The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-12-03
THE VALIANTS Of VIRGINIA"
4 Story Of Romance = copXasht Y GU
Aehn am :Tuuucu !
raes nde snhmsn

"A little eery touch crept along hel
nerves and cool dampness broke
on her skin. for she seemed to hear
quavering through the wondering 81
lence. the voice of Mad Anthony, al
It had quavered to her ear on the
doorstep OF the Negro cabin. with the
well-sweep throwing its long curved
shadow across the group OF laughing
faces:
"Ah sees 20 gwine ter him. All
heahs de co'ot-house clock a-strikin
In de night--en yo' gwine. Don,
kait, III mistis. err de trouble-cloud
gwine kyah him erway rom 20.
When de clock strike thuhteen--wheu
de clock strike thuhteen-"
She dropped the lowered curtain
and drew back. A weird fancy had
begun to press on her brain. Had
not Mad Anthony foretold truly what
had gone before? What II there were
some cryptic meaning In this, too
To go to him. at midnight, by lone
ly country roadside. girl? In
credible! Yet her mind had opened
to a vague growing fear that was
swiftly mounting to q thriving anxi
ETY.. That innate superstition, secret
ly cherished while derided, which is
the heritage OF the Southron-born
bred from centuries Of contact with
u mystical race. hsd her In its grip
Yet all the while her sober actual
cOmmon-sense was crying out upon
her-and crying In vain. Unknown
appetences that had lain darkling In
her blood, come down to her from
long generations, were suddenly COM
polling her. The curtain began to
wave In little wind that whispered
In the silk, and somewhere In the
yard below she could hear Selim nip
ping the clover.
She was TO go or the "trouble-cloud'
would carry him away
A strange expression of mingled
fright and resolve grew on her face.
She ran on tiptoe to her wardrobe
and with frantic haste dragged out a
rough cloak that fell over her soft
house-gown, covering 1t to the feet.
1t had a peaked hood falling from It's
collar and into this she thrust the
resentful masses OF her hair. Every
few seconds she caught her breath In
a short gasp. and once she paused
with an apprehensive glance over her
shoulder and shivered. She scarcely
knew what she did, nor did she ask
herself what might be the outcome Of
such an absurd adventure. She
neither knew nor cared. She was
swept or her feet and whirled away
owy fear and crying dread.
A -
swiftly and noiselessly down the
stair. She let herself out OF the door
and. shoes on again. ran across the
clover. A hound clambered about her,
whining. but she silenced him with
a whispered word. Selim lifted his
head and she patted the snuffiing In.
curing muzzle an instant before. with
her hand on his name. she led him
through the hedge to the stable. 1t
was but the work OF q moment to
throw on a side-saddle and buckle the
girth. Then, mounting, she turned
him into the lane.
He was thoroughbred, and her terse
excitement seemed to communicate
itself to him. He blew the breath
through his delicate faring nostrils
and flung up his head at her restrain
ing hand on the bride. Once on the
Red Road. she let him have his will.
The long vacant highway reeled out
behind her to the fierce and lonely
hooftattoo. She was scarcely con-
scious OF consecutive Thoughtful
was vague tumble of chaotic impress
sions threaded by that necessity that
called her like an insistent voice.
Copse and hedge few by. streaks OF
distemper on the shifting gloom:
swarthy farmhouse roofs huddled like
giant Indians on the trail, and ponds
in pastures glinted back the pale
glimmering Of stars. The faint mist.
tangled In the branches OF the trees.
made them look like ghosts gathered
to see her pass. Was this real or
was she dreaming? Was she. Shirley
cambridge, really galloping down an
open road at NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF the
hare-brained maunderings of a half
mad old Negro?
The great iron gate OF Damory
Court hung open, and scarcely slack
ening her pace, she rode through and
up the long drive. The gl0Oming
hOuse.front was blank and silent and
it's huge porch columns looked like
lonely gray monoliths in the wan
light. Not a twinkle showed at chink
or Granny; the ponderous shutters
were closed. There was a sense Of
desertion. of emptiness about the
place that brought her heart into her
throat with a sickly horrible feeling
Of certainty.
She jumped down from the blowing
horse and hurried around the house.
The door OF the kitchens was open
and a ladder Of dim reddish light fell
from II across the grass. She ran
swiftly and looked in. A huddled fg-
ure sat there. rocking to and fro In
the lamplight
Aunt Daph," she called. what is
the natter"
The turbaned head turned sharply
toward her. Dat yo'. Miss Shirley"
the old woman said huskily. rs yo'
come ter see Mars John TO he gwine
away? Yo' too late. honey, too late.
He done gone ter de deepo TO- ter
ketch de th'oo train. En-. oh, honey.
Alb knows in nah ole ha'at dat Mars
John ain nevah gwine come back ter
Danny Co'ot no MOI"
CHAPTER xLvlII.
The Song Of the Nightingale. =