Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-12-14


chamber window. Startled, she sat
bolt upright and strained her eyes to
pierce the mysterious darkness. Aunt
Fanny. on her bed Of grass, stirred
convulsively, but did not awake. The
blackness Of the strange chamber was
broken ever and anon by faint flashes
of light from without, and she lived
through long minutes Of terror before
1t dawned upon her that thunder
storm was brewing. The wind was
rising, and the night seemed agog with
excitement Beverly crept from her
couch and felt her way to the fiuttering
doorway. Drawing aside the blanket,
she peered forth into the night. her
heart jumping with terror. Her high
ness was very much afraid of thunder
and lightning
The fire In the open had died down
until naught remained but few glow
ing embers. These were blown into
brilliancy by the wind. casting steady
red light over the scene. There was
but one human figure In sight. Beside
tiC ihC otOOti tut tbl NADutItI. Ilt
was hatless and coatless. and his arms
were folded across bis chest. Seeming
ly oblivious to the approach Of the
storm he stood staring into the heap Of
ashes ut his feet. His face was toward
her. every feature plainly distinguish
able In the faint glow from the fire. To
her amazement the black patch was
missing from his eye. and. what sur
prised her almost to the point Of ex-
claiming aloud. there appeared TO be
absolutely no reason for its presence
there at any time. There was no mark
or blemish upon or about the eye. II
was as clear and penetrating as its
fellow, darkly cleaning In the red glow
from below. Moreover. Beverly saw
that he was strikingly handsome-a
strong, manly face. The highly i'm.
aginative southern girls mind reverted
to the first portraits of Napoleon she
had seen.
Suddenly he started. threw up his
head and looking up to the sky. utter.
ed some strange words. Then he strode
abruptly toward her doorway. She
fell back breathless. He stopped just
outside. and she knew that he was
listening for sounds from vAhin. Aft
er many minutes she stealthily looked
forth again. He was standing near the
fire, his back toward her, looking OF
into the night.
The wind was growing stronger. The
breezes famed the night into rush of
shlvery coolness. Constant chickering's
Of lightning Illuminated the forest.
transforming the treetops into great
black waves. Tall reeds along the riv-
er bank began to bend their tops, to
swing themselves gently to and from
the wind. In the lowlands down from
the cave -the-wisps played tag
with jack-o' Lanterns, merrily scamper-
Ing about In the blackness, remind
ing her of the revelers In a famous
Brocken scene. Low means grew out
of the havoc, and voices seemed to
speak In unintelllgible whispers to the
agitated twlgs and leaves. The Sc
crets of the wind were being spread
upon the records of the night. Tales
of many cllmes passed through the
ears of Nature.
From gentH undulations the marsh
land reeds swept into lower dips.
danced wilder minuets. lashed each
other with infatuated glee, mocking
the whistle OF the wind with an angry
cornices of the Inn of the Hawk and
Raven scurried the singing breeses, re-
luctant TO leave n playground so pleas
Ing TO the fancy Soon the night be-
came cnldron, surging. kissing,
roaring receptacle in which We're mix
Ing the ingredients of disaster Night
birds Tapped through the moaning
treetops In search of shelter; reeds
were tlattencd TO the earth. bowling to