Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-04-13

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broke down ut tho last with emotion
and anxiety
| saw that for some unknown reason
he was too powerfully affected by the
uci-hhorhuod OF tine curious old dwell
ing to serve me as aid in unravelling its
mysteries / thought it better. there
fore 10 throw him wholly off the scent.
for. as he was not available as coad-
tutor. he might be Obstructive, if su-
spicious
"Oh. | do not knew that anything IS
really wrong there | replied. Il dare
say things are in very good condition.
| was only speculating about it, and
as have Il womau'S curiosity. Frank
lin, / thought ! wuCld ask you 10 let
me 90 over the hoUse some tIme W.'h
you. If you were il the habit of visit
ing il occasionally
He gave an unaffected shudder.
Il would as soon go into 4 house
where | had committed murder" he
remarked gloomily.
But perhaps Ms. Maybcrry would
take me down there some time does
Mt she ever go down to air it,
Ihe kousekeeper herself answered
me She had come out from! behind ,
screen that hid the pantry and ady:lnc-
ed softly as she spoke
Mrs. Mayberry has too much con-
si.;eration for your nerves, my dear
young lady" she said in her harsh,
| unpleasant tones. which no effort on
her part could render plant or agree
able. 10 subject You to the Influence
of that drcary dwelling, no one enters
it, even to care for it-no one" she re-
peated emphatically.
"And vet" | said. in Il lowered tone
for Franklin. probably glad to shift
upon other shoulders the rurden Of
theme he shrank from discussing. had
moved away and was buSyiIg himself
about the table, and ! did rot wish
him to catch my words-"as | c;iiaa up
the avenue this evening | am sure |
saw the glimmer of Il light in the
house"
If she was III any way concerned In
the mystery she was too wary t. be
caught mapping. Her air of mingled
surprise and incredulity was inillita-
BILE and if she was acting a part |
thought she possessed a rare gilt of
assembling.
'tOh. that could not ber' she said;
unless indeed. the Stone House is be-
coming haunted
| laughed. and went back to Madam.
wondering as | went if she perhaps
thought to arouse in me superStilious
fears. thinking that if she succeeded
/ should of my own accord give up
protracted wanderings which would
oblige me to pass the dismal dwelling
after nightfall.
Two weeks passed without further
| event, and | was about concluding
that had really imagined the singular
incidents which had aroused my SUI
spicion when they received fresh con
firmation
| had been reading one evening 10
| Madam, and later she had fallen into
a somewhat confidential mood with
me, and had dwclt at some len%tl! upon
the character of her son. whose advent
we ATere now expecting from day to
day. She spoke Of him III filttering
terms, yet in sort of strange and dis
tant way, that appeared to me unlike
| the usual attitude of mother to son.
Mingled with the strong admiration
of her regard for him there was kind
of yelled respect such as we accord our
superiors but which we rarely testify
| towards our equals. 1t eYinced an
aloofness IL intimate sympathy. ]
| thought and it created in me Il feeling
of awe of the man who had inspired
such sentiments in one so dear as 4
mother.
Dorothy" she said, you will soon
see one of the noblest men that | have
ever known. He is rot handsome, my
son Darracott, anG you will not per
| haps be able to discover in him the out
ward semblance OF "a hep0. But learn
| to know him well. see him tested by
experience. and yon will feel, as | do,
that the world seldom produces men
Of such type as his"
land ye. you do not love him." | felt
! like saying, though, Of course, | gave
no such license to my speech.
When | returned TO my own rooms
| for the night, | put on a loose wrapper,
and as was my custom, seated myself
| beside my comfortable fire for an
hours reading before going to bed.
But my thoughts refused to centre
| themselves upon my book. | felt it
borne in upon ne that | was living
a romance amid an environment OF
| strange shadow and mystery. | could
spare no thought for the consideration
| of fictitious narrative.
Who was this man who was so soon
| to invade the seclusion f our lives here
| in this old mansion? | knew his name
and his relationship to my mistress.
but who was he? OF what character
lstics was he composed? What was his
nature; what were his habits; what his
! likes and dislikes his tastes. sympa-
thies. prejudices? Would his presence
| in the house constrain me? Would my
society be unwelcome to him? What
could be the cause of the incompatible
| ity between him and Madam? These
and kindred reflections We're occupying
my mind when timid knock at my
| land.
Come in" l called The handle
turned, and Mrs Mayberry appeared
upon the threshold 1 urged her to
| enter, and she did o, carefully closing
the door behind J ar. Her face was
even whittier than u. lal, and could see
| that there was an intense tremulous-
| ness in all her mus les, which she only
| commanded by i'm ense effort.
Il am sorry to disturb YOU, Miss
Lothrop,' she said. md l observed that
! she was glad TO st ady herself by the
support of the ba. of a chair, but
| have no one else go 10, as | never
| trouble Madam witt domestic matters.
| One of the maids h; burst a blood-ves-
| sci, and | do not know what remedies
| TO apply | have had no experience in
similar cases, and thought you might
| be able to offer me some suggestion"
/ rose at once from my chair At
| first it did not occur to me that the
| woman was not speaking the literal
truth | had h, rror of blood my
self, and thought h unusual agitation
was due to a like ointment My first
thought was to go % the sufferer.
Has the hemorchage stopped" l
asked.
a rat,lia1
Il will go to her at once, said. MY
father died of nsumption; | am per
fectly informed regarding the proper
remedies. Come
] spoke somewhat perenptorily, rs
one having futhori'y; but she made no
motion of compliance Indeed. she
stretched out her hand as II to detain
me.
NO" she responded tell me what
to do. The girl is Of a strange dispo-
sition; she has begged me to allow no
one to come near her"
THAT is nonsense" / returned I'M
patiently. "Of course, she must have
proper medical attention at once. All
l can do is to suggest temporary relief.
You must wake Holmes (the gardener)
and despatch him for DR.. Spencer"
"Dr. Spencer There was a wild
ness In the ejaculation that first awoke
NV doubts of her story. She gave
a hoarse hysterical little laugh that
struck painfully on the ear; it suggest,
ed a pathetically oyerwrought con-
dition.
..Yes DIR. Spencer" / repeated. 81