The Winslow mail., 1900-08-16
NHY STORY is that of life's sacrl-
wi fee in the name of the greatest

IN Ine small parlOr OIL Il IdUOuS water
ing place in the mountains of Virginia
1t was the season that turns the
leaves to red and gold and robes the
mountains in a deeper azure. We had
each told a personal experience, until
it was now Col. D'Arcy's turn.
''At the time my story begins" con-
tinued Col. Darcy, 81 had just re-
turned TO America after an absence OF
more than 25 years. l was complete
stranger. 1 had lost sight of every hui
man being l had ever known. But as
if coming by accident across familiar
picture in an old attic, recalled a man
i had known at college. He had then
: lived in Boston, but whether he was
dead or alive had not the slightest
idea. / sent telegram on the possl-
bility when L landed in New York, and
received the answer: Will be glad to
see you.' There was not another word,
but 1 went.
There was no one to meet me when
/ reached Boston. 1 felt little sur
prised and perhaps hurt, until [ re-
membered DIR. Rossiter would probably
have had some difficulty in recognizing g
me.
1.-THE cab set me down before large,
handsome brown stone house on Bea-
con street. Every shutter to the house
was closed.
Except for the strong hand clasp
DR.. Rossiter gave me l should have
thought myself unwelcome. Some
thing in his voice, however, went to my
heart, and 1 put my arm around him
as l would about woman. We walked
to the library in this way.
ITO my astonishment I found it
illuminated, as was the hall, with in
Vulnerable electric lights. 1t struck
me as curious and not pleasant, for
though it was the month of February,
it was only three o'clock in the after
noon and the sky outside was as clear
and blue as turquoise.
DIR. Rossiter-he had intended being
a doctor when l last saw him-made no
allusion to the light nor to his changed
appearance. / saw only too plainly that
he had suffered, and as only a strong
man can suffer-silently. His hair was
white as snow, and his hands trembled
as if he were three score years and ten.
We were the same age, and at that
time l had not a gray hair in my head.
Llewellyn Rossiter had been the hand
soonest, cleverest, richest man in col
lege.
He asked of my travels, and an
swered readily to all my questions
about the men we had known, but
never in the slightest way alluded to
himself. When later was shown to a
room, followed an old man up the
stairs, which were covered with soft
est velvet carpet. Flowers bloomed
everywhere, and electric lights dazzled
me from numerous chandeliers. 1t
seemed the preparation for a ball. 1t
was evidently not loss of money that
had wrought the Transformation in his
appearance
"The room was even more sumptuous
than anything 1 had seen.
paintings and statuary of the
rarest were everywhere, curios were in
richly inlaid cabinets, folds of crimson
velvet hung over the tightly closed
windows, mirrors reached from ceiling
to floor. and electric lights shone down
from n myriad of softly tinted globes.
The bed. cushions and easy chairs
alone made it habitable as a sleeping
room.
''When dinner was announced DIR.
Doee;tar lad mo into n bapdSOna roOpo
where a table sparkled with silver and
glass Flowers were in such profusion
that the perfume almost suffocated me.
The table was laid for three persons.
/ expected every moment some other
guest. or member of the family to ap-
pear, but dinner passed, no one came,
nor was any allusion made TO the va
cant seat.
1T was after midnight when went
to my room. A cold wind sighed about
the house like a lost spirit, and [ got
into a dressing gown and slippers, de-
termined to enjoy a cigar before turn
ing in for the night. / tried to shut
off the light. 1 tried again and again,
l looked behind ever piece of furniture,
every picture, | even examined the
floor, but ell to no use. 1t was impos-
sible to shut it off, and, believing it
some Yankee invention l could not un-
derstand. l was about to settle down
again when 1 remembered 1 had not
locked the door.
''This time my surprise was beyond
all reasoning. There was no key, nc
place for a key, nor fastening of any
sort!
''It was strange thought, ''if this
was a usual custom in such large town
as Boston. but there was nothing to do
but accept the uncanny situation, and
it would have been unreasonable to
have called my friend at that hour of
the night.
81 drew up an easy chair and
stretched out my feet to the tempting
blaze. 1 was quite unconscious of fall
ing to sleep, but l must have done so,
for when l opened my eyes | started in
bewilderment at the strange figure be-
fore me. rubbed my eyes, believing l
dreamed, but there in actual presence
stood the most weird embodiment a
wild imagination might picture. A
young woman was leaning toward me
with unnaturally large dark eyes fixed
on my face. There was not quiver of
the long curled lashes. did not doubt
for moment that it was insanity. l
suppressed scream, though L felt no
fear.
"She was dressed very oddly, in a