeth saw Muireall. whining
low as he did so, and swishing his tail
furtively along the whitewashed flag
stones.
I know not what awful thing would
have happened. 1t seemed to me that
Death was coming to all Of US.
But at that moment we heard the
sound of a galloping horse. There
was a lull in the wind, and the rain
dashed no more like a streaming,
whistling whip. Even Rory crouched
silent, his nostrils quivering, his curled
snout showing his fangs.
Gorromait stood listening intently.
By the living God!" he exclaimed,
his eyes like goaded bulls, II know
that horse. Only one horse runs like
that at the gallop. IT'S the gray stall
lion I sold three months ago to the
man at Drumdoon-ay, ay, for the son
of the man at Drumdoon! A horse
to ride for the shooting-a good horse
for the hills-that was what he want
ed! Ay, ay, by God, horse for the
son of the man at Drumdoon! It's the
gray stallion; no other horse in the
Straths runs like that-d'ye hear? dye
hear? Elspeth, woman, is there hear
ing upon you for that? Hey, tlot-a-
tlot, tlot-a-tlot, Observation-Disclosures,
tlot-a-tlot tlot-tlot-tlot! 1 tell you,
woman, it's the gray stallion I sold to
Drumdoon; it's that and no other! Ay,
by the Sorrows, it's Drumdoon's son
that will be riding there!"
By this time the horse was close by.
We heard his hoofs clang above the
flagstones round the we'll at the side
of the house. Then there was a noise
as of scattered stones, and a long
scraping sound: then silence.
Gorromalt turned ana put his hand
to the door. There was murder in his
eyes, for all the smile, grim, terrible
smile, that had come to his lips.
Aunt Elspeth rose and ran to him,
holding him back. The door shook.
Rory the hound tore at the splinters at
the base of the door, his fell again
bristling, his snarling savagery horri-
Bile to hear. The pine logs had fallen
| into a smouldering ash. The room
was full of gloom, though the red, sui
len eye of the peat-glow stared through
| the semi-darkness.
Don't be opening the door! Don't
be opening the door!" she cried, in a
thin, screaming voice.
What for no, woman! Let me go!
Out O. the way, Rory-get back! Down
WI ye!''
mo, no, Archibald! Wait! Waltz"
Then strange thing happened.
Rory ceased, sullenly listened, and
then retreated, but no longer snarling
and bristling.
Gorromat suddenly staggered.
'Who touched me just now?" he
asked, in hoarse whisper.
No one answered.
"Who touched me just now? Who
passed? Who slid past me?" His
voice rose almost to a scream.
Then, shaking off his wife, he swung
the door open.
There was no one there. Outside
could be heard strange shifting and
whinnying. It was the gray stallion.
Gorromalt strobe across the thresh-
old I had time only to prevent Aunt
Elspeth from falling against the Intel
in a corner but in moments interval
saw that the stallion was riderless.
Archibald" walled his wife family,
out Of her weakness. Archibald, come
back! Come backl"