The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-10-24
WEEKLY SHORT STORY
ON A NIGHT OF STORM.
By Yirginia Blair.

John Douglass, tramping dOggedly
along the road which skirts the great
estates on the north shore, felt u sort
of care-tree delight in the beating OF
the storm. IL was a northeast storm
with the rain striking sharply on the
sOdden leaves and with the wind blow
ing with wild fierceness. The stately
drive showed no place or haven or
harbOr. The big houses were empty
and Douglass was in no mood to seek
the hospitality of the lodge keepers at
the gates.
Yet as the night came on he turned
into by-path. Among the rocks on
the shore he fancied there might be
some protected places-in the old days
smugglers had found caves and had
used them.
His way led him past silent house
with close-shuttered windows, and
past a garden beaten by the storm.
The late chrysanthemums were bent
and bruised, the rose bushes stripped
Of their leaves; only the box hedge and
the suf short evergreens stood
staunch before the onslaught. There
was a whirl of leaves about the top
of the sundlal. The shorn summer
house echoed holloway as he stepped
within its shelter.
From there he mad a survey of the
coast. The rocks rose in rugged mass
es; beyond them was the tossing gray
ness of waves rushing in OH a high
tide.
His eyes came back to the silent
house. There was a south porch pro-
tected by an east wing. 1t was dry
better than the rocks.
Stepping across the intervening
no Ill
on a swinging seat which hung from
clanking chains. He lighted his pipe
pulled his cap over his eyes and gave
himself up to the comfort of the mo-
ment.
PRESENTLY he dozen, and when he
walked 1t was dark. The storm was
at It's height. The wind roared through
the trees and he could hear the boom
or the waves, the flashing Of the rain
against the rocks.
But he heard something else, a step,
the silken swish of skirts, the click OF
key in a lock.
He held his breath as the door was
opened, and a match was struck in the
hall. The light revealed a girl-taH
slender, with hair that shone like COP
per in the halo of illumination. AS
she called out into the darkness, her
voice had the decisive accent which
belongs to an imperious nature.
BE careful of the top step, uncle, "
she said, and don't slip on the
leaves"
The old man who tottered into view.
wore raincoat and checked cap.
VI all the foolishness." he grumbl-
ed.
The girl had lighted a candle and
To
trfclty has been disconnected" she
said. Some one has been smoking. !
smell a pipe"
Douglass sat up quickly. Il beg par
dOn," he said, and came forward Il
TOOK shelter in your porch from the
storm. l fancied the house was empty
or 1 would not have intruded."
she looked at him, taking in the
marks Of birth and breeding. "Oh," she
said graciously, come in. You can
help me about the fire. Uncle is half
frozen and out of breath"
PLEASE command me-" murmured
douglass. He wondered if he would
wake from this dream. A moment be-
fore there had been the Loneliness. and
silence and darkness Of the storm
Now there was this wonder woman
and a candle throwing its beams over
a wide hallway, where antlered heads
and deep cushioned seats and a grea,
fireplace seemed like those of a scene
set in a play.
Ihere's wood in that carved chest
In the corner" the girl sad. "Dobhs
always keeps it there. Usually he has
the fire laid, but he's away. He didn't
dream we would come here while he
was gone. He's the caretaker. Won
know" ''-
Presently the old man was warming
hlmset before a roaring fire. while
douglass helped his hostess provide
an 1mpromptu supper.
brought bread with u.s." she ex-
plalned' and we can have toast. and
there's everything in cans and glasses
rom sarolhes TO salad dressing. Dobbs
always keeps them for an emergency >,
They drew a table to the front Of the
hre and sat down presently to what
seemed to the half-famshed Douglass
feast for the gods.
Now and then get terribly home
SICK for the old place." the girl ex-
planed. But I'm so busy in the civ
I've opened little millinery shop. Won
Know. And we let this house durin o
the summer-we simply won't sell
because would be like selling a part
or ourselves. Our tenants left last
week, and told Dobbs to go and rest
and we'd wait until he came back for
our little VISIT here. But when the
storm started this morning l was crazy
TO get a sight Of the sea and we lust
cahe-away from the noise of the city
into the noise of the storm. Don't Won
love ito"
II love it," Douglass stammered
ne hau reached the world for such
Deauty-and now to find it here!