Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-08-02
CHAPTER XVI.

A piers return. impatient at
his delay and angry at the
sight of the unfinished chores, he
paced up and down the room restless
ly, pausing at frequent intervals to
look out OF the doorway with nervous
anxiety toward the forest Sootpath.
"'Tis passing strange" he muttered,
1.-THE lads ne'cr done the like before.
# he'd thought of fear I'd say tple
storm delayed him, but such things Jas
thunder showers 'ud ne'er bother
Christopher. Nay" shaking his head,
"the lads willful and careth not That
the chores are undone."
Just then a shadow fell across tlie
threshold. Adam came forward ok
pectantly.
"Ah, bless me, Mistress TaunstoH u"
he exclaimed in surprise. "AIethouSht
twas Christopher. Happen didst See
that good for nausht as thou diqst
come through the forest:"
81 saw him not, good ADAM" the
dame replied, "but walked rapidly, Jas
am in haste to reach the house of
Sister Hemming, that my son brought
me word an hour since had been Mis-
tied by the Lord With IN atiliction of
numbness, SO I ba;hought me that my
prayers and services might be of Use
at the bedside. Did thy lad stray
away"
"'Twas after the hour of noon that
sent him to the Maryland farm with Il
trinket that l mended for the young
MISTRESS" he replied. II truth would
not ha' been in such good haste to send
it had not thy good son Josiah warned
me Of possible evil contained in the
papist symbol OF the golden cross"
The woman threw out her hand in a
manner that suggested hopeless rcsig-
nation Mt the rashness of the old man's
act and, addressing him harshly with
tragic earnestners, said: Thou didst
send thy lad with that emblem of the
black art, Adam Browdie. Forsootl, y
with an ominous shake of her head
"'twas no wonder then thar the storrl
:ose betimes, turning peaceful elements
|. into devils turmoil to bring honest folk
| to their knees calling on God TO save
them! All, sorrowfrl day!' she sighed
drearily, then, raising her voice in re.
Duke. said, "'Twas thy duty, man, tc
ha' burned the wicked trinket instead
O. sending an innocent lad with it tc
bring destruction to him.!
Adam, pale With apprehension, COW.
cred bucl, against the door. The words
of his visitor Were 80 positive and hei
| manner carried such conviction with
1t that the old man WIS already aghast
at the possible consequences of his fool
ish act.
Il must lie on my way, good neigh,
bor" Mistress Taunston lifted her
skirts preparatory 10 leaving. But
happen thy lad returneth not by night.
fall would counsel thee to rouse the
village, call the men out for search
and if aught of harm hath befalleu
Christopher as 4 result of touching thai
cross" she comt.n,.cl sternly. With O
threatening emphasis. II wot measures
must be taken ut once to force the
wcarer Of it to destroy it,"
AYE, aye" the trembling old man
concurred eagerly. "Such evil GIN.
cracks Worn for the sake o; wicked
vanity should be destroyed. 'Mayhap.
alas. enough harm hath been done
already! ALI wee Is me! Ills bad
time we ha' fallen on.''
Truth hast thou spoken. God keep
thee, ADAM"
"And thee. good dame"
The woman passed on, grim and Sc
we're, and the shadow receded slowly
| from the threshold.
That night IL party Of men carrying
torches searched the forest vainly for
the missing lad. calling his name loud
ly, then listening with straning ears
for.a response. But none came to their
strong and eager cries, the accustomed
| stiffness of midnight on the mountain
being broken only by sounds of hurry
ing feet sllrieks OF birds, reused from
their nests ky The unusn;a disturbance
and glare oflisliti, us they few.through
the trees with noisy clarpng of wings,
and the peculiar waiiirg sound .of the
wildcat as with gleaming eyes and
| showing its teeth s:vagely it Sunk
| among the underbrusl.
But it was not until morn that they
found him. At the peaceful hour of
dawn, when the sun was sending Its
first warm rays OF light across the
horizon line, tinting the sky with rosy
pink that presuged the coming of an
other glorious day OF life and activity,
Taunston Shouted to thc.otllcrs that
he had found him. aud his companions,
runnins'to the edge of the preoipicc,
saw the bruised and swollen body Of
poor Christopher. Ibid securely by a
protrnding iSot Of Il glarled oak tree
that had caught under his Jacket. toss
Ing up and down on the rushing, t,lm-
bling waters of the stream below, his
glazed eyes willie open and staring,
looking vacantly into the shocked and
sorrowing faces above him.