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

nue. down which they had come so
blithely a short time before. But there
was no merry testing, no Ginning OF
young laughter.
'Is she dead? oh, Mr.. Warren. Is
she dead?"
And Baby's gay voice was almost
unacceptable in its terrified solemni-
ty.
IL think not--I hope not!"
With strong and kindly hands, which
grasped each other beneath their I'M
conscious burden, they bore her on
that awfully rigid. quiet. corpse-llke
figure.
"Waiti" Cynthia Lennox cried, i'm
periously.
In moment she had torn of her
long. satin-lined sealskln cloak.
Wrap her ia this. II Is cold!"
And when 1t was done the little cor
tege moved on again.
And now the moon was high In the
heavens, and its flooding light fell in q
rain OF silver over beautiful slack
castle--over the wide demesne-over
the grand old house-oyer that
strange. slow-movlng group on the ave
uncover the eastern tower!
"Ah! and this time Baby Earle did
not cry out in reckless and joyous de.
fiance. She only crouched a little
nearer viii Warren with that quick
word of fear.
nr hlF hnY n
stretched broad patch Of shadow,
dense and black and ominous-the
shadow flung by the eastern tower,
They passed into II, bearing their life
less load. Beyond cleaned the lights
of Blackcastle. A little way more,
and
Mercy! What was that?"
A laugh!-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 a few moments they
stood, like group cut from stone
just 40 SUM- do hiobAOhiSSS1 o. Va SesA
less.
The story they had so lately heard
required to their minds with startling
horror. Swift as lightning before
them that terrible scene loomed up
the frenzied lover below, the blood
stained face above, the woman they
both loved madly dead, by her own
ot hnfr e.
mad laugh ringing in wild, defiant de-
spair.
And now-pitiful heaven!-was not
its echo even now throbbing in their
ears? What was 1t that Cynthia had
said?
1T is an omen OF evil, OF death, per-
haps of both--that fearful laugh! II
presages evil and misfortune to the
house of Carrington!"
Miss Lennox was shuddering from
head to foot.
60 on," she commanded, her usual
cold, self.contained voice grown
rapid, husky whisper. "oh. go on!
go on!"
In trembling silence they hurried
bright moonlight beyond.
And then for the first time they all
broke into nervous and excited speech.
"Oh, what was it?'
Gan omen Of evil to Blackcastlel"
at was voice from the gravel"
$50 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 deep pulsations. She was
chilled with an undefinable fear. su-
perstitious 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. Cen
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 peeps who had surg.
ed forth less than an 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 II all. with Its wealth and
art and rich medieval beauty, blazed
and fell the light of fire which roared
up the huge-throated chimney in royal
riot
And here. through stately doors OF a
proud race. they bore her in and laid
her down--she the denied and forsak-
en- outcast-she the child OF a galley
slave-she whose name was in itself
4 4 =. Il