Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1935-01-24
EBONY WATERS


serted since the middle Of the Eight
eenth century. Why. here comes Miss
Mercer and Mr.. Fleming"
Janet and Arthur waved to them
gaily. came up the rough road with
swift eager feet.
what do you suppose we've discov-
ered-there are tablets in that old
church: and one of them is to a DIR.
August Lostland, founder Of Lostland
academy. who died In the year 1893
aged nearly one hundred"
Janet and Berenice had clasped
hands on meeting as IL their vitality
and youth went naturally in search
Of a comrade. Wilton thought he had
never seen two young women who so
seemed to heighten each others beauty.
The blue and brown eyes shone with
mutual friendliness. Berenice's sway
ing grace. her etherealized look, the
aura of seclusion and isolation sur
rounding her. blended well with
Janet's warmer beauty, its secrets to
be revealed In other avenues than the
long classic roads of English htera-
ture.
you should be well educated, Miss
Bracebrldge," Fleming said. with the
four of us always buzzing about"
Il shall be very happy" she an
swered simply. would you like to
see the old church. too" she ad-
dressed Wilton.
The old meeting house was built in
the Christopher Wren style of archi-
lecture, with galleries and q choir
loft; the Ten Commandments facing
on one side Of the pulpit and the
Lords Prayer on the other. The four
climbed to the choir loft, and from
their position above a circular clock
surveyed the high, square pews. As
they stood there figure appeared in
the doorway left open at the other
end, and Gordon Haskell stepped eau
tiously over the sill.
"Stand back" Berenice whispered.
''Pll lean over the railing. He'll be so
surprised" She took off her hat and
waited until he was nearly beneath
the gallery: then without word stood
by the rail looking down at him. He
gazed up at her-grew very white and
turned abruptly.
Guardian" she called, Don't you
know me? It's Berenicel"
Either he did not hear her or did
not want to hear her. for he strobe out
Of the building. She turned with a
puzzled air. HE saw me-he must
have seen me-"
Wilton was sure he had seen her /;
also that he looked like a man
thoroughly frightened. Had he mis-
taken her for some one else?
II wonder what Mr.. Haskell wanted
don't ever remember seeing him en-
ter this place. He looked at me as
II he thought me a ghost. / suppose
in this dim light had strange ap-
pearance. did not mean to frighten
him."
Before she ceased speaking heavy
footsteps were heard coming down
the staircase of the belfry. 'This place
seems a kind of Mecca this after
noon,' Janet remarked. Arthur and
Wilton exchanged glances with an I'M
spoken mutual agreement that to stay
just where they were was the thing
to do. The footsteps had stopped mid
way of the descent, and they heard
kind Of growing sound, as If a man
were angry with some absent indi-
viduaL Then the footsteps began
again, and in the aisle finally appeared
the hulking form of Balder. He
lurched rather than walked down the
aisle, and was out In the air before
they had quite recovered themselves.
"My guardian was probably hunting
Balder. He often goes up In that
tower, Martha says-though how she
knows 1t l don't know. unless Balder
tells her. wonder If he keeps a
treasure chest up there"
Voices reached them. They heard
Haskell say: 1--WE caught you at last
you ruffian."
A growing bass replied: "You are
always spying on me-you arel You
didn't stay long In the church, did
you'll"
Lets see the belfry," Janet said,
to divert attention from this CONVEX
s4 o.
They b. gan the ascent of the mar
row, winding stairs, the men first
Janet and Berenice lodging cobwebs
and holding the folds of their skirts
from the duf The almost ladder-like
stairs ended at platform and closed
door. Arthur turned the handle.
Locked. Here, Wilton, we return"
81 wonder If Balder keeps his val
uables In here-barring fire. should
think it would be very safe bank"
HE has no right to lock this door,"
Berenice said. "The meeting house is
no ones property now-unless mine.
Mr.. Haskell told me once that years
ago this village was on the academy
land. the Inhabitants held ground
leases" They stood looking at the
closed door for moment, then Janet
turned down. The four walked up the
road together in the wild beauty of
the sunset, Janet wishing that they