Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-09-04

in spite of himself, he was inclined t.
, impute to them some significance
Besides this, he had to recognize tina
the cosy evening by the fireside which
he had promised himself had now be
come an impossibility. He could no
sit still; his very limbs seemed m
longer to be controlled by his owl
will, but to be under the command OF
some unknown agency which decreeG
that they should not rest. When he
placed himself, ready dressed for his
ride, again for a moment in the chair
he had occupied before the fire, BE
ton of the vision he had seen ten
minutes before; and jumping up hast
ly, he went out into the hail. where
the landlord, with a lantern III his
hand, met him, and accosted hin
obviously.
cts pity you have to go on to-
night sir. What with the wind and
the snow it will be a nasty ride. I
suppose you know the road pretty
we'll, sir?"
mot very well, but it's fairly
straight, as far as l remember" an
! sWered Armathwaite He had never
! in his life before been in this part OF
the world, but he would not confess
! to this, being afraid lest some obstacle
| should be put in the way of his pu1-
! pose.
E'Ye-es, it is straight enough, but
there are one or two places where
- /
! like this
The front door had in the meantime
been opened by the waiter, and the
| horse, a powerfulIy-built dapple-grey,
! who looked as if he had been used
in the season for coach-work, was
standing close to the step, with the
ostler at his head. The front of the
house escaped the full fury of the
wind, but even here the snow was
drifting into heaps and ridges in the
road. The landlord himself fastened
the lantern to the saddle before the
traveller mounted.
you'll put up at Branksome for the
night, | suppose, sir?" he said, as he
stepped back upon the doorstep.
81 suppose l shall have to. Plenty
Of places there where I can get a bed
and put up the horse, suppore?"
Eyes. The George is the best,
| think"
sAll right. Thank you. I shall be
| back in time for the coach to Conis-
mere tomorrow morning. Good night"
Before Armathwaite could start
however, the ostler, wrinkled, white
haired man, saluted him, siding up
rather mysteriously on the near side.
BEG pardon, sir" he said, in
strong North-country dialect, rendered
still more unintelligible by the loss Of
his teeth, 'but ee'd best go by t. low
road, and not oop past t. loontic
sylum.''
The landlord, who had been on the
alert, overheard these words, and
broke in with some asperity of tone:
John, what's that stuff you're talk
ing. There hasn't been any asylum
about here since you were boy"
John, however, unabashed by the
snub, only gave a chuckle of superior
knowledge, and muttering his belief
that if the gentleman went by the
high road he would "see summet," he
shambled off to the stables. The
landlord, shivering in the cold, glanced
after him angrily, but felt that some
word of explanation was due to his
guest.
''The fellows got a tile loose, slr,
| believe But he's been ostler here
for years before I was born, and you
don't like to turn off an old hand like
that. He wouldn't live three months
away from his horses"
and he has delusions, you think? ?"
Full of them, sir"
/ "And what's this about an asylum p
81 don't know, I'm sure. I've
lived here leven years, and I've never
heard anything about any asylums
within five miles of the place"
'Ah, well, we've most of us got a
, bee in the bonnet good many years
before we reach his age. And i've
had something to do with lunatics. sc
there's nothing less likely to frighter
) me. I won't keep you talking in the
cold any longer"
The landlord, however, as he was
!, stepping inside the door, changed his
mind, and ran out few steps in the
snow, calling to his guest as the latter
rode away. Armathwaite checked
his horse, and turned round in the
saddle.
i, 81 wanted to tell you, sir, that yol
had better follow the old mans advice
and keep to the lower road-the on.
, to the right at the fork at the bottom
of the hill. Not that there's any fea
of seeing summet,' as he puts it, bu
p because the higher road rejoins tn
lower with rather a sudden dip, ant
on a dark night like this you nigh
!. make straight through the trees TO
: the lake, and be into it before 20,
Q knew you were off the road
Thanks. I'll certainly follow you
! advice. Good night
: Good night, sir
i A few seconds later Armathwalt
l. heard the hotel door close, as he rod
! slowly down the hill, watching tn
IS lights in the shops and houses, al
l. the dancing reflection on the snow c
n the lantern he carried at his saddle
IT bow The cold was intense; the vino
t. which blew straight towards hin
f, dashed the snow-fakes into his fac
l. and made them whirl before his da
Sc zled eyes until, benumbed by til
e, frost and excited by the storm, he 10:
ID control of his thoughts, and rode o
IS oppressed by nightmare of val
e. imaginings, in which the new face