Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-12-01

~ NHtll OIi l. l4lA4iN 'AAN -
of the eyes is sometimes an Intrusion
between tae heart and its love
Here was philosophy, or something
better, from the lips of an old High
land seeress. For me. | felt ii so true
that the JOY of bearing her sag st
turned. by sudden metamorphosis,
into 'reak. | pretended to rise, and
said:
Then had better 20, nurse. Good
by"
She put out her one hand. with 5
smile that revealed her enjoyment OF
the poor humor, and said. while sht
held ME fast:
Nay, nay. my Duncan. A little OF
the scarce is sometimes dearer TO u:
than much of the better. | shall have
plenty of time 10 think of you when J
can't see you. my boy" And her phil
osophy melted away into tears, tina
filled her two blue eyes.
Il was only joking" said.
"Do you need to tell me that" she
rejoined, smiling. Il am not so ole
as TO be stupid yet. But ! want tf
hear your story. l am hungering Ii
hear it,"
But" ! whispered. u cannot speab
about 1t before any one else"
u will send Janet away. Janet. ]
want 70 talk 10 Mr.. Campbell alone
Very well. Margag,t." answered
Janet, and left the -Toolll.--------
viii she fistenT' | asked.
"She darps not" answered MarE aret
with a smile; she has a terrible idea
of my powers.
The twilight grew Deep II; the gloS
of the peat-iire became redder; the o'd
woman lay still as death. And | told
all the story of Lady Alice. My voice
sounded to myself as | spo;e, not ike
my own. but like its echo from thf
vault of some listening cave, or Ike
the voices one hears beside as 1ltep
is slowly creeping over the sense,
Margaret did not once interrupt me
When ! had finished she remained stu
silent, and ! began to fear ! I'd talked
her asleep:
nCan you help MP said.
II think can" he answered. WIN
you call JanetF'
cdieu ucI
MAKE me cup Of tea, Janet. vii
you have some tea with me. L uncanT'
Janet lighted little lamp. and the
tea was soon sci out. with "hoI r
scons" and butter But Margaret ate
nothing; she only drank her tea. lift
ing her cup with her one trembling
nand When the remains of our re.
past had been removed, she said:
Now, Janet, you can leave us; AMI
on no account come in:o the room til
Mr.. Campbell calls you. Take the
lamp with you"
Janet obeyed without a word of re-
ply. and we We're left once more alone.
lighted only by the dull gov of tha
fire. The night h4d ga red cloudy
and dark without reminding me OF
that night when she told me the story
of the two brothers. But this tim
storm disturbed the silence of the
night. AS soon as Janet was soL
Margaret said:
"Will you take the pillow from I'm
der my head. Duncan. my dear
! did So and sha lay in IN almost
horizontal position. With the living
hand she lifted the power - arm. an
drew II across hel ch"s.. outside rh,.
bedclothes. Then 'h. lIil the other
arm over it. and. looh!rg mp al Ia
, said:
Kiss me. my la rn: need strength
| for what | am 20 ng to do for youi
sake"
1 kissed her.
There nowr' shs said, Il am ready
, Good-by. Whatevec happens. do not
speak to me: and Let no one come near
me but yourself. l. will be wearIsome
for you, but 1t is for your sake, my
Duncan. And don't let the fire ont
Don't leave me-"
l assured her | would attend to all
she said. She closed her eyes. and lay
still. | went to the fire. and sat down
In a high-backed armchair. to wait
the event. There was plenty of fuel
in the corner | m lde up the fire and
then, leaning back. with my eyes fixed
on Ii, let my thol ghts roam at will.
Where was my old nurse now? What
was she seeing or encountering?
Would she meet our adversary :?
Would she be strong enough to foil
him? Was she dead for the time,
, although some bond rendered her re-
turn from the regions of the dead in
evftable? But she might never come
back, and then should have no tidIngs
OF the kind which | knew she had
gone to seek, and which l longed to
hear.
sat thus for a long time had
again replenished the fire-that is all
I know about the lapse Of tIme-when.
suddenly, kind of physical repug
nance and terror Sc ,zed me, and I sal
upright in my chair, with every fiber
Of my flesh protest ng against some
shall l call 1t prese ?-in its neigh
borhoOd. But my real self repelled
the invading cold, and took courage
for any contest that might be at hand.
Like Macbeth, only inhabited tremb,
ling: l did not treIable. | had with
drawn my gaze from the fire, and fixed
1t upon the little window, about two
feet square, at which the dark night
looked In. Why or when | had done
so l knew not.
w utl next TeAIt, L Teidle Only is
what seemed to happen. | do not al
together trust myself in the matter,
and think | was subjected to Il deld-
sion of some sort or other My feel
tngs Of horror grew as looked through
or rather at the window, till notwith
standing all my resolutions, and the
continued assurance that nothing could
make me turn my back on the cause
of the terror, l was yet SO far posses
sed by a feeling | could neither ac'
count for nor control, that | felt my
hair rise upon my head. as If instinct
with individual fear OF its own-the
only instance of the sort in my expert
ence. In such condition, the sen.
suous nerves are 30 easily operated
upon, either from within or from with
out, that all certainty ceases.
/ saw two fierce eyes looking in at
the window, huge, and wide apart.
Next, / saw the outline Of horses
head, in which the eyes were set; and
behind. the DINNER outline of mans
ia.m seated on the horse. The apparition
faded and reappeared just as If 1t re
treated, and rode again up close to the
window. Curiously enough, | did not
even fancy that heard any sound.
Tnstinctlvcly | felt for my sword, but
there was no sword there. And what
would it have availed me? Probably
| was i'm more need of a soothing
4 s.yl, tint A. | m