Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-02-23
Continued.

And when he stole out by the door
way through which Stephen Hargrave
mad so often entered, closely muffied,
he still had the bag in his hand.
Even when he caught up a spade
which was leaning just outside against
the step, and hid it under his coat,
ne still held the bag, and with the
bag in his hand he stole along
waiting for intervals of darkness when
the clouds obscured the moon-along
the unfrequented ways of the Hut.
Arrived there, he crossed the gar
den and entered the shrubbery.
There he stood for a while, listen
ing intently and looking round him
with keen and still unexcited eyes.
AT last. fully assured that no listen
CT nor spy was near, he drew out ms
spade. which was sharpened IKE
turf-cutter's, and neatly cut square
of turf under the laurels.
This he laid carefully aside, and
proceeded to dig, working quietly and
deity, like one acquainted with the
zse of spade, though in all proDa-
bility it was thefirst time he had ever
mad the tool in his hand.
He worked steadily, pausing occa'
sionally to listen, until deep hole
lay beneath him.
Then he took up the precious bag,
lowered it gently and tenderly into
lis grave, and proceeded to fill in the
mold
When that part of his task was I'M
jshed he replaced the turf, fattened
il with the spade, Strengthened MS
pack and smiled down at his work
accomplished-sm down as if he
could see through the earth the
bright sovereigns and the crisp notes
OF Stella's fortune.
tn. that moment of his rest slight
noise caused him to swerve ON one
side as if bullet had struck MIN.
Ii was the feeble cry OF a child.
He looked around and listened with
d scared look upon his face, such as
il had worn when he had heard SER
want at the Vale call Lucy, such as
# wore when he woke at nights from
mis- dreams.
Then he smiled, shook his head
with a contemptuous frown at his own
foolish fancy; but nevertheless set
down his spade, and advanced eau
Jiouslv farther into the shrubbery.
Al his first step the moon was OBJ
scured, the shrubbery was dark.
\ minute alter, by the time he had
got INTO the middle OF the little plan
.ation, the moon broke forth again,
ana pom ed down before him. lie
raised his eyes as something white
seemed to have sprung into his path,
ana ne fell pack with a gutteral cry
u horror.
BEFORE nIm-risen fIom the grave
uere the ghosts OF the woman and
enid VINO nad stood before him tHA'
o.a. uILter Christmas Eve, wnen ne
nau spurned them from him with a
CIuel denial and a crueler mockery OF
charity.
Yes, horrible to see, there they
stood! In the same attitude. The
ghost OF the woman was holding out
10 him the ghost of the child.
His face went livid, his eyes seemed
to start from their sockets. His
tongue Glove to the roof of his mouth;
and that fear which hurls reason from
its throne had taken possession OF his
bad, INSCRIPTIONS soul.
For moment the earth spun
around him in the moonlight, then,
with mighty effort, lie turned ana
fed.
With the speed of man pursued
by the demons OF a guilty conscience,
he bore to the wicket gate, opened it
and dashed against something
something in the shape OF man, de-
formed enough to add to his horror
something that went down before his
guilty flight like feather.
He stopped for a moment, but the
next child's wall broke the stiffness,
and once more he fied-livid with fear
and almost mad.