Sunday morning globe., 1901-11-24
benedict GORDON.
BY REVERE RODGERS.
Written for the SUNDAY GLoBEl
CHAPTER II

lWritteu for the SuNuAy GLoBEl
CHAPTER II
Thirty years ago there stood on the
Woodley Lane Road an old colonial
mansion, that had nobly withstood the
wear and tear Of years for upwards
OF a century or more. Il was a noble
old house with broad, sloping roofs
and quaint old windows, that we're
suggestive Of queer old rooms and
quaint old freplaces within. 1t was
such a house that children like to
roam through on rainy days, when the
winds cut up all sorts Of didoes under
the caves and causes startling noises
to reverberate through the immense
garrets, creating delightful little
panics among the youthful players,
and causing their elders much uneasi-
ness at moments by their piercing, but
joyous cries.
No prettier sight in the whole sur
rounding country could have been
found, than that on which the noble
old mansoin rested it's broad founda-
tions. Situated on a gently sloping
hill, and surrounded by a small forest
Of gigantic oakes, 1t was indeed an i'm
posing sight for the people Of that
vicinity.
Having been built a quarter Of a cen
tury previous to the Revolutionary
War, by the gallant Major Allwine,
IL had been successively occupied by
his posterity ever since. Generations
Of this noble old family, had been born
reared and had died there, and in the
little burying ground adjacent, they
had found their last resting place.
The occupants of the Allwine man
sion at the time this story treats Of,
were the rich. but eccentric Frederick
/, Allwine, now a hale old man Of eighty
years Of age, and his young nephew,
Harold popularity known as Hal, and
HarOlds sister Helen. A maiden aunt
, Of the two children also made her
, home there, but she was absent on the
/ night on which this story opens.
{ It being rather a chilly night for this
p time Of the year. a coal fire had been
, lighted in the open CRATE in the bed
rooom Of Frederick Allwine, and the
venerable old gentleman sat doing
5 before it as the clock in the hallway
e struck the hour Of one. The quietness
i. OF death seemd to have descended upon
] the sleping household; not a sound is
B to be heard, save the steady tick, tick
S OF the large old clock in the hallway,
e which IL report is to be believed has
T kept up its mOnotonous exercises,
D through births, marriages and deaths
J. for upwards Of a hundred years or
{ more.
D The bright light OF the fire throws
its reflection upon the form Of the
0 sleeper and disclOsses to view an old
gentleman Of massive build and of
e noble countenance. A fine aristro
e cratic appearing old man, attired in
8 the fashion of fifty years ago.
No guardian angels warn the uncon
o scious man Of danger No uneasy
/, thoughts disturb the calmn serenity OF
% the sleeper's repose. Not a hairs
:, breadths Of differences is to be noticed
4 in his peaceful and regular respira
!, ton. Not a sudden start OF the catch
7 ing Of the breath is discernible, bu
- as he slumbered upon his mothers
I, breast, many, many years ago, so now
does Frederick Alwine, peacefully
!, sleep I'm all apparent security, before
. that open CRATE fire. Wake, man
7, wake. while there Is yet time. Bu
u still that noble chest rises and falls
I, with peaceful regularity, and the clocl
Il I'm the hallway continues its monoton
= GUS ticking, and all the world appears
= to be abed.
n CHAPTER III.
II Leaving his companion concealed n
r. a dense thicket on the opposite sid
Ie of Woodely Lane road; Ross steadil,
4. worked his way around the ground
Is which enclosed the Allwine property
'd Finding everything quiet, he noiseless
,e ly scaled the WALL at the foot of tn
AZ carriage lane and crouched low in It
a. friendly shadow. Here he took Ion
n. survey Of the premises. A brigh
n light issuing from a window on tn
second floor attracted his attention
and he cautiously proceeded in that d
rection, keping his huge body well COZ
cealed in the shadow Of the giganu
oak trees that lined each side or N
OF walk.
- Almost opposite the window /
which the light appeared, there stoo
ed a large beech tree whose wide sprea'
at ing branches, reached several fee
of above the room, in which the ligf
came from. It took the mid-nigf
prowler but a few minutes to seal
.h' this tree and obtain a view OF the II
ey terror of the room, when his eye
re. alighted upon the sleeping form Of tn
he venerable occupant, he started bac
with smothered oath upon his lip
b but seeing that the man was asleep, b
~ quickly regained his composure an
od renamed staring steadily into tf
M. room.
~ After a few moments thus engage
r.oss apparently satisfied with the r
.se suits of his scrunity, quietly descende
from his position in the tree, and mac
his way silently toward the back
the houes. Stopping before a windo,
which opened from the pantry
a noiselessly tried the fastenings ar
"a finding them secured ne took from h
~ pocket large sharp knife and cui
n ously formed piece Of wire. with u
ed aid of the knife he quickly cut aWi
wd a slat in the shutters, then insertlI
ler the wire. he, with a couple OF rap
,os turns undid the fastenings Whlch
!, cured the shutters, H..
me Cautiously opening them ne plac,
iB' bis ear against the winodW-panes az
ne assumed a listening attitude hey
,ly ing nothing to alarm him, he tried .