Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-11-29
THE FARM IN THE HILLS.
A TALE OF M MYSl'EH Il.
Bv FLORENCE WARDEN.

was blue in parts; the sun threw
shame on the blazing fire. Mason
could not open the front door for the
snow with which 1t was blocked, but
he looked out Of one Of the latticed
windows and saw a sight grand
enough to be worth his journey.
On the tableland where the farm.
house and the ruins Of the old monas-
terry stood the snow, covering rough
fragments Of masonry, lay crisp and
sparkling In hundred fantastic
mounds. Beyond, seen between soil
tary ruined pillar on the one side and
the walls of the old church on the 9TH
er, was the valley below. with it's dark
line Of rivulet winding through the
cold white mass and the mountains on
the other side, where steep gray slabs
and slender dark peaks relieved the
veil Of snow.
The whole Of the wild and pictur-
esque, If somewhat confined, land
scape, lay bathed In such a strong
stream of flashing sunlight that 1t
seemed to lift a great weight off the
mind even to look at 1t; gloomy
thoughts and black suspicious lost
their keenness, their force, In the
physical Joy Of existence. and Mas
son was conscious that the sun
shine and the brightness of the
scene were at the bottom Of 1t when he
made up his mind not to be frightened
away by facts or by fears. but to stay
on at the farmhouse till his patient
was herself again. in the first place,
and until he could meet with Coch Tai
In the second.
AS for the girls warning to him. he
told himself now that there was prob
ably more Of an invalid's fancy than
of sober, solid truth in her fears on
his account. Certainly there were
mysterious elements In the house.
hold. There were suspicious circum-
stances to be accounted for In his own
experience as we'll as his brothers
fate.
But the more he considered the mat
ter the more firmly he set his teeth
and told himself that he would not be
scared away until he had found out, If
not enough to hang somebody for the
crime Of which he believed his broth
er to have been the victim. at any rate
sufficient to set the police on the track
Of the murderer.
In the meantime he could safely
trust to the farmers interest In his
daughters welfare to protect him
from the dangers which might pos
sibly menace him under the farmhouse
roof.
BY the time lie had finished break
fast the first impression given by the
warmth and the sunlight had given
place to q sense Of drowsiness. cloud
ing Of the faculties which reminded
him that he had had no rest worthy
of the name for 26 hours and that he
was In such condition as made 1t I'm
perative that he should get some re-
pose as speedily as he could.
He went up stairs. therefore, still
without meeting anybody. peeped In at
the door Of the sickroom. where the
witch was sitting in her corner and
where the patient was still lying In
peaceful sleep. and then locked him
SELF into the farmers bedroom, threw
himself on the bed and sank at once
into deep slumber.
When he awoke, 1t was dark and
cold. and the wind had begun to roar
again.
And some one was trying the handle
Of the door.
He sprang off the bed and turned the
key quickly in the lock.
1t was too dark to see any one, but
he heard heavy footsteps going rapidly
down the stairs. and he followed in hot
pursuit. AS soon as they reached the
bottom Of the stairs the foremost fig
ure darted across the tiled floor to
door at the back. which he opened and
then slammed again in Masson's face
when he had passed out.
"Coch Talw shouted Mason, recog-
nizing the figure by It's enormous
height the moment that q ray Of the
weak daylight enabled him to see any
thing at all.
And he opened the door and passed
out in his turn.
Coch Tai was still in sight, leaping
over the obstacles on the rough ground
as nimbly as he had done the day be-
fore during that long chase among the
mountains.
He turned sharply to the left behind
the west wall Of the ruined church
and. traversing at full speed another
open space beyond. ran up rough lad
der which was placed against the
north wall of what had once been the
hospitium and disappeared into what
was now a loft over the cowhouse.
Without Il moments hesitation Mas
son ran up the ladder In pursuit, burst
open the door Of the loft and found
himself face to face at last with Coch
Tai
There was enough light left for him
to see the peasants face as he stood
just inside the doorway. 1t was flush
ell. lowering. desperate. The moment
he saw that his pursuer had set foot
in the loft he passed him quickly, un-
fastened the ladder and flung it out up
on the ground.
Then he folded his arms and stood
towering over the other man in an atti'
tude Of sullen defiance.
And Mason saw that in one hand
he held the open clasp knife with which
he had cut the cords which held the
ladder In its place.