The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1915-07-02
CHAPTER viII-conslnued.

Already had she stepped several
times to her daughters room and
looked In, only to meet Reuther's IN.
quiet eye turned toward hers In silent
Inquiry. Vas be. ewn uneasinsas In
foctious7 Was the child determined
TO share her vigllY She would wait q
little longer this time and see.
Their rooms were over tho parlor,
and thus as far removed "a possible
from tho judges den. In her own.
which was front. she felt at perfect
ease, and It was without any fear OF
disturbing either him or Reuther that
she finally raised her window and al
lowed tine cool wind TO sootho her
heated cheeks, The moon emerged
from scurryIng clouds az she quietly
watched tho scene,
Perchad. as she was, In a window
overlooking the lane, she had but to
lift her eyes from the double fence
tthat symbol Of sad seclusionl 10 Hight
on the trees rising above that uuspeak
able ravne, black with memories she
felt strangely like forgetting tonight.
Beyond how It stood out on
the bluif! II had never seemed to stand
But more Overwhelmingly! the
blfurcated mass OF dismal ruin from
which men mad turned their eyes
these many years now! But the moon
loved It, caressed It; dallied with It.
lighting up its topping chimney and
empty. staring gable.
Spencer's Folly! We'll. Il had been
that. and Spencer's den OF dissipation.
too! There were great tales--but It
was not OF these abe WAS thinking, but
OF the night OF storm--tot the greatest
storm OF which any record remained
I'm Shelby when the wind tore down
branches and toppled down chimneys;
when cattle were smitten In the neld
and men on the highway: and the
bluff towering overhead, Jared into
Game, and the house which was Ito
glory WAS smitten apart by the do
scending bolt IA by Titan sword. and
biared like II beacon to the sky.
This was long before she herself
had como TO Shelby; but she had been
. told the story 40 often that II was
quito vivid 10 her, The family had
been gone for months, and so no pity
mingled with the excitement Not TIL
the following day did the awful nature
OF the event break In It's full horror
upon tho town Among the ruins. In
a closet which the names had spared.
they found hunched up In one corner
tho body OF a man. In whose scared
throat wound appeared which had
net been made by lightning or hre.
Spencer, Spencer himself. returned.
they knew not how. to die Of this self
inflicted wound. IN the dark corner OF
his grand but neglected dwelling.
But as she continued TO survey It the
clouds came trooping up once more.
and the vision was wiped out, and
with Il all memories save those OF y
nearer trouble--a moro pressing no
cesslty,
Withdrawing from the window, she
erept again 10 Reuther's room and
peered carefully In. Innocence was
asleep at last. Lighting candle and
shielding II with her hand. she gared
long and earnestly at Reuther's sweet
face. Yes, she twas right Sorrow
was slowly sappiny the fountain OF
her darltns's youth. II Reuther was
T. be savet hope must come soon.
with a sob and prayer the mother
left the room. sna locking herself into
her own, sat down at last TO face the
new perples.ty. the mcnsirous enigma
which had come iato hee life.
II had followed In natural sequence
frum a proposal made BY the Judge
that some attention should be given
his long,neglected MONS. He had said
on rising from the breakfast table
(the words are more or less impos'
tanp
All TH1tlt spEEf va aNubA~ !Sa'
Mrs. Scoyule, but II you have time
this morning. will you clean UP nay
study before | lcave' The carriage
Is ordered for Aalt.pass nine
The task vas one che had long de-
sired to perform. Giving Reuther the
rect Of the work TO do, she presently
Appeared before dim with pail and
broom and n pile OF fresh i,hea, Moth
Ing nets commonplace could be imAg.
sss4. 30, 70 hsr. Il not to him, there