The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-05-11

gets dOOQe. Up anu uOWu TIC ulSu~
way not a human being could be seen:
and a great blue heron, rising from a
distant bayou, and lazily spreading his
glistening wings over the tree-tops,
only intensified the loneliness OF the
scene.
1t was, then, with i~nexpressibIe
amazement, almost terror, that Cod
win, having walked twenty-five or
thirty steps down this new road, in
stinctively turning his head, beheld a
man coming a few yards behind him.
Whence had he come? There was DO
underground in which he could have
lain concealed; there was no large
tree behind which he could have hid
den; there was no ditch out Of which
he could havecra wled. Had he drop
ed from the clouds? Had he risen
from the caverns Of the earth? Cod
win stood, incapable Of movement, fac
ing the stranger. The latter was a
heavily-built foreign-looking, sailor
like man, of middle age, wearing cor
duroy trousers stuck in his boots
what seamen call a heavy ~pea-Jachet,
and a green fuzzy cap, n he was
bent a little forward by a pack carried
on his shoulders. Most wonderful OF
all. there on that solitary road ne
evinced not the slightest recognition
Of the presence Of a fellow-mortal:
but, with eyes set straight ahead, pass
ed-a solemn, silent, awful creature
on his way. The sleeve or the rOuSh
pea Jacket almost brushed the cnest
/ Of the other shuddering figure in this
! weird tableau ON the country nigh
way, and the timber cutter, nke al
automatOn, followed with staring eyes
the receding apparition. FIFTY yarcS
further on the peddler from another
world suddenly halted in his tracks,
AS if an unseen giant hand had been
laid upon him; he trembled and snooA
from head I foot, as If struck by
ten thousand electric volts; his form
waved up and down, like a curtain
making ~serpentine folds in a gust OF
wind: he faded-grew dim and neou-
lous-then disappeared.
Joseph Godwin's grit had never be-
fore been broken, but he sat fiat down
on the road, knocked all TO pieces
and it was some time before he could
pull himself together, and pursue his
journey.
II was getting dark when he reach
ed Targets place, where he was re
ceiyed with as much cOrdiality as the
man of the house seemed capable of
showing. 1t was a twO-stOry frame
dwelling, with the front door opening
flush on the sitting room, ~ also III
the dining room. A rear door led TO
the kitchen and back piazza; there
was = bedroom on the left, AND d
staircase ran up from the sitting room
10 the second floor. Mrs. Hargett was
a tall, thin woman, with the Whltest
face. Goodwin thought, that he had
ever seen, with the i~ndefinable capacl-
tv of expressing terror, mentioned by
Dickens in describing the pool widow
in 'Barnaby Rudge," If there were
any other members OF the family the
newcomer saw nothing of them.
While Mrs. Hargett was moTine
about, getting supper ready, there was
desultory, commonplace talk, durlnG
which Goodwin remarked hat the
country seemed to be thinly settled, as
he had seen almost no people on the
road. but had been overtaken 0! :
=. sailor-looking peddler, going on TO- De
scribe his appearance. At the "oras
the woman threw her apron up TO mel
face. and hurried into the ADJOINING
bedroom, where the guest heard he
sink on her knees with a stlf1ed groan
The husband followed, and there "aE
y conversation in a suppressed Olie
, the mans voice full of age and anS
! remOnstrance. He came back "ltlou
a word, and when his wife returned
she was composed, but her face wa
more CHASTITY, if possible, than DeloIe
Supper passed in almost complete 81
. 1pnce and shortly afterwards GodWll
, was shown to his room, which was a
= the head of tn estairs. He began t
feel a strong distrust o. his employer
> and without being able to explain
WHY. he darkly connected him VII
= the mysterious peddler. But his tire
: bodv's demand was imperative, an
= he was soon in a deep sleep.
- Goodwin did not know time Q
night if was, when he awOke M aa
M in bed with a start, at the SCUM
= of footsteps tramping over the noe
= below. a heavy body violently draSSe
: along, deep, agonizing, groans, n
sound as of gurgling in the throa
Lighting the lamp on the table ne ru5n
o. ed down stairs. to find all quiet dn
undisturbed. the supper table ID II
=, middle of the floor, while through IN
omen door he plainly saw the INA
and wife in bed and heard the dee
=, measured breathing Of the farmer. b
hegan TO believe that he had starte
n 70 run crazy down at the slgn-poar
on the road. and then he decided tcs
a heavy supper had given him II
= NIGHTMARE; but, as he went back !
! to his room. he resolved that the1
~ would he no contract between him ar
Abel Hargett.
Ell Not a word was said the next morl
e. ing of any. noises the night oetol
" and for the two following days do'
II win was busy with the timber aiot
lg the creek, interested in his WORK,
pit spite of the dubious
ii Targets plant was situated at u
st iuncture of two streams with II
e. forest growth on 10Th sides for mis-