The Holly chieftain., 1911-09-08

phVv0V.
No doubt he would have insisted
upon the marriage. except for his de-
termination to keep his grandson be-
side him. Flora came dutifuliy once
week to call ON him-though he
could neither sse nor hear her. hs
knew the feel of her hand. and ate
with enormous relish the good things
she fetched him.
Lucky. me boy-that's what you
are" he mumbled toothlessly ~ hs
gulped the dAinttes. Beauty fades
but cooking stays BY . woman to the
end"
Clay came home at almost reck-
less speed. deposited bride and groom
In their several places. and tried to
sleep afterward. But the effort was
impending. q feeling that he had In
Cured risk. and needlessly.
To rid himself Of 1t he got up about
three o'clock. dressed. and went out.
side. resolved to walk until daylight.
He had got about ten blocks away.
when = quick iight-hash made him
turn about There was not q cloud
the stars burned white in q velvet
purple sky. But against It, to south
ward. he saw . mounting spiral OF
smoke. tinged ominously with red un-
derneath. He turned and ran toward
1t. shouting aloud as he ran But
strange to the place. he came round
aboutly to the fire-barely In time to
see haunting sight.
big old mansion. half ruinous,
was spouting flame from half its low.
or windows-the inside must be q
furnace. the stairs impossible. The
gratings set In the windows were red
hot, and beginning to bend-the
heavy doors still resisted. but were
blistertng outside. And at an upper
front window. also barred, though but
lightly. Mason stood. trying vainly to
wrench away the bars. Clay shouted
at him. He nodded. but kept on strus.
Cling. With a superhuman effort he
pulled away half the grating. turned
and came back again with something
helpless. shapeless. limp within his
arms.
Help was coming-men and ladders
Before the ladders could be set, the
men got up them: me-tinged smoke
wrapped the figures at the window.
As Clay reached his arms for Masons
helpless burden there came 4 blast
a. Of the pit. almost full in his face.
He reeled away from It. by . miracle
keeping hold. and dragging out the
old wreck Of man. Eager hands 70.
lieved him-he called to Mason-but
there was no answer! Fire had done
Its work. taken its toll.
Grandad never knew. He died be-
fore sunrise. Men said. even in the
presence OF death. he had sacrificed
his grandson to his avarice. It was
his fear for his boarded gold which
made him insist upon the grating.
Except for 1t. both might have been
saved.
y hate to speak Ill Of the old,
specially after they're dead" said
Landlord Ware. But I reckon old
George Mason would be right down
glad II he know he had taken his
money and his grandson with him"
Clay remained for the reading OF
the will-that same sense Of respon.
sibility chung to him. When he heard
the dry-as-dust document he was glad
0o 40u uVl SuaA6p Oh LIE u6uuIluS9.
For with much verbiage. but plain be-
yond peradventHre. the fortune was
left to young George Mason. with the
hope. not the/condition. that he marry
Flora Mcleod. and the provision that
should he<die, childless and intestate,
I his nsir should be his lawful wife.
Failing wife. the next Of kin came
in.
There were a dozen Of them. at
ffeast. outwardly grief-stricken. yet
with eager expectant eyes. Clay smiled
grimly as he rose to face them. and
say:
Then send for Mrs. Elsie Ensly
Mason. witnessed the marriage.
and have the certificate. intrusted me
for safe keeping.
To this day Ashmore has never had
such another sensation. Not even
when three years afterward John Wal
ter Clay, Esquire. was very quietly
married to the young Mrs Mason.
People thought 1t odd they did not
settle down in Ashmore-only little
OF the money would make the old
Mason place the finest in town. The
house had burned to the ground to be
sure. but the situation was unrivaled.
Mr.. and Mrs. Clay did not deny that
yet neither wanted to live there
even though they did not believe In
ghosts.