The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-05-02

heart Of sound. It had struck thir.
teen! A little eery touch crept along
her nerves and cool dampness broke
on her skin. for she seemed to hear,
,quavering through the wondering 81.
.lence, the voice Of Mad Anthony, as
1t 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 yo' gwine ter him. All
heahs de co'ot.house clock a-strikin'
in de night-en yo' gwine. {.
Dom wait, dom wait. Ill mistis, er
de trouble-cloud gwine kyah him
erway fOm yo' When de clock
strike thuhteen-when de clock strike
thuhteen-"
She dropped the Powered 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 if there were
some cryptic meaning in this, too? To
so to him, at midnight, by lonely
country roadside, Il girl? Incredible
Yet her mind had opened to a vague
growing fear that was swiftly mount
ing to thriving anxiety. That innate
superstition, secretly cherished while
derided, which is the heritage Of the
Southron-born bred from centuries OF
contact with mystical race, had her
in it's grip. Yet all the while ne,
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 sud
denly compelling her. The curtain
began to wave in little wind that
whispered in the silk. and somewhere
in the yard below she could hear Sc.
lin nipping 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
homegrown, covering it to the feet. II
had a peaked hood falling from Its
collar and into this she thrust the
resentful masses of her hair. Every
few seconds she caught her breath il
a short gasp, and once she paused
with an apprehensive glance over he,
shoulder and shivered. She scarcel,
knew what she did, nor did she ask
herself what might be the outcome o.
such an absurd adventure. She nei
Their knew nor cared. She was swept
off her feet and whirled away into
some outlandish limbo of shadowy
fear and crying dread.
Slipping off her Shoes. she wen,
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, whin
ing, but she silenced him with a viii.
pered word. Selim lifted his head all,
she patted the snuffling inquirin
muzzle an instant before, with he,
hand on his name, she led him
through the hedge to the stable. l,
vas but the work of moment t.
throw on side-saddle and buckle tht
girth. Then, mounting, she turne.
him into the lane.
He was thoroughbred, and her tense
excitement seemed to communicate
Itself to him. He blew the breatl.
through his delicate flaring nostrils
and flung up his head at her restrain
ing hand on the bride. Once on IT,,
Red Road, she let him have his will
The hong vacant highway reeled gu,
behind her to the fierce and lionel
hoof-tattoo. She was scarcely cols
Gcious of consecutive thought-all wa.
a vague tumble Of chaotic impressions
threaded by that necessity that called
her like an insistent voice.
Copse and hedge flew by, streaks ct
distemper on the shifting gloom
swarthy farmhouse roofs huddled lik,
giant Indians on the trail. and ponds
in pastures glinted back the pal.
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 ol
was she dreaming? Was she, Shirley
cambridge, really galloping down an
open road at Observation-Disclosures of the
hare-brained maunderings of half.
mad old negro?
The great iron gate Of Damory court
hung open, and scarcely slackening
her pace, she rode through and W.
the long drive. The glooming house
front was blank and silent and ~
huge porch columns looked like lonely
gray monoliths in the wan light. Mo-
twinkle showed at chink or Granny;
the ponderous shutters were closed
There was sense of desertion, O.
emptiness about the place tina
brought her heart into her throat wit;
s1ckly horrible feeling of certainty
She jumped down from the BLOWN.
horse and hurried around the house
The door of the kitchens was opcl
and ladder of dim reddish light fel
from 1t across the grass. She ra,
swiftly and looked in. A huddled fig
ure sat there, rocking to and fro IL
the lamplight.
Aunt Daph," she called, "what IL
the matter?"
The turbaned head turned sharpl,
toward her. dat yo'. Miss shirley?'
the old womap said huskily. as yc
come ter see Mars John TO- he gwin,
away? Yo' too late, honey. too late
He done gone ter de deepo TO- te
ketch de th'oo train. En-, oh, honey
All knows in nah ole ha'at dot More