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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 24, 1899)
14 THIS OMAHA DAILY 1JBB : SUNDAY , DECEMBER 21 , 1800 , Antlior of "The StlcUlt .Minister , " "The Haiders. " "The Lilac Sun-Honnel , " "Cleg Kelly , " "The Heil Axe , " lite , COPYHIOHT , 1SOS , UNDER THE NAME OF "LJTTI.B ANNA MAUK. " BY n. S. CROCKETT. 'I hr Mine Itiioni , Copyright. USD. b > S H Crockett ) eni"i IH : iv. 1 can yet remember iho feelings of nvu with which I looked about mo when mv cr.imlfftther hnd If It mo alone In the blue room of the great IIOIIM of New iMllns Ho took the candles with htm , lest 1 ( should set the place on Ore Out ho pointed to n pnnnlcr of fagots eel by the sklo ol the greit nndlrons on the hearthstone. "If you need light , put n. stick on the flre , one nnd no more , " ho Bald. Then for the first tlmo In his life Tic bloppcd and kl se < l me. "Tlio Ix > rd our Oed ho a nun nnd shlulil < o jou , llttlo man1" ho paid softly , .is II Ho himself , and so went out. It was with n strange quivering of the flffth nnd u creeping of the bonca that 1 laid mo down There was no reason foi II In tbci world , hut certain It is that at the llrst gllmr o I had conceived the strongest dmtanto of that quiet room caparisoned with blue , nnd with the same puff-dieeltod hunter hunting the same woodcn-antloicd Blag all about the walls. 1 started to take off my clothes , but be fore 1 had gone far 1 stopped , listened , mid then. , hearing nothing , ran to the bed In n flight , climbing up the broad ( light of stern w Ido as at the front of a maiiHlon , .ill In .1 neeplng tremor and making a dho tor It , I hid me , head and all , deep In the clothes mid coverlets Hero I was almcfat smothered before- 1 dnred cautiously to put out my head. The great bed In which I lay \\as llko a tent On olthei side , hut much further off thin I could reach with m > hands , was a. stnight fall of blue hanging , lined with silk of a lighter hue , depending from the bar above , iwhlch was solid as a rafter. 1 looked as II were down a blue tunnel out upon the flicker of the flro and the reflections of the dunclng flames on the dull oak of the doorway. And as I liy there I can mind a strange foiling como upon me Perhaps It grow out of the- terrible thing" ) I had seen that night , pcrhapo out of the forlorn state of my another nnd the fact that never before hail I slept away from her side But an I lay there In the hluo uncertain leme of the flro- light and listened to the thousand ticking noises In tlio wainscot , I seemed to grow cons-lous of something that had happened In that same chamber. The whole story became clear to me. yet I can swear that I liad never heard It from any nurse or serv ant nor indeed , so much as known that that there wat , n blue room in the great liouso of New Mllns. I thought I saw a young lady lying ; aslcer In that sanit ) bed In which I couchc-d. Slit lay on her sldo with her face turned like jnlno , to the fireplace , and away from the window. Per awhile that was all I know Then through the multitude of the night noises I was conscious that with n longi steady push the wlndowsl ! ! rose , rose , res' , till from the darkness without .1 man's lienil looked In Well did I know that this was fantasy Yet I dared not look or turn my htatl to certify myself. . Still ( In my Imagination ) I saw the window rise till I could discern n man's leg clothe I In a , tight stocking of silk , and above that "buggy " trunk-hose , thiown over the bill InU the room Then 1 saw. 01 rather knew , that the man had ducked his head under an < l Mas In tlui room. Also I was aware how I know not thai this was a foreignuT , an Italian , whom the young lady had married , hut secretly , fa fear of her father And now this man desired - sired to bo revenged on her , because , fel low Ing her father's will , the had cast him off I could sco the dreadful smile with which ho advanced upon the bel Mo dll not como to the foot of the bed , but "wont nnd stood behind the arrasHoward the head ; then I could hoar ) IH ! hand twitching at the hangings nnd the be l Itself moved n llttlo I suppose with my own trembling M > tongue clave to my mouth's roof 1 ilnsirocl to cry out , but could not Then them came the twitching again. The- hangings moved again. The irnn'-i oiuc-1 facu looked in , his bold black oy.s Hliarkllng llko those of a. demon In lite ham ! wan a. stiletto with which I knew he meant to ntnl > the young lady to the heart I saw him ralbo lila hand till the point ol the blade glittered beside