The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-05
Nfaclnillan,s Magazine.

the hill to the left a tributary road led
alluringly into the wooded valley. The
traveller had no purpose in hand save to
crafty the impulse of the moment, and
he took the side road. DR. Jacomb had
completed his time as house surgeon,
and a lonely walking tour was his notion
of holiday OF a sturdy build, with a
bald projection of nose and chin, mis-
rudy, clean ShaVen countenance looked
al you wifi a shy solemnity. You would
Judge him, at the first glance, to be a
trustworthy doctor, as he was. But, re-
Eardmg him in profile, you would remark
a certain faint sugge stion Of the Sheep
and 4 further knowledge of the young
man would confirm the impression of a.
sentimental strain in him. You would
discover that he was addicted to the
making of verse, innocuously maudlin, a
habit which he would avow with kind
of humorous self-pity.
The road ran through a wood of pines
in whose solemn deeps the sun, like an
angry star fitted from bole to bole
transporting the gloom with red lances;
then turning q corner. the way led over
a bridge, whose single arch spanned a
little brawling river. Children were fish
ing from ire parapet; street Of white
matched cottages croucheG at the feet
of the WoOds;a tall sign in front of low
broWed inn proclaimed the Scanning
Arms from whose thick chimney a spiral
OF smoke rose into the still twilight. 1t
was perhaps due to his jaded condition
that the doctor had tie curious seusa-
ton. familiar to many persons, of having
beheld the same scene before, at some
aforementioned time. The impression
deepened as he entered the inn parlOr.
The diamond-paned easement that opened
upon the talking water, the pots Of musk
upon the sill. tho shining mahogany
furniture, the brass candlesticks upon the
i-yaA
them all. Jacomb was scarce conscious
OF the remembrance ere it had passed.
The appearance of this remote village
pleased him like a picture and he had a
mind to stay there for a while. AS he
fell asleep. Tapped in down, he heard the
owls calling one to another out OF the
woods like lost souls.
Wreaths of mist, like carded wool, still
chung about the valley when the doctor
awoke next morning; but above the
mounded forest a flight of birds wheeled
and scattered upon a sky of clear gold,
and the voice Of the river rose like
song in the stiffness. Jacomb stole from
the house and along the sleeping street,
following the river until he came to
walled inclosure, where a pair of great
iron gates stood open between piers of
ichened brick. The scrOlled ironWork
was crumbling away, and the stone balls
atop Of the piers were hooded with moss.
None was abroad so early; and the doc
tor ventured up the trim drive, winding
between hedges of clipped yew, that led
him to a paved forecourt, the entrance
quadrangle of an old red house. A collie
sleeping on the stones, rose at his foot
fall, and after doubtfully surveying the
intruder, sidled toward him with an air
of Precipitation. There was a latent fear
in the creatures eyes, fear (the doctor
thought that dwelt there. Jacomb stood
V1rffh N1,A ~
leg, looking curlously about him. He re-
marked that while the entrance front of
the place, with its projecting porch (carv-
ed In armorial bearings) and stone null
lioned windows, was in good condition,
the left wing was falling into ruin. Ivy
dropped across the windows and smoth-
cred the chimneys; the battlements were
brokeni the cutters sagged, and the
cracked bFiokwork was all blotched and
weather stained. Beyond, the serried
ranks of pine wood marched upon the
neglected garden.
The doctor went back to the Scanning
Arms with the picture Of the old man
sion, lying so still in the deep morning
shadow, vivid in his mind. He learned
from the innkeeper that Scanning house
was seldom Inhabited, save by it's house
keeper. Miss Pierrepoint, who, it APP
peared, was the last and only represen-
tative Of the Plerrepoints Of Scanning,
came sometimes to stay there. The doc
tor began to discover an interest in
Scanning house. He presented his card
to the housekeeper, a dim creature in a
red shawl, who took him from the gall
leried hall through room after room, oak
paneled, set with time worn furniture
and hung with solemn family portraits
The doctor carried away a confused i'm
preston that all the Pierrepoints were
alike Sir Anthony in darkling armor,
Sir John in silk and lace, Lady Elizabeth
painted by Lely in 1anguid negligence.
Sir John and Sir Anthony, in long waist
coats and perukes, and their high-waist-
ed daughters, and the later lords of the
manor out shooting in q dreary land
scape, attired in frocl1 coat and tall hat
a certain indefnable suggestion of as
pect was common to them all. Here it
would be altered or obscured for a gen
GRAFTON, and there, in the next it would
leap to the eye.
Jacomb remarked that he had not seen
the eastern wing
lis all covered in dirt and dust" said
the woman, but you can walk through
II you wish" She led him to a little room
opening from the hall, from which a.
second door opened into the disused wing
The room was hung with stamped
leather, gilt and glimmering; there were
cushions on the broad window seat: q.
thick carpet covered the floor; a book
case, fitted with new looking books stood
in a recess, and two deep armchairs were
drawn to the tiled fireplace
Miss Pierrepoint, she uses this room
good deal when she's at home" said the
housekeeper. She opened the door which
led into a bare, echoing chamber. and
left the doctor to explore alone. The
dog, which had followed them through
the house. started back as the door
opened, and skunk away
The rooms opened one into the other
Cobwohs, clotted with dust .festoored with
shadowy corners; the plaster had faVen
In patches from the ceilings; the knots
stood in knuckles from the worn flooring.
the windows were broken. The air was
heavy with the Odor of a deserted house
"a compound of dust and must and mil.
dew, and some indescribable SAVIOR Of
tho dead inhabitants, who had slept
there for so many years, and died at last
Presently the doctor, passing through a.
doorway, felt as though he had walked
into dream. A green light, filtering
through the leaves that essed upon the
pane, showed no wall facing him, but a
sandy bank Of earth with projecting,
gnarled roots. Never in his life had the
doctor that impression stronger upon
him, of having seen the place before.
than at that moment. He knew that a
stairway opened downward on the left
side of the room, against the wall, and
there 1t was He peered down the broken
steps into dusky, earth floored cham
Der. The chill of the place made him
SILVER; If he had been there before if
was in dream, a dream which had
frightened HIM. He remembered the
fright, but not the dream.
Jacomb walked smartly back through