The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1920-08-06
CHAPTER /.

when first saw Hartley house. The
place had so much local distinction
that village not far from the estate
was named Hartley, for 1t.
Even when drenched and dripping
IN a storm which had lasted for five
days In late May, the spot was beau
tiful and charming; 1t had antiquity,
that rare thing In new land, Its two
thousand acres, handsomely arranged
for decorative and agricultural pur-
poses, lay along the river bank, with
an indented and interesting littoral
where the river was two miles wide.
had been an inferno In st. Julian's
hospital, and at the close of my last
year DR.. Brownell had asked me If my
arrangements would make 1t possible
for me to undertake case which he
thought might be profitable and in
teresting to young physician. 1t was
that of Mr.. Homer Sidney, the owner
of Hartley house.
II never saw so strange a will to
live" said the doctor when he dis
cussed the circumstances with me.
"The old man Is indomitable. For that
reason he is interesting. He lives be-
cause he Wills to live, for some ire
mendous reason of which l know moth
ing. It is enormous. You may live to
see him die; l am afraid l shall not
and he is seventy and / am fifty"
l decided to accept 1t may have
been professional weakness, but In adj
ditlon to the financial certainty offered
there was a professional interest
aroused. II DIR. Brownell were at
tracted by a human beings will to
live there certainly was something su-
perhumanly interesting about that hui
man being.
The recollection of Hartley as !
first saw 1t remains as an enduring
impression. The long downpour Of
rain had given the place spiritual ac-
cent. One felt as II the soul were
saturated.
II is only occasionally IN a normal
mind that weather works a spiritual
effect. / thought my mind was nor
NAL. but I felt the spiritual depres-
sion.
The way from the station for three
miles was through ordinary American
small farm land. Then II changed alb
ruptly. Antiquity began to show. The
driver said we were in the Hartley
grounds.
/ was so depressed by the rain. by
my own uncertainty, by thinking over
the decision I had made and seemed
about to regret. by the dismal pros
pects--or at least the uncertain pros
pects-that I should have been glad
for any sustaining human association.
AT the end of my journey soon found
such association and was thereafter
happy In II, but approaching the place
was apprehensive. My driver had
been. II not unapproachable, at least
stupid and dismal.
II somewhat astonlshed me when
suddenly he began to talk. We were
then about a half mile from the house.
II wish you had come an hour
earlier" he said.
"whyT I asked.
arm not a coward" said the driver,
s-at least, no more than usual. but I
don't like to be In here alone. and
I've got to 20 home alone"
In a fashion he expressed what
might have been my mood II I had
known more Of the place. I could
sympathlze with him. The rain had
done this for me.
"what have you to be afraid OFF,
asked. is something haunted
around hereT" II seemed as II 50
beautiful a spot ought to have this In
terest. He stopped his horse.
am going back out Of here like
scared pig" he said. that Is. IL the
old horse can stand Il. But you're go
ing TO live here for q while, and I'll
stop minute to show you where they
say the ghost walks"
He pointed TO where the river bad
eaten substantial bit out OF the bank.
making a pool or tiny bay. The road.
swerving toward the river here. was
within thirty feet Of It
cit isa't natural for q man to kill
hls brother" said my driver. "and
something unnatural comes Of II. A
man killed his brother there. and some
thing unnatural has come OF L. That's
why I'll be Just as well satisfied 10
get you 20 the house and myself back
out of here before DARK"
Get along. them said. TT looks
Ike an ordinary place to me-
TO me too said my driver. and