The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-11-19
CHAPTER XIV.
a Lauah.

blithely short time before. hit there
was no merry testing. no chbping Of
young laughter.
as she dead? Oh. Mr.. WaFen. is
she dead?"
And Baby's gay voice was almost
unacceptable in its terrified blemni-
ty.
IL think mott hope mott"
With strong and kindly handS which
grasped each other beneath TIER I'M
conscious burden, they bore her on
that awfully rigid, quiet. corpse-like
figure.
Watt" Cynthia Lennox cried, i'm
periously.
In a moment she had torn off her
long, satin.lined sealskin cloak.
Wrap her in this. 1t is cold!"
And when it was done the little cor
tege moved on again.
And now the moon was high in the
heavens, and it's flooding light fell in a
rain of silver over beautiful slack
castle-oyer the wide demesne-over
the grand old house-over that
strange, slow-moving group On the ave-
uncover the eastern tower!
"Ah!" and this time Baby Earle did
not cry out in reckless and joyous de-
flance. She only crouched little
nearer Will Warren with that quick
word of fear.
For before them, at their very feet,
stretched broad patch of shadow,
dense and black and ominous-the
shadow flung by the eastern tower.
They passed into it, bearing their life
less load. Beyond cleaned the lights
of Blackcastle. A little way more,
and
Mercy! What was that?"
A laughi--the widest, maddest,
most demoniac peal that ever rang
from lips infernal-a laugh that froze
the warm blood in their veins, and
sent it surging back to their hearts in
icy torrents!
They glanced up, but the place was
in shadow. For few moments they
stood, like group cut from stone
just as still, as motionless, as breath
less.
The story they had so lately heard
required to their minds with startling
horror. Swift as lightning before
them that terrible scene doomed up
the frenzied lover below, the blood
stained face above, the woman they
both loved madly dead, by her own
hand, at their feet. And over all, that
mad laugh ringing in wild, defiant de-
spair.
And now-pitiful heayen!--was not
it's echo even now throbbing in their
ears? What was it that Cynthia. had
said?
ut Is an omen of evil, Of death, per-
haps of both-that fearful laugh! 1t
presages evil and misfortune to the
house of Carrington!"
Miss Lenrox was shuddering from
head to foot.
go on" she commanded, her usual
cold, selfcontained voice grown a
rapid, husky whisper. ooh, go on!
go on!"
In trembling silence they hurried
out of the uncanny shadow into the
bright moonlight beyond.
And then for the first time tsey all
broke into nervous and excited speech.
"Oh, what was it?"
can omen Of evil to Blackcastle!"
"It was a voice from the gravel"
so unnatural!"
"Oh. to me it sounded human!"
"Impossible!"
And so they talked on, in quick.
terrified, tremulous fashion, till they
came into the rudy disk where the
streaming lights from the windows OF
Blackcastle flushed the snow.
All except Cynthia Lennox. She
walked on among them, deaf to their
chatter. Her bosom was rising and
falling in deem pulsations She was
chilled with an un5efinable fear. a SUI
dread.
She seemed to awaken with a start
as they came to the shallow stone
steps, and the men in advance began
to ascend them with their strange bur-
den.
Gently. there! Knock. win. Gen.
tly!"
Will Warren ran before them and
sent an imperious summons sounding
through the house.
A moment more the great doors
were flung wide, and billow OF light
flooded the crowd beyond
In perfect silence they went in
those gay young people who had surg
ed forth less than ali hour before with
song and laughter.
The hall of Blackcastle was a sub
ject for a painter. A grand. wide. old
place, with It's dusky, stout-ribbed
rafters, its polished oaken floor, black
and slippery with age, its carven seats.
its armored knights. its rugs OF shaggy
bear-skin, its antlered heads, its tro-
phies OF field sports and martial war;
fare.
And over 1t all. with its wealth and
art and rich medieval beauty. blazed
and fell the lighs OF fire which reared
up the huge-throated chimney in royal
riot.
And here. through stately doors OF
proud race, they bore her in and laid
her down-she the denied and forsak-
en- outcast--she the child OF galley
slave-she whose name was In itself
brand to scorch and shrivel her
young life to Observation-Disclosures