The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1915-11-11

around to raise them slowly but with
dcep meaning. to something which
rose trom the brow of the hill iE stark
ana Curious outline net eXplainAble In
itself but clear enough to one who
had seen its shape b. daylight Judge
Ostrandor had thus seen IL many times
in the past. and knrw just where 20
look Ter the one remaining chimner
and solitary gable of house struck
many years before by lightning and
left grinning shell to mock the eye
Of all who walked this path or crossed
this bridge
Black amid blackoess, with just the
contrast OF it's straigns Anes 20 the
curve Of natural objects about 4, 1t
commanded the BLUM, summoning no
memories Of an evil race cut short Ia
a moment by an outraged Providence,
and Judge Ostrander, marking it,
found himself muttering aloud as hy
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 q
smothered groan, which would not be
repressed, 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 tima
revealed the true nature Of his desti-
nation. For when he moved on again
IL was to take the road along the bluff.
and not the one leading directly into
town.
This mean speedy passing by the
lightning-struck house He knew. OF
course, and evidently shrank from the
ordeal for once uD the hill and on the
level stretch above he resolutely for.
bore to cast glance at its dlaptdatei
fence and decayed gate posts Had
he not done this--had his eyes fol
vowed the long line Of the path lead
ing from these toppllng posts to the
face Of the ruin, he would have been
witness to strange sight. For gleam.
ing through the demolished heart Of
it--bctwecn the chimney on the one
side and the broken line Of the gable
on the Other---cOu'd 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 b. seen here tonight but
the judges eye was bent another way,
and he passed an, unnotng
The ground vas high along thls
bluff; almost fift.~ feet above the level
OF the city upon which he had just
turned his back or stony formation
and much expcsoc to the elements. it
had been cOnside,ed an undesirable
site by builders, ali not a house was
70 be seen between che broken shell OF
the one he had just eft, and the long.
low. brilliantly illun, mated structure
ahead, for which hs was evidently
making.
The pant Of n dozen motors. tho
shouting Of various fart%ells and then
the sudden rushing fortl of a long line
Of automobiles proclaimed that tho
fctc OF the day was about over and
that peace and order void soon pre-
vail again in Claymore ina
Without waiting for the final one to
pass, the Judge slid arount to the rear
and peered In at the kltcheh door.
Three women were at work in thie
busiest Of scenes, and the three WON.
ems heads came sjmultaL oously to.
gether. Thers was reason for theip
whispers. His figure his head, hia
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 ThAy had been
laughing before; they ceased to Laugh
now. Why?
GRO BE cONTINUED)