The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-24
THE ISLE or the WINDS. F"
I,y 8. Il. CROCKETT.
,.pyr,Oht 1909. bv s. r. Crockett
CHAPTER ".

Rad left me alone in the blue room Of the great
house II New Minis
lie took the candles with him. lest should set
the place on FIRE. But he pointed to pannier
n fcro,s set by the side Of the great andirons on
thu hcatthstone.
II YOU iced light put stick on the ERE. one and
pumutc, he said
rh,, ,,r the first time in his life he stopped and
fis%d me-.
.Thc Lord our God he a sun and shield to you
utlc man" he said. softly, a. II to himself, and
n won't out.
:. Was With strange quivcring II the flesh
ard creeping ~ the bones that laid rue down
flrc was no reason for II in the world but certain
Il Is that at the first glimpse had conceived the
strongest distastc Of that quiet room caparisoned
with blue. and with the same puff checked hunter
hunting the same wooden -antlcred stag all about
the walls
started to take of my clothes but before | had
cone far stopped. listened, and then hearing
nothing ran 10 the bed in fright, climbed up
,hr broad fight of stcps wide az a. the front ol a
mansion. oil in q creeping remor and, making
n dive for it. | hid me, head and all, deep in the
clothes and cuvctlcts
Here was almost smothercd before I dared
cautiously to put out my head. The great bed in
which lay was like a tent On either side. hut
much further or than I could reach with my
hands WIS A stragh, fall of blue hanging. lined
with silk of lighter hue, depending from the bar
ehrvc. which was solid as raftct Hooked as II
were down blue tunnel out upon the flicker Of
the Ere and the reflections " the dancing flames
on thr dull oak Of the doorway
And as lay there can mind a strange feeling
coming upon me, Perhaps /, grew out Of the
terrible things had seen that night; perhaps out
Of the iotlorn state If my mother and the fact that
never before had | slcp, away from her side. But
AZ lay there in the blue uncertain lemc of the
freight and listened to the thousand ticking
noises IN the wainscot, seemed to grow conscious
Of something thn, had happened in that same
chamber The whole story became clear TO me
yet can swear that had never heard IL from any
nurse or scrvant-ncr. indeed. 50 much as known
that there was blue room in the great house Of
New Minis
| thought saw young lady lying asleep
n that same bed in which couched She lay
on her side with her face turned. like mine. TO the
fireplace and away from the window.
For while that was all knew. " Then
through the multitude of the night noises / was
conscious that with long. steady push the win.
dow.sn rose. rose. rose. till from the darkness
without ma : head looked IN. Well did
know that this was fantasy Yet dared not
lruk OF turn my head to certify my self,
sun On my imagination) ] saw the window
tight stocking Of silk. and above that baggy
trunk hose thrown over tho sill into the room;
Then saw. or rather knew, that the man had
ducked his head under and was in the room.
Also was aware-how know not that this
was foreigner. an Italian, whom the young
lady had married but secretly for fear II her
father. And now this man desired To- be reNengcd
on her, because following her fathers will, she
had cast him of. could see the dreadful smile
with which he advanced upon the bed. lie did
not come the foot II the bed. but went and stoud
behind the araS toward the head then could
hear his hand twitchIng at the hangings and
the bed itself moved little, ! suppose with my
own trembling Ny tongue ciave to my mouth
roof desired TO cry out, but could not
Then-theGe came the twitchinR again The
hangings moved aside. The mans cruel face
looked in, his bold black eyes sparkling like those
Of ademon In his hand was siiletto with which
knew he meant to stab the young lady 10 the
heart | saw him raise his hand ill the point
of,he blade glttered beside his ear
And with cry awOkc as II seemed to me-
in time 10 see in the blue flicker Of the dying flame
stNk figure fit behind the tapestry To the left
~ the fireplace,
Ny heart was beating So loudly and a, the
sane time So thickly that It's motion seemed to
suhocale me The bedclothes pressed like
scalp stood bristng UP with terrible fear
Yet know that ! must have been dreaming
sssS Is'T were ali burned t6roueS in the middle
and fallen down upon a little glowing heap, the
entS still on the androns and the flames nicking
each other with curious pulsation like the green
steamers IN the northern sky.
S9llay along time quaking in my naked bed
he sweat pouring on me, yet cold in my bones,
esit hal ben COUGHING On doorstep all tn al
drear night "i December
mus, have doSed. yet IL was a troubled I'M
stable sleep with many startings and much I'M
eaSlnesS But over in the wastes OF the winter
morning, perhaps about three of the clock, " az
startled road awake by such a crying as hnd
never heard before, breaking the deep silence OF
the night
It was a cry 81 wild, 50 strange, and so loud
that iot q time my soul shook within me
could have sworn 1t came from the room mex
10 mine OF even from Immediately behind the
afras where ! had seen the dark figure vanish.
But yet nothing more succeeded and IL seemed
ASH might have heard the crying in my drea
For the echoes OF II fingered quivering in my
and with all my night gear damp and chill about
me as the iroSt and the outer blackness took hold
On me
There was no repetition Of the terrible shrek
Which had awakened me, But instead I grew
conscious OF hshied, snaIing, inhuman. cruel
as the grave; II seemed like the complaint OF a
demon from whom stronger hath snatched a
coveted prey
dsrel not rise. dared not lie still Ny
whole spirits were dashed with UNRELIABLE fear
Yet being but a boy, ! was more afraid of being
clone than OF anything else. l thought that
could only clasp hand | should be safe and
Soln' redgloom Of the dying FIRE, ] rose slipped
on my shoes and Jacket and listened crouch
lhSiy Dy the door. ] heard n moaning without,
which briefly and sobbingy stilled inrf Then
cane Whispering, atrainpling, and the sCufiiing
o. linen sheets untoldcd fresh from the napery
y, fist ! thought the noise was the work Of
spirits and my heart was dead within my breast
WIN tear. But presently heard one cough.
Ana by that knew that those who were without
iot humans ! grew bold on the instant and
feared them no more
ldssltcd 10 see them 70 speak with them Then
U9k II IN my head that a CLEAN came from be-
nm Tue dfras. Tho wa hanging indeed waved
~ y some one were shaking it, holding the edge
IN MEL hand, or perhaps more exactly as u wind
were blowing II about
-, el even then dared not move. for the ter.
lhlc cry, thc sound Of which had awakened me,
tans sun In my ears, And seemed to hear a.
" hal been several persons struggling together
,"hluselly, as II one strove 10 he through into my
room !" b" at me, and another, stronger and kind
HeL restrained him
Whereal, with the childish instinct Of hiding.
Supprd behind tho arras and prayed that they
might not find me
l., scarcely had been a moment behind the hang
TX "hrh ! saw u strange thing before me. AT
we very place where had seen the dark figure
nenl>l was an opening in the wainscot. A little
"Ekrl H"oT, long and narrow, stood half aiar,
Gnu nnn strong glow Of light streamed in from the
H. cpui now hear the voices plainly. and the
hhuinAh sound Of them gave me courage ] stole
me secret panel
l"nhcd into my grandfather ROOM and there
tltr trembling lad, little more than bairn.
~ ~" maj which might have blasted the reason
"hHfoWn man ~ behold
Il 4