New-York tribune., 1901-04-28
SCARNlNG HOUSE.
From Macmiilan's Magazine.

walking came a healthy upland "here husC
and broken clouds. rejecting hueS OF copper
from the setting sun hove above dusky bar
rier of forest. In front the bleak roau ron
the shoulder of the HILL to the left tributary
road led alluringy into the wooded Valey. .H iHe
traveller had no purpose in hand save 10 sratlIS
the impulse of the moment, and ne TOOK the SIue
road Dr. Jacomb had completed MS tiiiie as
house surgeon and a lonely walking tour was
his notion of a holiday. OF a sturdy puilu' TI'h
a bold projection of nose and chin, ms rudGy'
clean shaven countenance looked AT YOU Wiz
a shv solemnity. You would judge MN, at the
first glance, to be a trustworthy coctor' as HS
But regarding nm IN PRONE, Suu t
remark a certain faint suggestion OF the sheeP'
and a further knowledge of the young man
would confirm the impression OF sentimental
strain in him You would discover that he was
addicted to the making of verse, innocuousy
maudn habit which he would aVO" WIN d
kind of humorous self-pity.
whose solemn deeps the sun. like an angry star
fitted from bOIe to bOe, TRANSPORTING the gloom
with red lances then turning corner the way
/ led over a bridge, whose single arch spdilheu
little. brawling river Children We're hShIii7
from the parapet; a street of white matched cot
tages crOuched at the feet Of the woods; a tan
sign in front of a low browed inn Proclaimed the
Scanning Arms from whose thick chimney a
sniral of smoke rose into the still twilight IL
was perhaps due To his jaded condition that
the doctor had the curious sensation 1anni&r L.
many persons. of having beheld the same 50 n
before at some unremembered time. The i'm
preston deepened he entered the inn paTI"r-
The diamond paned easement that opened upon
the talking water, the p"'S oI uluSN upon '"e
sill the shining mahogany furniture, the brass
candlesticks upon the high manteIplece. h dI'n-
" recognized them all Jacomb was scare con-
sciuus of the remembrance ere il had passed
The appearance of this remote village pleased
him like a picture and he had mind 10 stay
| there for n while. As he fell aSleeu, Tapped IN
down. he heard the owls calling one to another
| out OF the woods. like lost souls
WreathS Of mist. like Carded wool. stu! chung
about the valley when the doctor aW0ke next
morning: hut above the mOundei forest flight
of birC.s wheeled and scattered upon a sky ot
clear gold. and the voice Of the river rose Ike q
song in the stiffness Jacomb stole from TIE
house and along the sleeping street. foliowih-
the river until ne came u q walled lnclpSuIt-
/ where Il pair Of great iron gates stood open b
tween piers of lichened brick. The scrolled iron
work was crumbIing away. and the stone balls
atop of the piers We're hooded with moss None
were abroad early and the doctor ventured
up the trim drive, winding between hedges OF
clipped yew, that led him To paved fOreCourt,
the entrance quadrangle on an "id red nous: Il
collie. sleeping the stones at his football,
and, after doubtfully surveying the intruder,
Sidled toward him with an air OF propltIatluH
There latent fear in the creatures eyes, =
fear (the doctor thOuEhD that GweIt there
JaComb stood with the creature pressing against
his leg. looking curiouSly about him He
marked that while the entrance front Of the
place with its projecting porch tcarved in ar
mortal bearinsSl and stone mulhOned windows,
was III good condition, the left wing was falling
into ruin. Ivy dropped across the windows and
SmOthered the ChimneyS; the battlementS were
/ broken; the cutters saSged and the cracNed
brickwork was all blotched and weather stained.
Beyond. the serried ranks of a pine wood
marched upon the neglected garden
The doctor went back II the ScarninS Arms
with the picture Of the old mansion. lying still
in the deep morning shadow. vivid in his mind.
He learned from the innkeeper that Scanning
House was seldom inhabited. save by its house
keeper. Miss Pie-TepOint. who. ii appeared.
the last and only representative of the Pierre
points of Scanning. came sometimes stay
there. The doctor began to discover interest
in Scanning House. He presented his card to
the houSekeeper. dim creature in red shawl.
who took him from the galleried hall through
room after room, Cak panelled. with time
worn furniture and hung with solemn family
portraits. The doctor carried a confused
impression that all the PierreDointS We're alike.
Sir Anthony in dark1ing armor, Sir John in silk
and lace Lady Elizabeth (painted by LeIy in
languid negligence. Sir John and Sir Anthony
in long waiStCoats and perukeS, and their high
wasted daughters, and the later lords Of th..
manor out shooting i'll Il dreary landscape at
tired in frockCoat and tall hat-a certain indie
finabe suggestion of aspect was common to
for generation and there in the next, il would
leap To the eye
Jacomb remarked that ne had not seen the
eastern wing.
'Tis all covered in dirt and dust" said the
woman but you walk through if you
wish She led him To Il little room openin.
from the hall. from which second door opened
INTO the diSuSed wing. The room hung
with stamped leather gilt and glimmc-ing
there were cushions ON the broad window seat
a thick carpet covered the floor; Il bookcase. fit
ted with new looking books. stood in a recess
and two deep armchairS were drawn To- the tiIei
fireplace
Miss PierrcpOint. she uses this room a good
deal when she's at home" said the hOusekeeper
She opened the door which led into a bare echo
al M h.a a I.F I. Tr.