The evening world., 1914-10-26

One afternoon toward the end Of
March a man on . big black horse
came riding through the little village
Of Blencarn near Sir Anthony's
country estate Of Throstie Hail.
He was a middle sized man. dark.
with Vandyke beard; he wore
glasses, and he rode as though half
the countrywide belonged 70 him.
which, In fact. II did.
Twice q year or so. once for the
shooting In the autumn, and again In
spring. as a rule. Sir Anthony 0yds
came down to Throstle Hall. bring
Ing with him his French valet. his
dozen friends. This timo he had
brought no friends.
On Gamblesby Fell he drew rein.
It was a still gray day; there was
scarcely a sound on the breeze: one
could hear the call Of 4 shepherd. the
bark Of his dog. and, far away. the
drumming sound OF driven sheep.
The master OF millions sat with the
reins hanging loose upon his horses
neck. gazing at the scene before him.
Then. touching his horse with the
spur. he resumed his way. making
toward the plain and home.
don the day before. and he intended
returning on the morrow: he had
spent the day in going over the es-
tate. and he intended passing the
evening in consultation with his land
agent, Gristlethwaits.
Two miles from home he took a
short cut and struck across the fields
into 4 very strange and desolats
place..
Here. In q large meadow. stands
Long Meg. and here rscline her
daughters. ..
They ARE a weird group. even by
daylight, more so Just now. for the
dusk was beginning TO fall.
Long Meg is just huge stone,
standing erect and lonely. the relic
OF some forgotten religion; her
daughters, sixty or more. lie before
her IN a circle. They are boulders.
seen by daylight: but In the dusk.
they are anything your fancy wills.
Hooded women. for choice. In all
positions: some crouched as II In
Sir Anthony was passing these
things. which he had known from
his childhood. when, amid them,
and almost like one OF them. he
perceived form seated on q camp.
stool.
It was the form OF a man wearing
q broad-brimmed hat.
He must have heard the horses
hoofs approaching. hut he did not
turn.
"You are sketching the stones?
said Sir Anthony. drawing rein few
feet away.
The man on the camp stool turned
and looked from under the brim Of
his hat at the man on the horse.
There was Just enough light t1
see his face. .
1t was a face that no man oI
woman would ever forgot. onot
having seen.
1t was not ugly. but II was thin
cadaverous. and under tho shadow
Of the hat brim, In some mystertou.
why dreadful. Now Sir Anthem,
Clyde was a man who feared neither
ghost nor devil. but when his eyei
met the eyes Of this man his fact
fell away. and he sat in his saddle
like 4 man who has suddenly beer
stricken by age.
He sat for moment like this. then
wheeling his horse. he put spurs q
II and "'l. as man flies for hts life
lie strIck into tho h!ghroAd.
A frost had set In with the even
ing, the road was like metal, ant
the sound OF the horses hoofs RAM
upon the air like the sound OF a trip
hammer on an anvil.
A detour OF several miles brough
him to the main avenue gate OF tn
Hall.
4 groom was waiting at the step
Of tho house: he took the horse
which was lathered with foam. an
the horseman. without a word. wen
up the steps.
He entered a large Galleried hal
hung with arrnor and trophies OF tn
chase.
dyde. having paced the room 70
some ten minutes, rang bell b
the mantei ana ordered the servan
, who answered IL 20 summon Gristle
|, thwaite. the land-agent.
He was a short, th'ck-set ma,
Cumbrian by birth. but with It'll
/ trace of the accent.
, Sir Anthony babe him be- seate'
ordered In cigars and whiskey. an
plunged into business.
B "By the way" said Sir Anthem!
have you seen an artist fellow abot
here-man In broad brimms
hat
0 "If he's tho man you mean" reptile
. the agent. :" believe US a man wilt
A.. Q German name. Klein. an artist.
. let him have Skirls Cottage q mont
''Klein." said tho other. In a med
, tative tone.
, He took It for three months" wer
on Gristlsthwaite. Paid In advanc
He brought some sticks OF furnitui
= from Penrith: he's an III looking chal
4 but his money 10 good; half cracked
I should think. coming here this tim
y, Of year"
i "He didn't give you any rsfsI
snces."
mo. he paid in advance; ] was
= two minds about letting him have II
place, but since old Lswthwaits
death 1t has been lying idle and goin
4 to pieces"
. "Pia ys g, have any conv'r's''o
}. 'Yss, sir" said 0rtstiethwaits. "au
Q his talk struck me - Q bit dAft. 4,
!. cannot remember all he said. but
remember he told me he hAA LIVED