Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-11-13


 &XA dinner, and he persuaded me &S@SS to go out upon the road. Vssa3SSb You and need little general conversation" he said. we think too much about our own affairs. FWe're getting sentimental. Let's smoke strong tobacco this evening and discuss 1.-the business of the world. Trask and lScovel will help us
 Personally would have preferred to go down to the lake, but I recognized the force of Derringer's remark We found Trask on the road, but his com panion was MT. Witherspoon, whom a west wind had waited to the eastern border of the estate.
 'Scovel has been gone all day." said the artist. Pedestrian tour, guess. He took a feldglass with him, as if he intended to find some views"
 Hope he didn't go over to the hill," remarked MT. Witherspoon. 'It's a terrible place for snakes"
 And he proceeded in his soft and apologetic voice to tell us narrowing tales of copperheads and black snakes, rattlers and .shooples." He was in the midst of such a narration when per scelved Scovel coming along the road lTwilight still fingered, and there was yenough to reveal that the lawyer had lEramped hard and was very weary.
 we were just speaking of you, Mr. ,Scovel," said Witherspoon. "We were hoping that you hadn't been over on Hhe hilI..
 He put his left hand upon the small of his back, the palm being outward, and seemed to straighten his spine by B slow pressure in that region, and then he coughed gently, not because he had any aiiment requiring him to do so, but as general expression of dissatis- Haction with his physical condition Scoyel waited for this characteristic performance to be finished before he Npoke.
 No" said he, "I haven't been near Hhe hill"
 Well, you just came by the edge of qt" ventured MT. Witherspoon. How ever, the snakes never come out into the road Most curious thing-can't be duplicated in the state, I'll wager. The hills full of them, but you might as
  Goating in the middle of the ocean as on this farm. I've lived here more'n half century, boy and man, and never saw one of lem anywhere but on the hill."
 Scovel leaned against the fence and T saw a shudder run through him. Then he shook himself together, strengthened up and started for the house.
 I've walked a long way" he said. %'I'm hungry as wolff
 I noticed as he walked away that he looked uneasily behind him upon the ground, to the right and to the left. No one else seemed to observe the pc culiarity of his manner, and we did not discuss him after he had gone. Instead we encouraged MT. Wither- spoon to tell more snake stories, and he obliged" with some that make my blood run cold to this day whenever think of them.
 By and by my attention began to aFaDder. There was a suggestion of music in the air; no more than that-I could not say heard it. But 1 became %easy and glanced down toward the
 
 lake shore to see if I could detect the glow of a fire. The moon had now be- some bright, and if the fire burned Apon the rocks it threw no visible gleam upward. So I fingered awhile upon the road until the thought that I might be wasting my best delight of those days impelled me to make sure.
 As I passed the house, I caught a glimpse of Lucy Ann's gray gown and bonnet in the main porch. The girl was leaning against post of the trel- lis, as if watching the moon which ,shone above the hill. Her face looked so haggard, old and weary that I lhalted suddenly when first saw it among the leaves. She had not mo- ficed me till then. and she sprang back, startled. Perhaps she thought I could mot zee that sahe nsat Fbn4hs aeAadg N