The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-06-14

Of course, l knew he had not, but
the cub got up with a sour laugh.
Then with a murmured gruff apology,
he withdrew, saying he had a head
ache and was going to bed. And, by
Jove, what a look he gave me from
the door!
Midnight" calculated some one at
length, just as the professor finished
jolly rum but interesting yarn OF
adventure in Tibet. We all rose and
I was answering a challenge OF Bill
lngs' for a Sunday morning game OF
billiards. when all Of a sudden
scream rang out from somewhere
above. Then came greater COM
motion-two voices raised In rapid
and excited colloquy. On top OF this
another scream, louder and more pierc-
ing-a woman's call for help.
"One of the maids" Billings haz-
arded. "A mouse"
That was Frances!" I answered
him excitedly, and we all piled out In
to the hall and peered down its long
vista.
Down one of the dimly tllum,ned
angles of the great stairway white
figure darted, then paused, abashed,
crouching back against the wall at
sight of us advancing. Above her
; sounded a mans voice, and even as
she screamed again, he overlook her,
clasping her arm.
"Frances-dear, dear Frances!" he
cried. Are you afraid of me?"
And he threw his arms around her.
Come on back, dearest!" he pleaded.
"You have been dreaming
And under the light of a great red
cluster of grapes, pendent from the
mouth of a grinning Bacchus, recog-
nized with horror the yellow mat OF
hair and freckled face of Billings cub
brother. On the instant, with a bull
like roar, Billings sprang forward, but
was quicker still. But fleeter than
either of us to reach the scene were
the two elderly men, together with
Miss Warfield, the housekeeper, and
couple of maids. Frances darted like
bird to Foxy Grandpa, and then
the figures of the women shut her
from view.
Billings and I had paused, halfway
to the landing. 1t looked as though
the elder Billings was amply capable
of handling the occasion now. He had
backed the youth against the wall be-
hind, and his language was of kin4
| 1 hated to have my darling hear
Every time the other offered to ex
postulate, his father broke out again.
"You are disgrace to an honored
name!" he roared. 'And the only ex-
planation left for me to offer our
guests is that you are drunk and don't
know where you are!"
"Oh, father!" faltered the boy. And
then he turned his black shrouded
figure to the pale marble against
which he leaned and seemed to me
his very heart would sob away.
whats the matter, dad?' came a
voice from the head of the stairway.
What in thunder is all the row
about?"
by George!" gasped Billings. Ev-
erybody looked upward-one of the
women screamed. For there, slowly
advancing down the angle leading to
the landing, his yellow mop of hair
shining above the dark collar OF a
dressing-robe, was the duplicate OF
the youth covering under the elder
Billings wrath.
And out of dead, tense silence,
came his voice again:
! Cant any of you speak," He
touched. the figure on the shoulder.
who are you?" he asked in an odd,
strained voice.
The black figure turned toward him
face agonized in grief.
IL don't know" came a voice pitt
! fully-his voice, it seemed.
The cub just stood like statue for
8 moment-stood as we all stood. Then
slowly his hand went out and touched
the hand of his double. Slowly his
fingers swept the face, the hair; grad
ually his eyes closed, as though he
were sensing by touch alone.
Suddenly a loud cry leaped from his
throat
"Sister!" he shouted And he swept
the black figure to him.
Then, tossing back his head, the
youth faced us with blazing, angry
eyes, looking as David must have,
when he faced old what's-his-name.
"If there's a man among you, I'd
- " % " ~ Cd o