Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-03-18

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friends loud scream and saw her
spring back from the window with
both hands. palms outward, pressed to
her face. She leaped to her and threw
her arms about her.
"What Is it?'
Look Helen dragged her to the
window. "At the next flash! The
b.nce beyond the meadow"
what was it? What was it like"
The lightning flashed incessantly.
Helen tried to point. Her hand only
jerked from side to side.
Look she cried.
81 see nothing but the lightning"
Minnie answered breathlessly.
"Oh, the fence! The fence! And In
the field"
Helen! What was it like?"
"Ah, ah" she painted. "A long line
of white looking things - horrible
white
"What like?" Minnie turned from
thes window and caught the others
wrist in strong clasp.
minnie. Minnie! Like long white
gowns and cowls crossing the fence"
Helen released her wrist from her
companions grasp and put both hands
on Minnie's cheeks, forcing her around
TO face the Pickering pane. you must
look! You must look" she cried.
"They wouldn't do it! They wouldn't
1T isn'tw Minnie shuddered. "They
couldn't come in the storm. They
wouldn't do it in the pouring rain"
"Yes! Such things would mind the
rainw She burst into hysterical laugh
ter. and Minnie seized her round the
waist. almost as unnerved as Helen,
vet trying to soothe her. "They would
mind the rain" Helen whispered.
"They would fear storm. Yes. yes!
And let him go: let him go!'
Pressing close together. clasping
each others waist. the two girls peer
ed out at the landscape.
Look!
Up from the distant fence that bor-
dered the northern side Of Jones field
q pale, pelted. tapping thing reared
itself. poised and seemed. just as the
blackness came again, to drop to the
ground.
Ibid you see?'
But Minnie had thrown herself into
q deep chair with laugh Of wild re-
lief. MY darling girl" she cried.
"Not line of white things-just one
Mr.. Jones' scarecrow! And we saw it
blown down.
mo, no. no! saw the others. They
were in the field beyond. saw them.
When looked the first time they were
nearly all OH the fence. This time we
saw the last man crossing. All, l let
him 60 alone!'
Minnie sprang up and infolded her.
mo; you dear. imagining child. you're
upset and nervous, that's all the mat
ter in the world. Don't worry; don't.
child; it's all right. Mr.. Harkless is
home and safe in bed long ago. |
know that old scarecrow on the fence
like a book. and you're so unstrung
you fancied the rest. He's all right.
Don't you bother. dear"
The big, motherly girl took her COM
panion in her arms and rocked her
back and forth soothingly and petted
and reassurpd Eer and then cried lit
tie with her, as good hearted girl al
ways will with u friend. Then she left
her for the night. with many a cheer
ing word and tender caress. Get to
sleep. my dear" she called through the
door when she had closed it behind her.
"You must if you have to 60 in the
morning. 1t just breaks my heart.
don't know how we'll bear 1t without
you. Father will miss you almost as
much as will. Good night. Don't
bother abont that old white scarecrow;
that's all 1t was. Good night. dear;
good night"
Good night. dear" answered plain
tive little voice. Helen's cheek pressed
the pillow and tossed from side to side.
By and by she turned the pillow over;
it had grown wet. The wind blew
about the caves and blew itself out.
Sleep would not come. She got up and
laved her burning eyes; then she sat
by the window. The storms strength
was spent at last. The rain grew light
er and lighter until there was but the
sound of running water and the drip,
drip on the tin roof of the porch. Only
the thunder rumbling in the distance
marked the storms course. the chariots
of the gods rolling farther and farther
away till they finally ceased to be
heard altogether. The clouds parted
ulajestically. and then, between great
curtains Of mist, the day star was seen
shining in the east.
The night was hushed, and the peace
that falls before dawn was upon the
wet, fiat lands. Somewhere In the sod.
den grass a swamped cricket chirped;
from an outlying fange Of the village
q dogs howl rose mournfully; 1t was
answered by another far away and by
another and another. The sonorous
chorus rose above the village, died
away, and quiet fell again.
Helen sat by the window, no comfort
touching her heart. Tears coursed her
:heeks no longer. but her eyes were
wide and staring, and her lips parted
breathlessly, for the hush was broken
by the far clamor of the courthouse
bell ringing in the night. 1t rang and
rang and rang and rang. She could
not breathe. She threw open the win
dow. The bell stopped. All was quiet
once more. The east was gray.
Suddenly out of the stiffness there