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

ITO reach the carriage they must
pass the eastern wing. He flung his
coat around her to shut 1t out as they
hastend by.
"'Hark!' she said and thrust his
hands away. and stood erect to listen.
"For over the ceasless downpour OF
the rain, over the bowling of the wind
and rumbllng of the thunder, rose a
shriek-an agonized, awful shrek:
"'False! false! false!'
"She wrenched herself from the
arms that strove 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-dripplng face
of her lover. He had seen her hasten
past: had thought her false to himl
Swift as a shot she wheeled around
and looked full at the man beside her.
"'Come!' he cried, 1t is too late TO
draw back now-he is as good as dead.
Come ONT
"He 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 small
Spanish dagger-which he always car
ried-glittering in his bosom.
Before he could suspect, think, act,
plunged 1t to the hilt in her own
hearti
" Not falsei' she cried. oh, my
love. not false. not falsel'
But even as she fell-so runs the
story-eyen as the young blood out
gushed and the young life tided forth
In its current, wild, strange peal
rang forth from above, where her low
er 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, Cynthial" Baby Earl whis-
pered. with sigh so deep and pro-
found 1t seemed to have been drawn
from the toes of her little bronze
II there was" wriggling round ner-
vously in her chair, IA caterpillar
on me somewheres--I dol"
They laughed at the childish defini-
zion OF horror. but it was rather a
forced laugh
at Is horrible storyI What be-
came OF Sir Rupert?"
"He must have lived and flourished
n the Carringtons OF to-day are his
iineal descendants. Further concern
ing him the legend does not speak.
But you must remember that, after all,
Il is merely 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 unentered."
"Does he ever come to pay you a
+ friendly visit, Cynthia?" Baby asked,
coming to the surface as irrepressibly
as ever. "No? Now that's what call
unsociable-such near neighbor,
4 too"
"why was he-it--called the Demon
of the Tower" asked Della Dent.
al don't positively know" slowly
sunless the reason be this: The story
says-and the story has become tradi-
ton at Blackcastle-that on certain
occasion that fearful laugh outings
from the eastern tower. and that when
ever it is heard 1t is an omen--an
omen OF misery. of death-perhaps OF
both. IL proclaims evil and misfor-
tune to the house of Darlington. Pre-
Staging such, 1t Is little wonder they
have branded the poor ghost demon.
Harki Here come the gentlemen"
she rose and rang for lights. A
& fSryant brought them and drew the
4 cpt ialns close Half dozen gentle
men came into the room with Jest and
Daughter.
Fi "0h, ladies', ladies!" cried genial
James Cassard, In hooking reproof.
I'VE left you here three hours ago.
knd here we find you still. What sub
scct has been so fascinating as to
serse you to forget the story Of the
little busy beer"
III "S7hostsl" promptly responded Baby
earle.
"Ghcsts!" the men repeated, and
9urgs out Laughing. "Oh. Baby
snosts!"
"Hushl" Cynthia Lennox whispered.
sasnlngly. in the girls ear. You
nnst not speak so before Lady Car
ington. Here she isl"