The state herald., 1914-09-25

teen! A little eery touch crept alonf
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
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 yo' gwine ter him. Ah
heahs de co'ot.house clock a-strikin
in de night-en yo' gwine.
Don wait, don wait. III mistis. er
de trouble-cloud gwine kyah him
erway rom yo' When de clock
strike thuhteen-when de clock strike
thuhteen-"
She dropped the Howered 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 lonely
country roadside. a 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 its grip. Yet all the while her
soher actual commop.eapca woa erwin o
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 a 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
rough cloak that fell over her soft
house, gown. covering it to the feet. It
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 nei.
ther knew nor cared. She was swept
of her feet and whirled away into
some outlandish limbo OF shadowy
fear and crying dread.
Slipping OF her shoes. she went
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 whis.
pered word. Selim lifted his head and
she patted the snufIling inquirinE
an instant before, with her
hand on his name. she led him
through the hedge to the stable. 1t
was but the work OF momen, to
throw on a side-saddle and buckle the
girth. Then. mounting. she turned
him into the lane.
He WAS thoroughbred. and her tense
excitement seemed to communicate
itself to him. He blew the breath
through his delicate naring nostriis
and nung 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 reeied out
behind her to the fierce and lonely
She was scarcely con.
sclous OF consecutive thought-all was
A vague tumble OF chaotic impressions
by that necessity that called
her like an insisient voice.
Copse and hedge new 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
OF stars. The faint mist.
tangled In the branches OF the trees.
made them look like ghosts gathered
to SEQ her pass. Was this real or
was she dreaming7 Was she. Shirley
cambridge, really galioping down mn
open road at mldnight-bcoauso OF the
hare'bralned maunderings OF II half.
mad old negro,
The great iron gate OF Damory court
hung open. and scarcely slackoning
her pace. abe rode through nnd up
the long drive. The glooming house.
front was blank and silent and Its
huge porch columns looked like lonely
gray monolIths In tho wan light Not
a twinkle showed at ehink or Granny:
the pondoroun shutters wero closed
There was sense OF deHortion. OF
omptiners about tho place that
brought her heart into har throat with
a aickly horrible feeling OF certainty,
She jumped down from tho blowing
horse and hurried around III, house.
Tho door OF the kitchens wnh open
and a ladder OF dim reddish light fell
from II across tho grass. She ran
swiftly and looked In. A huddird flr.