The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1915-03-26
CHAPTER Vlll-Continued.

Already had she stepped several
times to her daughters room and
booked in, only to meet Reuther's I'M
kuiet eye turned toward hers in silent
inquiry. Was her own u~neasiness in
aectious. Was the child determined
tn share her vigil? She would wait a
little longer this time and see.
Their rooms we're over the parlor,
and thu as far removed as possible
from the 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
sfae finally raised her window and al
Bowed the cool wind to soothe her
heated cheeks. The moon emerged
from scurrying clouds as she quietly
watched the scene.
Perched, as she was, in a window
overlooking the lane, she had but to
lift her eyes from the double fence
Chat symbol of sad seclusion) to light
on the trees rising above that unspeak-
able ravine. black with memories she
felt strangely like forgetting tonight.
Beyond how 1t stood out on
the bluff! It had never seemed to stand
but more threateningly! the
bifurcated mass of dismal ruin from
which men had turned their eyes
these many years now! But the moon
bowed 1t; caressed it: dailied with it.
Fighting up its topping chimney and
smpty, staring gable.
Spencer's Folly! Well, it had been
xhat, and Spencer's den of dissipation
boo, There were great tales-but II
was not OF these she was thinking. but
of the night OF storm-(of the greatest
storm of which any record remained
IN Shelby when the wind tore dowr
branches and toppled dow chimneys
sshen cattle we're smitten in the fielC
and men on the highway; and thu
ksyn towering overhead, flared int
Name. and the house which was II
glory was smitten apart by the de
scending bolt as by a Titan sword, AM
nlazed like a beacon to the sky.
This was long before she hersel
had come to Shelby; but she had bee
told the story so often that it va
quite vivid TO her. The family ha
been gone for months, and so no pit
mingled with the excitement. Not II
che following day did the awful natur
of the event break in its full horro
upo the town. Among the ruins, /
q closet which the flames had spare'
fhev found hunched up In one corne
the body of a man, in whose scare
throat a wound appeared which ha
xot beer made by lightning or fir
sspencer, Spencer himself. returne,
they knew not how. to die Of this sci
inflicted wound, in the dark corner
his grand but neglected dwelling.
But as she continued to survey it II
clouds came trooping up once NOR
and the vision was wiped out. ar
with IL all memories save those of
nearer trouble-a more pressing n
<,essity.
Withdrawing from the window, 81
4rept again to Reuther's room ar
ueered carefully in. Innocence W;
ssIeep at last. Lighting a candle al
shielding it with her hand, she gaz'
hong and earnestly at Reuther's swe
face. Yes, she was right. Sorro
was Slowly Sdpplu6 lho iOuLtdlh
her darling's youth. If Reuther W
to be saved hope must come 500
with a sob and a prayer the moth
left the room, and locking herself in
rher own, sat down at last to face Ii
new perplexity, the monstrous enign
which had come into her life.
1t had followed in natural sequen
from a proposal made by the jud
that some attention should be Civ
mis- Iong-neglected rooms. He had sa
an rising from the breakfast table
fthe words are more or less imp
eant):
Il am really sorry TO trouble yc
Mrs. Scoyille; but il you have til
This morning, will you clean up I
study before I leave? The carria
IS ordered for half-past nine"
The task was one she had long
sired to perform. Giving Reuther t
rest Of the work to do, she presen'
appeared before him with pail a
broom and a pile Of fresh linen. No
Ing more commonplace could be im'
sned, but to her, IL not to him, the