Democratic messenger., 1911-11-25
THE
SHADOW
A Story of
Hypnotism
BY ETHEL B. HAYNES
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.
BY ETHEL B. HAYNES
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

Estella Brooks looked wistfully Mt
the prospective buyer. I'm very anx-
ious 10 sell the place" she said slowly.
"Your offer ~ satisfactory to me, but
I | hardly think you will want 1t after
have told you about the shadow" As
she uttered the last word all the color
forsook her cheeks. and she looked
years older
"You needn't say a word about 1t un-
less you want TO relieve your mind.
I'll take 1t even II the shadow is
ghost" assured Mr.. Baker warmly.
1T isn't an ordinary ghost" protest
ed Estella. In fact, It isn't ghost
anyway. tell myself can't believe
In them aud be member of the
church al the same time, but it's very
queer that the shadow should be there.
| just the same"
"Show 1t TO mc, please" requested
Mr.. Brooks. aud In silence Estella led
the way down the front steps to the
| gate that opened into the highroad.
Here she paused and turned. facing
ed roof and many gabled windows.
Look there" she said simply. point
ing up at the roof of the house. "The
sun Is behind the clouds, yet what Is
there to cast shadow like that on
the roof:"
Mr.. Thomas Baker scanned the red
stained shingles with critical eye.
He glanced up at the sky. a mass OF
gray leaden clouds; he looked at Estel-
Ia standing beside him with every
muscle tensed her wide brown eyes
staring at the roof.
II can't see anything. Miss Brooks"
he said gently.
Estella turned a disappointed face
TO his. II was afraid you couldn't see
anything But it's there. right be-
tween the two chimneys. great black
shadow as plain as can be on the roof.
suppose It's only for the family to
see and remember
Tell me about 1t II you care TO,
Miss Brooks But assure you that
il won't make any difference in my
decision. I'll take Wistaria farm II
you VIII accept my offer"
'I'll tell you about the shadow first,"
said Estella. leading the way back to
| the deep shaded veranda. After
that. II you want to conclude the bar
gain. ! am quite ready My father
was very stern man. cold by nature.
but possessing powerful magnetism
| hat Ia, f.t fit. n
OF fear as well as love My mother
died while was II little girl. and my
sister and | were brought up under
my fathers strict rule As Barbara,
my sister grew older she seemed to
develop the same magnetism. and so
II was that her will and my fathers
often clashed over little matters and
at las, over larger affairs.
About ten years ago Barbara was
twenty and | was twenty-five. My
sister met and fell In love with a
young man who wrote poems for a
living. lie was spending the summer
in Riverdale. and he wrote verses
about Barhara's beautiful eyes and
her lovely hair aud of course he was
1 In love with her My father dscov-
cred the verses and forbade him the
house. arraigning him in the most
singing terms. accusing him Of seek
! Ing 10 marfy Barbnra for the little
patrImony that would one day be hers.
calling him n beggarly scribher and
saying other terrible things. although
| he really was II most manly fellow.
aud | liked him exceedingly. .As for
my sister poor barbara was deeply in
hove with him from the beginning. and
| when my fa,her sent her lover away.
tossing the desplSed verses after him.
Barbara deiied father to his face ant
declared she would marry Allen In
spite of everything
"That night She bade me farewell
aud went AWAY with Allen Searle aud
was married hy her own minister here
In River,lair In the morning when
my father discovered her light and
read the letter she had left for his
perusal lie led me out To the gate
yonder and. pointing to the roof Of
the house. he said sulemnly:
'Esiella. there IL shadow On our
house. Do you sec that grim. black
shadow of disgrace staining It's pure
roof: l.oos long ut II. Your sisters
defiance of ne and her elopement with
penniless stranger has broken my
heart. Mark well the shadow on our
roof for II viii never pass away-not
I'm your lifetime or mine"
II looked. and Mr. Baker. saw the
shadow. grim and black and shape
less. lying there where no shadow had
ever rested before The day was
cloudy and fosaidding. even rs II Is
now. and ye, the shadow lay there.
and II has always lain there since
that day when my sister went away.
Nearly every day my father would
take me oui To the gate and show me
/, the shadow and repeat his dennncia
tion of l.arl,am lie died i've years
I a-NA .n.f4