The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-05-07

good.
And good job, too" said Thomas
Eastbell frankly and indignantly: what
did the old gal want with her about the
place? It's full enough now of people
who've no business here, although they're
making themselves scarce by degrees.
Where's that CulwickT'
The young master, sirT'
"rhe young humhug!-the young pau
per-" screamed Thomas Eastbell with
unnecessary violence; you shut up about
the young master or you'll go next, If
have anything to do with this house
which | may have-which | shall have,
mind you--though everybody treats me
bad here"
Thomas EastbeIl consumed his lunch
with difficulty. He had no appetite, but
it was necessary to keep himself up, the
captain had said. and all his life he had
believed in Captain Peterson. He fell
asleep after his meal. md when he woke
ul he stared vacantly round, and fought
hard to recollect where he was, and how
long he had sat huddlcd in the armchair,
an angular distortion in his comfortess
slumber
1t was night. and the huge room was
full of darkness, which had crept Upon
Sedge Hill before its time, or he had slept
long and late and all in that unsettled
house had forgotten his existence, were
his first ideas when he began to remem-
Der that he was In the picture gallery
which Simon Culwick had built. What
heavy sleep his must have been. to be
sure! He stood up, and tried to pierce
through the darkness. and n sudden chill
seized upon his veins. and turned him sick
rs he fancied that he might have woke
up blind like his grandmother! Why not?
it was In the famly--and all before
him was awfully black and thick and inn
penetrable 1t was raining outside, too
that accounted for the kissing In His
| ears which he had awakened with. and
which he had thought was his brain.
Finally he CROPPED his way toward the
door. keeping his hand on the wall, nr on
/ the vanished surfaces of the paintings
with which the wall was hung. He had
made up his mind, he would seek Grand
mother Eastbell. and tell her the truth.
aud more than the truth if it were requi-
site. He was being imposed upon. Peo-
pie Of no principle had taken advantage
of his slumbers, and were setting his near
est and dearest relation against him. Reu-
ben Culwick was at the head Of affairs,
and poisoning the public mind. Even the
servants had turned upon him. and
brought him no dinner, and left him in the
dark. He came to a full stop. aud fell
against the pictures, scratching them
with his trembling hands, in his alarm; ;
for the door behind him in the distance
the side door leading away from the
corrdor--had opened suddenly and
sharply. and was shut again rs he glanc-
cd towards a titful CLEAN of light which
narrowed and then passed away. In q hat
Hecting moment he had seen enough To
scare stronger nerve than his-for
, white figure had giided into the chamhc
aud was advancing toward him. he was
sure! He remained silent and trembling
, till the rustling of garments assured him
that something was approaching him
with noiseless steps, that reminded him
of the ghost In the Castle Specter,"
which he had seen once from the gallery
Of theater He made swift plunge for
the door in his horror.
1t was his sisters spirit. he was sure
she had been murdered by those from
| whose clutches he had made no effort to
save her--and she had come for him. His
iHSt muir utu uIIftu. anu IL WIS MI OVER
with his dreams of glory.
Tom Eastbell," said a sharp voice i'm
| his ears, "are you here? Why don't you
| speak to meT'
GRANDMOTHER" he calculated, lis il
you then?"
Come here and sit dOwn--we can talk
hest in the dark and | want TO talk to
you"
I'D rather have light. thank you,"
| said Tom, who still had his suspicious
/ that all was not right. He found his way
to the principal door and opened 1t, let
| ting in q stream of light from the corri-
| dor without. He looked back at his
grandmother. who was standing by the
| chair which he had quilted. a strange
| phantom enough in her white night dress
and with counterpart wrapped round
her toga-fashion. and trailing on the
| ground behind her.
! whats the matter?" said Tom irres-
olutely: "ain't you we'll? What have you
come downstairs for. such night as
thisT'
| II can't rest. There's something
wrong, Tom. I'm unhappy. They're all
you with the rest of 'em-keeping
something from me. Where's Sarah?-
oh! where's my Sallyi-tell me-"
| wait momentum tell you every
thing"
| An idea had seized him at last. The
opportunity which he thought that he
missed had come to him In this manner.
There was no time to lose.
| "Sally's run away" he said.
| "Eh-whatT shrieked Mrs Eastb ell :
run away-from mer'
"Yes-that's itp' asseverated Tom, he
coming holder In his statement as his
grandmother put implicit faith in every
word he uttered.
run away-forever. do you mean 2"
exclaimed Mrs. Eastbell. in her highest