Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-12-22
CHAPTER XIV.
TuF HIDDEN PIT

brother. UT u tHhl loh l'dlu' ui'
ut will be- painful for you to hear
am afraii."
"No. no. said she quickly. Il don't
care II II Is painful II you do not mind.
| want to hear about something in'
tcr,sting. very interesting, 50 that !
can forget-Other things"
And again Spasm Of pain aud dis.
trcss crossed her face.
Although the doctor would rather
have left the girl to quiet rcpose. he
thought It better to obey her than 90
let her remain a prey to the distressing
/ thoughts which were evidently dis
/ turhing her mind. He snt down there
fore In chair ut little distance from
Ter. from which he could see the snow
falling outside and watch her face at
the same time. aud he talked to her
/ In quiet voice telling her such ancc-
/ dotes of his own boyhOod and his
! brothers nS he thought might interest
and divert her aud marvelinE the while
at the strange series OF adventures
which had brought him to this sIngu'
lar situation.
The girl listened until his voice aud
the soft grooming OF the rising wind
sent her to sleep.
Then Mason rose from his seat and
went quietly out Of the room aud down
the stairs In the kitchen he found tie
old woman. who vouChSafrd no Saluta.
ton In answer to his. but went on
with her work OF sCrubhing down the
table with the mechanical ease given
by long practice.
lie wondered whether he was in the
way, but was unable 10 make the suS
gcstion. Not even looN or u smile
did she accord him. but went on with
her occupation as II he had been part
of the furniture,
When she had finished the scruhhing
OF the table. she took up her pail and
retrcatcd into the washhouse ut the
back without the least acknOwledE.
ment " Masson's courtesy IN opening
the door for her The doctor lowered
between the belief that she was half
witted and the fancy that she was the
inCaruate spirit Of evil
Left thus to himself, without even n
book to occupy his time, for the whole
library OF the household. marshaled on
the top of n cupboard in a corner, con.
sisted of n Bible In Welsh. an old II.
Illustrated family Bible with the Apo
crypha. II Moody and Saukcy hymn.
book, two more hymnboohs. the PHI.
grim's Progress" BaXtcr's Saints
Everlasting Rest" and an odd volume
OF somebody's sermons. Mason. who
became more uneasy and anxious
TO get AWAY with each succeeding hour,
tried the front door. but without sue.
; cess. He managed to open il indeed
bur. finding himself brought face to
face with wall OF snow which BIZ
could not even look over, he had tC
close It again Immediately.
One Of the windows was completely
blocked up. and the other was only
partially clear, He went into the big
bare clubhouse Mt the side. where b,
heard the footsteps OF some one NOV
Ing about. II proved to be Tom, who
started forward with n scared face OF
being disturbed.
lttltDs edIb NlusSOut HOINIHk Nlt
door open as he looked IL, for the place
was lighted only by a skylIght whicl
was now blocked with the snow. "NoN
look AS II startled you. Can yol
give me spade and let me help You
I'm dying FOR something to do"
Instead Of answering the rough Ia,
passed his right band across his brow
aud Mason saw, with s%prisr, that h,
was shaking Ike leaf, while III
sweat stood out In gl!stcning beads oil
his face.
why" pursued the doctor, "yO'
look warm declare. It's & sensation
should he very glad or | can tel
YOU! Let ne have your spade and Tel
NE what to do. can handle one, ms
sure you"
, but the lad drew back, trenholm
:, and shaking his head.
mo. no. said he hoars"ly, stcppin
=, back quickly and waving the othc
~, away with his spade. mo, no! IT.
, not work for YOU. mister. Get 20
J. back ID there md shut the door &c
you back. say"
He seemed 10 be terror stricken. uT
; able TO so on with his work. MnssOI
curious and anxious to have some cor
versatiOD with this, the only membe
of the household with whom be ba
- hardly come in contact, put brio
u against the kitchen door 10 keep
open and advanced across the roug
floor Of the clubhouse.
O. WbcreupOn Tom, without moment
e delay. flung down his spade, gave eac
Of his shoes @ sharp kick against III
H. wall, ran across the floor past Mat
J. SOD and, traverSing the kitchen wit
u rapid steps. disappeared into the wast
u house, banging the door behind him.
There was not much light in the on
: house. and Mason stumbled as b
'c made bis way across the rough, il
~ numbered ground. BY the time III
lad bad begun to run Mason bad a
% but reached him and bad TO step asid
" in order that the spade should not ia
~ on his toes
S' IN doing so he stepped upon a loos
'e board, which shifted under his fe,
g. and caused him To stumble and tal
=, His right hand slipped between II
" board which had moved aud Que whic
=. lay alongside
=, He rcGaIned his feet quickly. with
y. shuddcr and shout. for his ban
-, had gTaspcd nothing but empty air.
~ IS s0Ou as be recovered bis fuotiu
he stopped down and found that Il
boards upon which he had stepped ha
been laid across a hole in the doc
-. about tour feet across, the mouth.
w he supposed, OF u we'll But II WAS Il
~. dark for very close investigation.
-" Ivy the side of this covered no
h." there was Il little mound Of some viii
~ substance, chalk or lime, Us he su