The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-22
BY NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE
1904 1864 COPYRIGHT 1907 BY IRVING KING ALI RIGHTS RESERYED.

'Theres the supper bell" cried Phoebe. whose appetite was healthy. "Come, Cousin Clifford
 It having been decided now that Phoebe should make her home permanently henceforth in the House of the Seven Gables, she packed her travelling bag one morning and departed for brief farewell visit to her old village home. For poor gentle Clifford the light went out of the sunshine with the departure of Phoebe; and for another occupant of the great old mansion large hole seemed to have opened suddenly in the appointed order of things. As for Hepzibah. she was too busy with the shop to indulge in fancles and could only fret little because the healthy. helpful young girl was not With in call
 So several days passed over the Seven Gables heavily enough. An easterlY storm set in, and Clifford withdrew to an upper chamber and played melancholy tunes on an old harpsichord.
 Out of the gloom of the storm one after noon came Judge Pyncheon. How do you do, Cousin Hepzibath, and how Is dear Cousin Clifford? l could not rest | without calling to ask whether l can be l of any assistance or not. You know | cousin, that all have is at the disposal l of yourself and poor Clifford. Come 1 now, what can l do2'
 
 bath. controlling her agitation as well as she could
 Judge Pyncheon was, beyond all ques l tion, man of the most eminent respecta- | bllity, from his well blackened shoes to | his carefully brushed head. The world said so. and the judges conscience bore | Hccordant testimony to the verdict of the l world. In politics, in the church, in works | of charity. in reform movements. sn tenn | perance societies, who so strcpg and cor rect as Jaffrey Pyncheon? Who has not met men like the judge? They are ordi- | narily men to whom forms are of para l mount importance. Their field of action lies among the external phenomena of life. They posses vast ability in graspng and | arranging for themselves the solid un- ] realities of life, such as wealth and posi- | tion and out of these and a plentiful | doing of goodly works they build for themselves an edifice which to others, ! and ultimately to them, becomes the | mans character. Behold, therefore. Il | palacel But down in some secret nook, | beneath the mosaic pavement where the | man daily says his prayers. in corpse l dffusing it's death scent through all the | place. He Is not conscious of 1t, for IL | has long been his daily breath; and his | guests smell only the costly Odors flung around But that secret abomnation Is | the mans miserable soul.
 l q must see dear Clifford" continued the judge, smiling his best smile.
 You cannot see him." replied Hepzl- | bah. Have mercy, go away. Oh, do so l away! Have you not done enough to l make Us miserable?' Cousin Hepzi- | bath" replied the judge, looking for q | second as if he had just stepped out of ] the frame in the oak parlor, have done | with this nonsense. I set Clifford free | and have come here now to see If he shall | retain his freedom. l have enough evil | dence to have him removed to an insane asylum if I want to. But 1t shall rest with him. When our Uncle Jaffrey died | was found dead-all his estate went to me except your life interest in this house. But that estate was much smaller 1 than 1t should have been He wSs known to possess great sums of money invested abroad or in fictitious names to which | have found no clue. Clifford knows. ile boasted to me in the old days that he knew of hidden wealth. Now Clifford ! must give up his secret or l send him to a lunatic asylum. Stand aside. cousin, Tell Clifford to come to me in the oak ! parlor"
 Trembling like leaf Hepzibah stood aside and then fled with beating heart to | Clfford's room. Clifford was not there. She ran to the room of Holgraye. His room also was empty. Fearfully, slowly, timidly, she retraced her steps to the par | Tor
 As she opened the door she heard Cliff ford's voice. He was laughing wildly. ln the great chair under the portrait of the old colonel sat Judge Pyncheon, bolt up- right, and dead, with a bloody stain over his shirt front "Hepzibah" cried Cliff ford, we can dance and sing now. See how quiet he is. The weight is off ths dreary old world, and we can be as light-hearted as Phoebe herself.
 My Godl What is 10 become of us?' sobbed the old maid.
 Come. let us go away" said Clifford. We will leave this dreary old house. Come! Comet"
 Scarcely knowing what she did, Hep zibah threw a cloak over her. and holding | Cliford's hand, went out into the gath erng gloom. Guided by him, she know only that she was on q train speeding rapiG.y through the country. At sud- den impulse Clifford led her from the train to village station platform. Then the sudden energy which had animated the poor man left him. You must take the lead now, Hepzibah," he said, shiy- ering.
 "Oh, God, our Father" calculated poor gaunt Hepzibah. She paused moment 10 consider what her prayer should bs. "Oh. God, our Father. are we not Thy children? Have mercy upon us."
 The next afternoon when blooming Phoebe ripped out of the omnibus she saw a crowd around the ancient portal of the House of the Seven Gables. Vague
 murmurs ran through the gathering
 Judge Pyncheon was missing. The au- thortles had been sent for. There was something fearful inside the old house. Hograve opened the door to the scared girl.
 What has happened?" she asked eager Iy where is Cousin Hepzlhab?" i Phoebe" replied Holgrace, "summon all your fortitude Judge Pyncheon Is dead in yonder room, sitting under the portrait of the colonel-and Clifford and Miss Hspzibah have disappeared. Nay. 1t is not as you suspect; there has neen i no crime committed. The judges death was a natural one. and in accordance with the family idlosyncrasies. Clifford and his sister. startled at a death so sim liar in all respects to the one which caused Clifford's Imprisonment, lost their heads and have fled"
 'If there has been no crime committed,
 replied Phoebe. why not throw open the doors Call in the people to see. The au- thorities will be here soon. any way T hoped, I prayed said Holgrave,