Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-03-23

ing shadowy in the dusk.
After 20 years! And this is a good
day."
The road from B. past the old
chateau, is very beautiful. Strangers
travelling through the country lake the
drive and exclaim at the fairness OF
open field and massive wood, but there
is one spot where silence m III
voluntarily. a long, Swallowed stretch
where the forest rises darkly on both
sides, and twilight reigns at high noon.
Here the wood to the right extends but
a few rods, ending abruptly in the high
cliff that follows the road for miles,
and far below, in the silence of the for
est, comes the subdued rush and muir
muir of the deep river, swirling against
the rocks in its bed.
In the day it is beautiful. but at night
it is awesome, and none travel past
them but those whose way leads then
there of necessity.
On the night that Jules D'Arblay rode
to B., the deep forest lay quiet and
still, knowing that the one sound that
would awaken its echoes would be the
gallop of a returning horse. jules
D'Arblay always returned late, and
alone. He was later than usual to-
night. for he was making arrangements
to leave indefinitely. AS a rule he en-.
ioyed spending his summers in the fine
| old chateau, but this summer he pre-,
| ferred to leave.
The trees rose high and met in thick
arches over the road, shutting out the
light of the stars. The trees and the
little bushes were the only things OF
the forest not asleep in the v~astness
of the night. and they stirred and whis'
pered, nodding wisely to n another
and shivering ~awesomely in the silence
Down the hard road came the whole,
some reality of steady h~oof-beats, and
the quivering bushes held themselves to
listen as horse and rider came nearer
through the black shadows. At one
side the low grass rustled, and two rest.
less eyes cleaned at the dark outline
approaching. The slim, straight shadow
sat fearlessly erect and unconscious OF
danger.
From out of the roadside something
rose and struck v~iciously at the head
of the rider, kissing angrily: After
20 years. Jules D'Arblayi" something
fell heavily, without a cry, and Their
H. Je.-oc ,,,c+1oJ nc +hp r4oTtlal hnrCH
was backed through the blackness by
a commanding hand. still back, toward
the steep cliff. for a riderless horse is a
betrayal. and if a drunken MAI rides
over a cliff in returning from town II
is no ones fault but his own. The all
ouivered with the human scream Of q
terrified beast. and the deep river
splashed solemnly as it received its bur
den.
The timid bushes shivered and COW
cred again. bending fearsomely to ont
side as the man returned, and a still
warn thing was carried heavily through
them. it's nerveless limbs Imply brush
ing them in its progress.
The wind stopped to hear his heav,
breathing as the bearer of the burde,
strobe on. Then it fled up swiftly
affrighted, to tell the tree-tops what i
had seen, and the good old trees tosset
their long arms in sorrow over tn
treachery of man to man. and let thu
stars peep wonderingly through. so tina
their clear light shone fair and steadil.
on the still face.
AS one who does so against his will
the one who bore him glanced down /,
stern aversion at the dead man. TIL
limp thing half slipped from his loos
ened grasp; the distant stars quiveret
and shrank, as a great cry rang out ant
up to them. lingering and sobbing in tn,
tree-tops like the wall of a stricken
woman.
"Oh. my God! My God!"
The little bushes rustled pitifully, an
through the parted arms of the solemn
7 trees the stars shone tenderly, even 0,
this one who knelt shivering on tn
ground. staring dumbly into the fac
of the dead.