his ear. And with n , cry I awoke , as It seemed to ine In tlmo to too In the blun flicker of the dying fhmo n dark figure flit behind the tapestry to the left of the fireplace Sly heirt vv.ix heillng bo loudly nml at thu sixmo tlmo BO thickly that Its nut on recmed lo suffocate me. The bedclothes jiressod llko eo much lead upon mo and every hair on ray sialp stood bilstllng UT with terrible fear. Yet I know that I must have been dream ing For there , quietly dying out. was the flre. the faggots were nil buined through in tlio middle nnd fallen down upon a lltt o Blowing heap , the ends still on the .millions nntl the llatnes flicking each ottu-i with i curious pulsation like Iho green stieamern In the northern bky So I lay a long tlmo quaking In my nikcil bed. Iho swrnt pouring off mo , yut cold In no lioni's , us if I hnd been couching on a doorstep all that drrnr night of December. I must liuvo dozed , yet It was a troubled , unst'iblu sleep with many ntartliigj anil ninth unoaslnei-h Hut over In the wastes of the \\lntet morning , perhaps about a of the clock , I wab ht.uilcil broad awake by su h a crylriK as I had never heard before , breaking the deep silence of the night It was u cry so wild , no btiango , nnj so loud that for a lima my reasonable soul ehook wthln | mo I could lm\onuoni It came from tlio loom next mine , or oven from Immediately be hind thu arraa where I had been thu dark figure vanlbh Hut yet nothing more suc ceeded , iiml It seemed as If I mlslit have lieurd the crying in my drennib Tor the uchocs of It lingered quivering lu ray ears na I bat up In bed , trembling , affrighted , and with all my night gear damp and chill about tne AS the frost nnd the outer blackness took told on me. Tnere was no repetition of the terrible ehrlfk vvbli-h hud awakened me. nut Instead I grew conscious of n Rallied snarling , Inhuman - human , cruel us the grave , It seemed llko tk complaint of n demon from vloni n etiongcir huth snatched a coveted prey I dared not rUe I dared not lie- Mill My * * hole uplrlU wcro daubed with uuteiluble fear Vet , uoliirf but a boy. I was more , nfrald of being alone than of anything ; else I ( bought that if I could only clasp a hand 1 should be safe and happy So in the red loom of the dying flre , 1 rose , bllppcd on my shoes nnd Jacket , nn < listened crouchlngly by the door. 1 hear J moaning without which brlelly nnd sob blngly stilled Itself. Then came a whisper Ing , a trampling and the sctiflllng of line : shoots unfolded fresh from the napery cub board. At first I thought the noise vvns the worl of spirits , and iny heart was dead vvlthl ; my breast with fear But presently I hean ono cough And by that 1 knew those wh were without for humans t grow bold o the Instant and feared them no more. I desired to sco them , to speak with them Then 1 took It In my head that n glear came from behind the arras The wal hanging Indeed * wave 1 as If some ono wer shaking It , 'holding thu edge In their hand or parhaps moro exactly na If a wind wor blowing It about Yet even then 1 dared not move , for th terrible cry , the Kotiud of which hn awakened me-.rang still In my ears Ani I seemed to lieir as It had been sever , ! persons struggling together confusedly , a If ono strove to bo through Into my roor to bo at me , and another , stronger nni kindlier , restrained him. Whereas , with the childish Instinct o hiding , I slipped behind the arras an prayed that they might not nnd mo Scarcely had I been a moment behind th hanging when 1 saw a strange thing before fore men. At the very place where I hai seen the dark llguro vanish was an open lug In the wainscot. A little wicket door long and narrow , stood half ajar , and ; strong glow of light streamed in from th room adjacent. I could now hear the voices plainly , ani the human sound of them tjnvo mo cour age. 1 stole forward and peeped round th swinging edge of the secret panel. I looked Into my grandfather's room , am there I , a little trembling lad , llttlo moi than a bairn , taw that which might hav blasted the reason of a grown man to be hold. ' Tor I saw the young man Philip Stans field stand by the beside of his fathei coolly wiping the blade of n knife with ; sheet of paper out of the book which ru ; grandfather had ever used to keep on , llttla stand by his bed-head wherever h slept. It was called , as well as I knew , "flax tcr'e Saints' Rest " And at the back , with their feet upon i torn-down hanging , were two women , on of them busy handling my grandfather' body , while the other with a crisp , hlssln ; sound