Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-02-18

ground to raise them slowly but with
deep meaning. to something which
rose from the brow Of the hill in stark
and curious outline not explainable in
itself, but clear enough to one who
had seen its shape by daylight Judge
Ostrander had thus seen it many times
in the past, and knew just where to
look for the one remaining chimney
and solitary gable Of a house struck
many years before by lightning and
left a grinning shell to mock the eye
Of all who walked this path or crossed
this bridge.
Black amid blackness, with Just the
contrast of it's straight lines to the
curve of natural objects about it, It
commanded the bluff, summoning up
memories of an evil race cut short in
a moment by an outraged Providence,
and Judge Ostrander, marking it,
found himself muttering aloud as he
dragged himself slowly away: why
should Time, so destructive elsewhere,
leave one stone upon another of this
accursed ruin?"
When, he had reached the middle
of the bridge he stopped short to look
back at Dark Hollow and utter in a
smothered groan, which would not be
depressed, a name which by all the
rights Of the spot should have been
Algernon's. but was not.
The utterance Of this name seemed
to startle him, for, with a shuddering
look around, he hastily traversed the
rest of the bridge and took the turn
about the hill to where Factory road
branched off toward the town. Here
he stopped again and for the first time
revealed the true nature Of his desti-
nation. For when he moved on again
it was to take the road along the bluff,
and not the one leading directly into
town.
This mean a speedy passing by the
ightning-struck house. He knew, Of
course, and evidently shrank from the
ordeal, for once up the hill and on the
level stretch above, he resolutely for
bore to cast a glance at its dilapidated
fence and decayed gate posts. Had
he not done this-had his eyes fol-
lowed the long line of the path lead
ing from these topping posts to the
face of the ruin, he would have been
witness to strange sight. For gleam-
ing through the demolished heart of
it-between the chimney on the one
side and the broken line of the gable
on the other-could be seen the half
circle of the moon suddenly released
from the clouds which had hitherto
enshrouded it. A weird sight, to be
seen only when all conditions favored.
1t was to be seen here tonight; but
the judges eye was bent another way,
and he passed on, unnoting.
The ground was high along this
bluff; almost fifty feet above the lCSel
of the city upon which he had just
turned his back. Of stony formation
and much exposed to the elements, 1t
had been considered an undesirable
site by builders, and not house was
to be seen between the broken she'll OF
the one he had just left, and the long.
low, brilliantly Illuminated structure
ahead, for which he was evidently
making.
The pant of dozen motors, the
shouting of various farewells and then
the sudden rushing forth of long line
Of automobiles proclaimed that the
fete of the day was about over and
that peace and order would soon pre-
vail again in Claymore inn.
Without waiting for the final one to
pass, the judge slid around to the rear
and peered in at the kitchen door.
Three women we're at work in this
busiest of scenes, and the three wom-
ems heads came simultaneously to-
gether. There was reason for their
whispers. His figure, his head, his
face were all unusual, and at that mo-
ment highly expressive, and coming
as he did out of the darkness, his
presence had an uncanny effect upon
their simple minds. They had been
laughing before; they ceased to laugh
now. Why?
CTO BE CONTINUEDO