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

"To reach the carriage they mus
pass the eastern wing. He flung his
coat around her to shut 1t out as the,
hastend by.
"TIark!' she said, and thrust hi
hands away, and stood erect to listen
FOR over the ceasiess downpour o.
the rain, over the bowling of the wine
and rumbling OF the thunder, rose {
shriek-an agonized, awful shrek:
"'False! false! falsai'
"She wrenched herself from the
arms that stroye to hold her; she
staggered back; she looked up. Far
above, in the eastern tower, framed in
by an oriel window, she saw, illumined
by the red glare OF the lightning, the
blood-stained and blood-driDping face
of her lover He had seen her hasten
past; had thought her false to him!
Swift as a shot she wheeled around
and looked full at the man beside her
"'Comer he cried, 1T is too late to
draw back now--he is as good as dead
Come on!'
Gle flung his arm around her and
strove to urge her forward. For a
moment she resisted violently; in an
other she had caught sight of a small
Spanish dagger-which he always car
ried-glittering in his bosom.
Before he could suspect, think, act,
she had torn 1t from him and haa
plunged 1t to the hilt in her own
heart!
"'Not false!' she cried. oh, my
love, not false. not false!'
But even as she fell--so runs the
story-even az the young blood out
gushed and the young life tided forth
in its current, wild, strange peal
rang forth from above, where her low
err laughed exultantly In the awful
mirth Of madness!"
There was no sound in the great
room when she had finished-not a
whisper. All were awed and silenced
and full of vague fear.
"Oh--h, Cynthia!" Baby Earl whis-
pered. with sigh SO deep and pro-
found 1t seemed to have been drawn
from the toes of her little bronze
slippers, what story! IL feel as
II there was" wriggling round ner-
vously in her chair, IA caterpillar
on me somewheres--I dol"
They laughed at the childish defini-
ton of horror, but it was rather a
forced laugh.
'It is horrible storyl What be-
came of Sir Rupert?"
''IIe must have lived and fiourished
II the Carringtons OF to-day are his
lineal descendants. Further concern
fng him the legend does not speak.
But you must remember that, after all,
II is merely a legend, and as such must
be allowed wide latitude"
"And the ghost?"
well, they say that when poor,
wronged Claude Darlington died, his
spirit remained In the eastern tower.
The place has for years and years been
undisturbed and unertered."
"Does he ever come to pay you a
friendly visit, Cynthia?" Baby asked,
coming to the surface as irrepressibly
as ever. mo? Now that's what call
unsociable-such q near neighbor.
too"
OF the Tower?" asked Della Dent.
II don't positively know" slowly
unless the reason be this: The story
says-and the story has become tradi-
tion at Blackcastle--that on certain
occasion that fearful laugh outings
from the eastern tower, and that when
ever 1t is heard 1t is an omen--an
omen OF misery, of death--perhaps of
both. 1t proclaims evil and misfor.
tune to the house of Darlington. Pre-
saying such, II Is little wonder they
have branded the poor ghost demon.
Harki Here come the gentlemen"
Sho rose and rang for lights. A
servant brought them and drew the
Curtains close. Half dozen gentle
men came into the room with Jest and
laughter.
GOA, ladies', ladies!" cried genial
James Cassard, In hooking reproof
I'VE left you here three hours ago
and here we and you still. What sub.
ject HAS been so fascinating as to
cause you to forget the story of the
little busy beef"
"Ghosts!" promptly responded Baby
Earle
"Ghosts!" the men repeated, and
hurst out laughing. "Oh, Baby
snosts!'
"liushi" Cynthia Lennox whispered
Sa.niugly. in the girls ear. "You
mnst not speak so before Lady Car
ringlon. Here she Isl"