unfolded fresh sheets for the but out of a pretv , in the wall. Sir James wa : dead that I was sure of though 1 hai never before seen ono dead. Ills eyes wen open and stared steadfastly upward. ' HI head wambled from side to' side on hi breast as the woman shifted him from ante to the other , busily enduing him with hi : flannel night clcadlng. This last was the white-faced womai whom I had seen earlier in the evening ii James Dry son's change house , Janet Mark the wife of Saul Mark , waa her name. Th < other I knew not by head mark , but dlvine < from a certain similarity of look that hi was a bister or crony of the first. More than once Janet Mark called t Philip Stansfleld to help her with the body but he only snore at her and would not going on unconcernedly tearing fresh leave : from the "Saint's Host , " and polishing hi knife , breathing on 11 nnd rubbing In cor nern. At last ho finished the blade to his satis faction. "Now , " he said , "we will carry this car rlon out acd throw It In the river. If it b ; found we will east the blame upon Umphia ; Spurway , and bo ready to swear that ho die it , because he could not pay the rent am malls duo upon his mills. " So .s lying , Philip Stansfleld tcok the boilj upon his back , and with the women goln ; ono before and one behind , ho staggcrei out of the room and down the stairs , taking no care to walk lightly , but stumbling rathei heavily llko a man who carries on his bacV a sack of corn It vvns found afterward that he and hli nccompllcis hnd locked and barred all ic the house within thc-lr sleeping chambers being as it vvero toy and desperate , run ning needlessly great rhks , trusting to tin darkness of the night nnd the fear of the folk within doors When the murdered had gone half way down the hteps he rested his burden at r landing , and I hcird him say "Janet , taKt the knife and go BCO If tint doll's brut Is asloc-p in the blue room And If not cut his throat' " I stood petrified for a moment , as If 1 felt already the edge of the blade touch my flesh Then with a sharp acccea of ter ror I turned and fled back Into the blue room , shutting the panel after mo nnd drag ging the nrrna Into place I crept undei the bedclothes and drew them ab-ut mo la a heap. The next moment I could hear the v oninn fumbling nt the door. Then , finding U lotkod , ehu went into the apartment whore 1 hid seen them , ami after many attempts found the sjulng of th panel , which she opened , I heard her feet steal toward mi' behind the hanging 1 could not pray , I cnly lay anil shut my cyrt > The light of her candle flashed out of the ilaiK like an illumination lying yellow upnu ( Ho lids of my eyeb She crept to the b'd- elde , and I could hear her stoop ind listen I smelt the smell of raw spirits A lock uf hn lei sonea Inlr fell across my fate and tltkled It , to that perforce I hnd to raise mj haul nnd rub my face At this I thought I wn.i done frr But It proved my sihat on Klthnr slip considered me to be asleep rr was averse to more bloodshed However that may be. slie retreated step by step to the airas and disappeared behind It. a whlto gleam of candlelight lingering at the end by the i'oor I beard the panel click back , and I was again alone. on u i IJH v. > The Hod ) nil thu Ice I'liu- , I lay on my bed and chattered as with deadly cold And oven then I could hoa- heavy footsteps < conio and go down the hall and then the clang of a shut door. With lint terror , doubled and trebled , of that house of fear came over me I knew not at what moment tha murderero might return nnd kill me My grandfather dead my futhci the murderer. I minded ho ft ho had called me the heir for whoae sake he had been thrust out of hU heritage. Surely ( I thought ) heft 111 como back and make an end of me also I rose uad threw my clothes about me , my fingers scarce able lo grasp the buttons , bolng numb nnd without power The window opened upward , and Betting It lo Its limit I looked out , nnd lo , on the thin sprinkling of snow , I could sec ns it hnd been dark shapes dragging a heavy' burden downward tow aid the river. And ngaln nt this moment the falntne'is came over me , nnd 1 lay nil abrotd on thu cold floor beneath the window Bill. AVhcn I carao to myself I was almost frozen to death by icason of the stark rigors of the night , added to the foam natural to my tender ago All this while , even In the depths of my swound , the voices tame to me , now high , slnrp and quarrelsome , anon more high and foaisome , again like women laughing fool ishly nnd without wit And all ovei Unit house of