The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-12-24

me on so hadn cnance-
"Why there's Don HIMSELF thought you
were miles under groundr'
mot I. With warm fire and lovely ladies
beside it, 10 spend my Christmas eve in sub
terraneous seclusion! They won't go far.
Oh, knew they'll go. But had the lamps
hung along the first passages, and told Bull
lion to keep to the left, and bring them back
on a CIRCLE
"Oh = said Polly, springing TO her feet.
''If had known that ! thought it would he
so far And she flashed across the hall to
the door through which Don had come, where
flight of stairs with lanterns hung along the
walls was disclosed, and gathered up her skirts
and disappeared.
'What possesses the girl % cried Elise, and
flashed in pursuit.
"What possesses both of your cried Don,
following. Where are you? Remember
Keep to the left (!
Polly heard him. But she had now wrought
herself up to such hystercal pitch with the
idea that Don Hollister would think she had
come down there, now the outlook had chang
ed, to give him another chance, that she would
not have been sorry if an earthquake had come
and extngushed every lamp in these dim
dreadful galleries. Why hadn't she known
why hadn't she thought? and then she never
dreamed the old charm of personality could
be so strong! AS she heard him come spring.
ing after them she saw the dark arch of an
other passage and stepped into it, and with
her hand on the wall ran half dozen yards,
that he might go by and miss the glimmer of
her white gown. And he had gone by, and
she had turned a corner without knowing it;
and, looking back over her shoulder, there
was no light to be seen-nothing but pitchy
blacknesS.
She stood still moment, trying to take her
bearings, TO think Just how much she had
turned just how many steps she had taken; it
could be but few. She heard voices; but they
were echoing and reduplicating so in all the
hollow ways and arches that it was impossible
To tell from what direction they came. She
turned again, and CROPPED her way-no, it must
he to the left--he said the left; she would re-
gain the main passage and he in the hall when
they came back. She hoped her dress woud
not be smooched, and held it up carefully
And she took dozen steps more, and paused,
and veered unawares, and went on little
farther, and suddenly wall seemed to be
closed behind her-she heard no sound. An
awful terror stopped her heart; and then she
began 10 call at the top of her voice, and she
hurried on, her hand beside her on the wall
calling and crying, shivering with cold and
! shaking with fright. And all at once the wall
was wet beneath her hand. She stopped
short, with new terror. There was a sound
all about her-l singing in her ears, a low
regular rhythm, muffled beating of surf; it
was the ooze Of the sea under her hand-the
house was close upon the brink, and this was
one of the long sea galleries! And then there
came another sound-the boom of a bell,
droning, heavy, close at hand and far away
mystical, terrible! Oh, what Christmas bell,
what Christmas eve! fat any moment this
roof of wet rock should crash in she would
drown like rat in a hole. A nun walled up
alive a thousand years ago was not more dead
than she would be presently.
She stood stone still, not daring TO stir, a
thousand fears in one clutching at her heart
the Shiny thing her foot might fall on, the evil
apparition of the long dead smugglers, the
overwhelming sense that she was lost and
would perish there. Hadn't he said they had
never thoroughly examined the place? She
would have tainted and died before they found
her! That booming bell-oh, she knew now
the bell buoy on the reef! Here she was, lost
among these black shafts and tunnels under
the seal She was faint and dizzy-she was
going to drop--nO, no, no, she must not let
herself! She must call up all her strength.
She dared not move. for she knew not what
might be at her feet-what sea pool, what
ledge. She could not move. She could not
breathe. There was no air, although a cold
soughing to and fro famed her gown; every
thing swimming; she could not hold ont
much longer She wondered how long she
had been there-she was so tired-she seemed
TO have thought Of everything in her life-she
was so young; she might have heen so happy
oh, what misery! And then she took heart
and opened her mouth, giving one halo and
another, that went sailing like black bats from
roof to roof of countless cavernS, Tapping away
into stiffness at last. And suddenly another
cry came-a clear tenor call, answering hers.
all confused with echoes where are you?
| am coming!' and then q light, and that was
Don himself hurrying towards her. And all
she could do was to put up her two arms for
him to take her, like child. my little darl.
ing. my beautiful darling!' he said. III will
never let you go again!' And when he loos.
ened his grasp about her it was Just before he
reached the vaulted spot where Elise and DR..
Bonney and old Bullion had stumbled on one
another in their various searching.
And waiting a few moments, Polly vainly
trying to gather her wits, still clinging to Don,
half laughing, half sobbing, they went back
to the hall, where the others had been gather.
ed by Bullion and his men from all points, and
Bullion superintended the filling of a huge
loving-cup with some sweet and spicy Christ
mas draught, to he slipped as the tower clock
toliedi d tweiysss.- ttweiss
81 wish you happy Christmas, - said Don,
where he stood leaning on the back of the
great chair, in whose depths Polly sat, white
and radiant. and taking the loving cup in his
handS-"as happy Christmas as mine, If
that were possible. Perhaps you did not think
| had any purpose at dinner in placing the
lady opposite myself. 1t is the place belonging
to the mistress of the house. And a few
moments ago DIR. Bonney, in the presence of
witnesses, made that lady my wife. Polly, |
wish you joy" And touching the cup to his
lips, he passed it to his wife.
The tower clock tolled the half hour in the
middle of the gay congratulations. "Oh,
exclaimed Polly, "was l down there in the
dark only half-hour, after all? l don't
know when l can hear bell again without
trembling. That bell-boy-"
Rang through the sweetest moments of
my life, - said her husband. at is the most
tuneful of all the Christmas bells that ever
rung. We will give the light house board a
louder and better bell, and have that one
hung in the tower to ring in all our Christ