Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1911-10-19
5NT FREDERICK COUNTY, MD, THURSDAY OCTOBER 49, 1911


new minister chestnut swelled and
wabbled fearfully. A regretful sigh
broke from Helen's lips as she watched
the quiet brown shell that represented
the Unknown lover. Was not there
slight stirring Of the nut? No, but the
new minister was about to pop wildly
from his place.
Crack! Helen sprang back with a
delighted laugh. The Unknown had
suddenly burst into thousand white
fragments that spattered the hearth.
An instant later the unfortunate min
lister bounced over into the fire and
was consumed.
"A clear case Of suicide" chuckled
Helen, brushing the hearth vigorously.
Absorbed now In her lonely frolic,
Helen deliberately pared an apple un
til the long red peeling dangled un-
broken from her fingers. With a quick.
graceful movement she tossed the par
ing over her shoulder and watched 1t
settle into curling form on the green
carpet. Eagerly she bent above it,
suppressing little cry Of surprise.
Clearly outlined. the apple pairing
had fallen into large "U." '"The
Unknown" she breathed softly mot
yet, my dear. The right one has not
appeared. He Is still unknown. Now
the mirror test. should wait until
midnight for that Brrrrrr!
She dropped into low chair before
the hre. Behind her was the wide
doorway leading to the Office. Beside
her was an old fashioned secretary
and bookcase standing close to the
mantelpie2e. Propped against the lid
was AIMS cheaply framed looking
glass. awaiting the test of midnight.
llelen looked into the mirror pen.
siye!y. She saw a white forehead,
above which brown hair was crisply
parted. She saw level dark broWs,
dark eyes, long lashed and softly ap-
pealing In their innocence: pink curv-
ed cheeks and cha rming mouth.
Perhaps 1t was the steady gazing
into the mirror or maybe the genial
warmth of the fire that sent her sound
asleep in her chair.
At last some sound seemed to pene-
trate to her Inconsistencies, some un-
usual noise. something that should
not be. She awOke and instantly re-
allied the situation. She was quite
alone. She had been asleep, for how
long she did not know, and some
sound-there was some sound around
the house.
She sat up alert, and her eyes met
her own reflection in the little mirror
before her. At that instant the clock
chimed twelve strokes, slowly, porten-
tously, 1t seemed to the girl sitting
over the fire.
Before the last stroke had chimed
her Mortified eyes had glimpsed anoth.
er face beside her own in the looking
glass-a mans face, young. dark,
headsome, with smiling lips-and then
( suddenly vanished as Helen whirled
around in her chair and looked behind
her, for there the man must have
been.
With shaking limbs Helen arose and
looked about her at the room, which
seemed strange to her bewildered
senses. Either there was some one In
the room with her or else the face in
the glass was-a spirit!
Half fearfully she peered into the
glass once more and as timidly drew
back with u sharp cry Of fear, for
there was the face now peering at her
with anxious eyes. With sudden
accession of angry courage she grasped
the poker and thoroughly searched the
room. She was about to enter the
office when there came the repetition
Of sound that she had thought but
the tapping Of the elm branches
against the window.
Some one was rapping on the office
window.
Stealthily she stole into the room
and listened. Again 1t came, from one
Of the front windows, and mans voice
sounded from without.
"Doctor in? he called.
Helen hesitated. If 1t was some
midnight marauder she must tell him
the doctor was at home.
"Yes," she called waveringly.
"Can't you get him up, please? I'm
Sorry to trouble you, only
Helen had fearfully approached the
front windows, and all at once she saw
face pressed close to the pane-a
mans face, the same she had seen re-
Elected in the mirror. Then she saw
that she had neglected to draw down
the window shade after bidding her
father farewell. She glanced from
the window and to the secretary In
the next room and saw that they were
in direct line. The mystery OF her
''.fate" in the glass was now explained.
"Can't you wait awhile" she called
anxiously to the unknown man beyond
II don't know. I'll wait awhile If he
can't see me now. You see, I've broken
my arm.-nt least i believe so," he
shouted back, and Helen saw with
growing pity that his lips were white
and his face quite gray with pain.
Then he disappeared with sudden
ness that indicated that he might have
collapsed upon the ground.
"Cowardw sneered Helen at herself
as she threw wide the glass doors
that led to the Office porch and STEP
ped outside Under the front window
was a dark heap.
Somehow she managed to drag his
solid weight to the steps and prop
soft cushions under his back and limp
arm.
While SIZE was doing this she was
overjoyed to hear the sharp trit-tot
OF Ben's hoofs along the hard road.
The MN suddenly opened his dark
eyes and looked straight at her.
"What's that noiseP' he asked sharp