New Mllna there must have been those that heard , yet none ventured abroad to see the things which Satan wrought by means of his followers But my heart beginning to beat fast in my sldo and sending ( as I suppose ) the blood to ray feet and head , I determined tint 1 vvoull son what they did with my grand'athor I Hid hold or the thick Ivy branches vvithcut the window and sciambled down It vvifl a matter of eight 01 'nine feet and easy climbing Then , being once among the black trunks of the 111 trios that grew thick between mo nnd the ihcr dov.n In the valley I b.gan to IOHO feai. Tor action and the resolve tf he heart to do something ( It mattcis cot what ) ani mix hohcnts of tenor. I went stum bling and tiip | < liig , ncrw hcadjoug , now crabwlse , on hands nnd knees till I caino Ithln sight of isk Water slipping along 1 o- tvvL-en Its dark hauls , an edging of foot Ice dinging to the banks gray-white , an 1 the black water bctvvcwi dotted with lit Ic Islands and tables of f'oatlng ' lee J'oi there had been a tliau up among the hills and , according to Its wont , the Ice cima down In floating slucdoand patchcu And as I went I came nenicr to the flenl- 'tili laughter till It seuncd to ( .01113 from the farther Eldo of a llttlu plantation which hid the bridge from my vloThe old bridge of Now Mllns was a one-archcl , high-backed , narrow stone causeway thrown over the Ksk n century or two before , h lug Indeed ono of the first bridges In that part of Urn country When I saw It from up through the trunks of the trees the thouvht canio to me that If I could gain tin crnti-r or the nrchvvay before those who wcre > car y- Ing off my grandfather I should bo sa c from nil the powers of ( Mil. I'or It IB will known that even the flonds of hell cannot pass over iiinnlng water. U Is not pc mil c-l to them So , running nt full Bppml , I circumnav igated the noise and as I went , kcolng pretty high up In the wcods upon the- carpet of pine needles I could see , as it were , with the tall of my eye the veritable forn.a of demons struggling , beneath on the edge of the dark water. I had not thu presence of mint ] to think what It meant at the tlmo , but It scam oil to me that ono shaped like a man beat ono In woman's farm , who Htruggled and laughed and kicked , while yet a third held her by tno arm On thf snow there lay a dark lump which I know to be the poor corrsa ( f my grandfather thus harried and lossnj ntmit by these veritable fiends of the pit I had reached the coping cf the bridge whilst these dark shapes were- still strug gling beneath I crofwd to the further side , keeping lu shelter of the little parapet And then 1 felt more * safe for thorp vvi now running water between u At the- further sldo rf the bridge were certain dark arches which hud been half walled artoss when the bridge was built nnd furnished with a flrc- place ntid a. chimney for poor wandering folk to lodge In a kindly provision of n former ngo when the laws took cognlraneo of the Indigent nnd the helpless ns well ns of the rich rf the earth So , kecplm ? In HIP dark of the slnrtow , I slipped Into ono of thr > e and there , sheltered from the wind nnd a llttlo more at my caw , I watched what the murderous wretches did on the further side At list , between beating and chiding , the laughter of the woman shape turned to most piteous walling , ns of u soul lost to llio mercy of Rod. The weeping was that of ft ivoman In deadly , gripping pain and It had so great nil effect on mo that out of sym pathy , ni It vvrre , I whimpered llko n clog Help It 1 could hot Yet 1 Itept the sound low for fear that they should hear me. Then , leaving the woman , the nnn shipe c.imo to the edge of the water and with a dnrk wand ehaped llko n shepherd's crook In his hnnd ho gripped nnd drew inwaid to ward him n c'ako ' of lloatln ? Ice greater thin the others At first I feared tint this was some cantrip bj which they hoped to over pass the running water and como at me in my hiding place Hut presently 1 saw tint they regalded mo nrt , nor Indeed know they woio watched by mort-il eye. Then fiom my hiding plnco I hoard the leader rate the others who were In the slmpe of women , snylng that now the Job was done It behooved to finish U quickly and be gone. So at his word the two aided him to lift the dark heap from the ground nnd carrv It painfully to the cake of ice which he hart anchored with his shepherd's crook In a llttlo sheltered bay at the lower side of the Sabbath dny and folk were Into astir ns Is the custom The morning was PO quiet that at first I thought