Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-05-29

Steps II TIE coffldOr- some one tried
the handle OF ny door gently and
cautiously. did rot know fear, but
must confess that at the sound of the
handle turning my heart beat fast Il
went to the door and opened it. TO my
surprise. there stood Lady Culmore,
wrapped in long blue dressing-gown,
her hair hanging ever Ter shoulders
her face white as death. her eyes full
of fear Even in that moment could
rot help noticing the Wilderness of the
hands that held the taper
Il am disturbing you, Miss Forster"
she said but / am afraid-oh, so
sorely afraid. VIII you come with
me?p
Yes. Lady Culmore. But what
frightens your / asked
The wind, the wind" she replied.
Il am sure that every lost soul is
abroad tonight and wailing in it. viii
you come with me?"
She was trembling from head to
foot; great drops of agony stood on her
forehead; the hand that held the wax
taper trembIed What was it that
made the beautiful face so terrible 20
see?
lyon need not be frightened, Lady
GILMORE" said. "The wind is always
rough in March. You are afraid OF it.
think it beautiful"
TT is not the wind that hear in my
ROOM she whispered. ooh, GOMEZ"
Without another word, I took the
taper from her hand and went with
her. When we reached the room
where Lady GILMORE slept, / found
that all the lamps were burning. She
laid her hand upon my arm.
Il want you to listen she said, in
low, hoarse whisper. 'ListenI"
AS she stood before me, with
strained, despairing expression on her
face, wild terror in her eyes and her
hand uplifted, might have been for
given some little emotion of fear. The
scene was weird enough.
'Iisten!" she repealed And then l
heard the soft, sad sob of the wind at
the window dying away into the
faintest possible moan.
"What is THAR she asked me, while
a strong shudder shook her whole
frame. Listen again, and tell me,
for heavens sake, what is that?"
The dying wall of the wind was fol-
lowed by soft tap against the win
dow-glass, SO soft, so indistinct, that
could hardly hear it. The sound came
again and again, until at last the ter
pfH l.
knees with a cry of anguish that
shall never forget-a perfect scream of
terror. 1t rings in my ears even now
as | write.
II know what it is! she cried. "You
must not let it in, Keep the window
closed! Send it away, Oh, heaven,
send it away" And she fell sense
less, with her white, miserable face
upon the ground,
raised her, laid her upon the couch,
and went to the window. The moon
shone on the budding trees and on the
mere | saw in a moment that the
sound was caused by the tapping of
small spray of ivy against the window
glass. Having found this out, / went
back to rouse and reassure her. She
lay just where had placed her, her
blue eyes open and full of inexplicable
terror.
"Have you sent it away ?" she asked,
in a hoarse whisper.
There is nothing TO send away, Lady
Culmore," | replied.
Nothing" she cried. Are you
quite sure? Nothing at all?"
mo. What could there be outside
your Window"
began to wonder if her brain was
affected. 1t was the only possible ex-
PLANTATION of her conduct.
The wind had been silent for some
few minutes. Then it rose again-the
same faint sobbing round the window
sound as natural as any could be,
but evidently full of supernatural dread
to her. She sprung to her feet and
held up her hand again.
Listen" she cried.
1T is nothing, Lady GILMORE" said,
speaking firmly, for thought that per-
haps this was but a severe hysterical
attack. 1T is nothinga Lady Culmore,"
| repeated. do you understand? 1t
is only the wailing of the wind"
"Ah MOI" she said. THAT is what
it sounds like to you. Do you know
what it is in reality? 1t is the crying
of a little child. quite a little child,
standing there. Hark Do you not
hear it now"
There was certainly some faint re-
semblance to the cry of child. the
wall of an infant in great pain. /
should never have thought of it but
for her.
Lady GILMORE" / said, you must
listen to reason, you must be calm.
This is foolish, hysterical, nervous
nonsense! Come with me to the win
dow. Look and listen for yourself"
She wrung her hands.
81 dare mott" she cried
you must" | said. at Is the only
way in which you can be convinced.
Come"
took the white hands in mine and