The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1914-11-27

/ LCuAt VI 0OOAA. ~ udu 6lIuCh lit
teen! A little eery touch crept along
her nerves and a cool dampness broke
on her skin, for she seemed to hear,
q%uavering through the wondering ST.
lence, the voice of Mad Anthony, az
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. :.
Don wait, don wait. lii mistis, er
de trouble-cloud gwine kyah him
orway f'om yo' When de clock
strike thukteen-when de clock strike
t~huhteen--"
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 II there were
some cryptic meaning in this, too? To
ssq. to him, at midnight, by lonely
fconntry road-shassa' girl? Incredible!
Yet -hsysHffd had opened to a vague
Fef0Wing fear hat was swiftly mount
ing to a thriving anxiety. That innate
superstition, secretly cherished while
derided, which is the heritage OF the
Southron-born bred from centuries Of
contact with q mystical race, had her
in its grip. Yet all the while her
sober actual common-sense was crying
out upon her-and crying in vain.
Unknown app%etences that had lain
darkling in her blood, come down to
her from long generations, we're 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
linn nipping the clover.
She was to go or the 'trouble-cloud'
would carry him away!
,As-strange expression of mingled
fright and resolve grew on her face.
She ran on tiptoe to her wardrobe
and with frantic haste dragged out q
rough cloak hat fell over her soft
house-gown, covering it to the feet. 1t
had a peaked hood falling from its
collar and into this she thrust the
r%esentful masses of her hair. Every
few seconds she caught her breath in
a short gasp, and once she paused
with. Al 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-
Their knew nor cared She was swept
on her feet and whiried 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 snufling inquiring
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 a moment to
throw on a s~ide-saddle and buckle the
girth. Then, mounting. she turned
him into the lane.
He AS thoroughbred, and her tense
excitement seemed to communicate
itself to him. He blew the breath
through his delicate flaring 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
ho0f-tattoo. She al scarcely con-
scious OF consecutive Thoughtful was
a vague tumble of chaotic impressions
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
wal she dreaming? Was she, Shirley
cambridge. really galloping down n
open road at midnight-becauss Of the
hars-brained maunderings o. : hall.
mad old negrof
The great iron gate Of Damory court
hung open, and scarcely slackening
her pace. she rode through and up
the long drive. The glooming house
front was blank and silent and its
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 wa q sense Of desertion. Of
emptiness about the place that
brought her heart into her throat with
Q 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 . ladder Of dim reddish light fell
from It across the grass. She ran
swiftly and looked in. A huddled iC-
We sat there, rocking to and fro -
the lamplight.