my Mippor must have disagreed with , me , nnd Hint I drenmod or doted The murder I Imd ceen done , and all the ad venture of the bridge nnd the demons new appeared unteal , till , looking out , I siw be neath mo the trampled snow and felt the etlffnres in all my limbs , nnd the brutecs 1 had received when stumbling In the dark from tieo to tree. Yet for the life of mo I could not find the panel through which 1 hnd looked Into my grandfathers room. The vynlnscot vvaa con tinuous , and the arras hung rjtilct 'and un stirred in the gray light of morning Al most I believed that Sir James , whom , in my dream 1 had seen so foully murdered , was asleep In the next room , and would presently como knocking nt my chamber door and bidding mo Hso for family wor ship I went down the stairs , nnd till I reached the front door found nothing nmUs , save certain wet patches upon the polished floor where snow h.ul melted , being brought in upon iho boots of cateless folk. nraolato looked the vviilo promenade In ftont of the house , with Its chill stone balus trades and the blown autumn leaves scat tered about upon the Uiln snow. It was with a shudder thnt 1 pissed down Iho avcnuo nnd through the gates toward the dwelling of I'miihrny Spurwny nt the mill house by the riverside And oven ns 1 did so a nnn cnmo run ning nt full speed toward the house , crying that they had found Sir James lying frozen In Ksk water , his head down nnd all the breath quite gene out of his body. After this 1 had not proceeded far when I saw two stand In the highway , nt sight of whom I stopped. H wns Philip Stansfleld I SAW THAT WHICH MIGHT HAVE BLASTED THE ItKASON 01" A' ' OHOWN MAN TO BEHOLD. bridge Upon this , with infinite care , they laid tlio body And then the black shape that hnd chidden the others &ct the shank of his ciook to the edge of the ciKe of lee nnd "stelkd" against It with all his might. 1 saw It ttnn slowly like a wheel upon Its n\lc Then , with the black burden still upon It , pass hwiftly out of my sight down the rush of Hsk water 'Ihen tie co.npany of demons ( as in my phantasy I had como to think thorn ) ntood ns H had been watching their strange ship nml stianger vargo depart for another world. Thereafter 1 heard them clamber , crying and -Tin : i.oiu ) OUR tou , un \ SUN AND SIHULD TO YOU , MTTLC MAN' " HH SAID quarreling ax before up the bank , and to disappear out of my sight How I reached the bluu chamber where I had tiecn left to bleep I know not. I re member nothing whatever of the journey back Yet I must have found my way through the pluo trees out of the dark plan tation and clambered again up the frostbitten ten Ivy Kor the poor Mut who made the | morning fires found mo stiff and cold , lying 1 within my chamber , the window open , my fate all scratched and bleeding , and the cov- crlcis lying hither and thither as 1 had thrown them when I leaped up In my haste The morning hud como richly up from the east The horizon WBH rimmed red and orange , while all the- valley swam In a eubtle liiue , blue-like turquoise. It WM the and the minister. Mr. John Bell. I went over Into the field , as If 1 had lost bomc- what , and ciecplng cautiously along with In tent to pass them , I hoard by accident the matter of their dlscoUr.'c Philip Slaimllcld was walling and lamentIng - Ing to the minister that his poor father had of late gone quite distract In his mind "You yourscll must have observed It , " ho said "During the dark hours of last night ho hath left his bed nnd Is gone wo know not where. A highland dagger also Is miss ing " "You fear that Sir James hath done him self n mischief "U'oc is mo' It Is too prob able nvoni ycbtoreen ho was bewailing his fate and even blaming you , sir , as the bourco of all his miseries " "Alas , yes , " said Philip Stansfleld , "my pcor father was lr < l to think so by that evil- hearted Englishman , Umphray Spurway , who Is behindhand with his lent And If aught hath happened to my father , I am mire that ho is at the bottom of it. And by Rod's grnco 1 will inako him hang for it ! " "A propel enoug'i sentiment , ' said the minister. "I like not Episcopalians myself " Then , making a llttlo detour , I pasbcd them and , going a llttlo way farther down In the bed of the river , I hav , a llttlo cloud uf folk assembled , all most earnestly lookIng - Ing at something I went down and mingled with thejn , but nonr ( ook any notice of me. Nor wns It likely , for thoto on IU face , fiozen In flmly on olthor side , nnd the tails of his thick , blue coat dabbing dankly In the smooth , black water , was the body of Sir James iStansfkld. Then ono lAndrew Grlevo , that had hem bis baron bailie , went In and broke the Ice , and with many hands to help , drew him to shqro , a most dismal sight to see He would have chafed his -master's fingers and drawn off hlb boots , but Philip Stansfleld , coming up at thu moment , bade him desist , urging that It was ubeloss and wicked to strive against God n'hen1 , the place being near to the cloth mill , Umphiay Spurway came out at Un > commotion , pulling hlo coat about his shoul ders and buttoning his points like one who has not slept half enough. At sight of him Philip Stunufleld crlcl ( out , "There Is the murderer of my father Seize him' Snlzo him' " < And all tinned to look nt Umphray Sput- way , who came elbowing his way through the throng and Buying , "Now , then" Now. then1" after the wont of Yorkshlremc-n. As hoon as ho saw the body he clapped down on his knc-es beside It , crying out , "My friend my poor friend and benefactor who lath done this thing * " And the tears run down his cheeks , for , though llttlo given to bhun affection , this man loved my grandfather "Seize the murderer' Hold him' " cried Philip Stanufleld And at his word two of his f n lion Saul Murk and George Johnson tuilled the 'Devils Tailor ) came forward to lay bands on him But the great Unglttbman heaved himaelf up like a lion among Jackal * nnd Mich like His chin stink out squarely with the re beard uprn It , and his brown Inlr fell eve his brown face like the mnne of n Hon. "Have any of you n word to siy to me' he cilt-d In a great voice And from hcfor the mere wind of his uprising Saul Mar nnd the "Devil's Tailor" fell back "Have you a word to say to me , Phlll Slfttisneld" he said again , turning OH th ioung man "I proclaim this man my father's mur derer ! " cried Philip Stansfleld. "Seize hli nnd take him to the great hou c. There w will Mud means to make him speak the trut conceinlng this matter" And at his words there was n certnl movement among these retainers of SI James who stood near. Perhaps the thought that It might bo as well to h friends with the son now thnt the father wane no moro. So , led by Saul Mark nnd Oeorgo John ion , n second tlmo they drew near to eclz him "I think not , " he said aloud , and , draw Ingu whistle from his bosom , which he eve wore on n lanyard about hU neck , ho blo\ \ three shrill blasts upon It , as seamen ar wont to do And out < jf the mills nnd llttl low houses there Issued n swarm of wenv crs , dyers , fullers nnd all the workmo whom Umphrny Spurway hnd brought wit him from England Every man hid In hi hnnd such weipons ns he had made shift t simteh most readily "Now , sir , " sild Umphray Spurwny , "wll you take me now * " "Tho sheriff will take vou soon enougl' ' and hang you high for this cruel murder" cried Philip Slnnslleld. frowning deeply t Hnd himself thus baffled. "Take up the bed of my father nnd bring It to his own chain her. God will discover the truth' ' " "Aye , that ho will ! " cried Umphray Spur way , standing llko a pillar of flro among hi men , as the rising sun of winter touched hi red beard And deep In my heart 1 thought , "and will help him " CII1MI3II VI. .Mnrdor Crli-N from I InCrntuul. . At the great house of New Mllna nnd litho the feudal hamlet about It there was might : confusion. "Murder1 Murder1" that won of ugliest sound In all languages wns 01 every lip. Yet none knew of rights whoti to blame for tbo deed , and many that wen Unfriendly glared at eich other , fell sus plclon leaping eagerly up Into their eyes. Philip Statistical and his party ran htthei and thither crying "Death to Umphra ; Spurwny' " Some blamed the minister. Mr John Bell. A few cried even "To the lodgt Yett , " ready to assert thnt the burden o the deed fell on my poor mother. Koi thai her son 'being ' the heir ( my father , Phllli Stausfleld , being disinherited ) , my mothoi had the beet reasons for wishing Sir James out of the way. Indeed , for two or throe hour * , the country sldo was in such a taking thnt the mosl part hastily armed themselves , and every nnn looked askance at his neighbor. Meantime the poor harried corpse lay on the very dining table where he had madt merry with his friends the night before , mid Philip StniiHllcld had set one of his cronle" at the door with a drawn sword In his hand , ordering him to cut down any that should attempt to go within It was llobln Green who brought this word to Umphray Spurwny at the Mlln house , adding that my grandmother , the poor Lady Stansfleld , had shut herself In her room and summoned to her the minister , Mr. John Bell , to hold a service. At first I was too much afraid of Philip Stansfleld , my father , and overprceeed with the horror of what I had seen In the blue room to re veal anything. But as soon as Umphray Spurway had taken me from the waterside and hi ought me to his own house I came tu myself and told him all that I had seen , only begging him to keep it secret for I was convinced that If I were called upon to witness publicly Philip Stansflcld would cer tainly kill me. The Engllshmin , who ( ns they all have ) had in him a fine instinct of law-abiding , whistled softly while I wab telling him all that I had seen. He narrowed his eyes till the pupil became no moro than a darkly twinkling triangle in his broad , rosy face. Then , when ho had asked a question or two , he went to a little desk whereon were many papers and samples of cloth , and sweeping all abide with a full half circle of his arm he bat down and squared his elbows to write n letter. This being presently finished ho folded up and scaled it carefully with his own seal. Then ho called Robin Green to him "Take this letter Immediately to Edin burgh , ' he eald "I will eaddle you a horse out of my stable that will carry you easily and quickly thither Go to the house of Mr. George Hume , cloth merchant , in the Grass market Ho is great with my lord advo cate " "Sir. " said Uobln Green. "I will gladly go. But I am an old man , and may not ride HO rxpedltlously as one of the younger men In your employ your 'prentice , William Bowman , for example" "Nay , " said Spin way , "it will bo fitter that you should go. , Take what time you need. I will keep the castle hero till my loid tend a commissary hither to make pro- tiulhltlon concerning the truth of this mobt foul murdci " "Sir , " until llobln , "say no more. Tor my poor master's take I would ride to Ixnidnn , Itt alone the little trail to Edinburgh. Kor thirty years ho hath been a good master to me , and now , when he Is cruelly done lo loath , ho shall not go unavenged gin Hohln Green's null ! banes will baud together ! " "I will accompany you some part of the way , " answered Umphray Spurway "I de- dro not that Master Philip , who Is lording It for the nonce up at the great house , should take you with that letter in your pos session I will see you past the lodge Yett in safety " So snylng , ho blow upon his llttlo silver ) lpe , for In the Wnuk mill everything was lone by so ninny blasts of the Englishman fl Ahlstlc , Just as It Is upon a king's ship at > ca. And scarcely h.id the shrill sound died uvny when the weavers poured out of their weaving sheds and wooden barracks , where : hey were renting , Into the quadrangle , and : lu-re stood waiting their master In proper ? nough ranks and companies. Umphray Spurway went out and said Komo- , vhat to them , the purport of which I could lot hear nt that distance But ho cho , o some .hlrly , whom ho bade aim them with nuia- ( ots , plsloletn and whingers out of an irmory which ho kept In the drying loft > Tor In the unsettled i -r the dry-hoL ( itato of the country , the Englishman had Irllled his retainers llko a military com- it a ml I'"or sometimes the rumor hnd run hat the dragoons were coming to cearch ho mills for Hill Polk , and HomctlmoB thnt lie wild whlgH wt.ro on the march to burn t down as nn Invention of the devil I'm ihray Spurway reckoned to make himself > afo In cither cabe Now the heart of n boy is over the same ! n oplto of thu dreadful nature of my post Ion and the aistnal and afrlghtlng experience > f the night , I was wholly consoled by the nere pleasure of walking In step with to itrong and military-looking a company of IK n , nil well armed nnd able of body If i trille rcttind-shouldcred , as Is Indeed the Aont of all weavers of cloth ( Moreover , wo wcro going to my mother B louse , and it pleased rne to think that bhe ihould me mu in such company , walking jculde Umphray Spurwny almost like a kind if lieutenant and taking an long strides as my ono man in the ranks Wo wcro going through tno croft at the iack of the mansion bouse , whence saw i llttlu cloud of people come flocking out of hi ) gateway of tbo great house They were II weaving in and out In a sort of turmoil , Ike children playing "tick" about a prcach- ng In the open air In the midst wab u nun In black whom they were hailing down be green croft He bad a rope about his ticik nnd when wo cnmo no.ir we < o.ild * ca that It wns Mr John Hell the minister who hnd been so high In favor with my grand father. Umphrij Ppurwnv ordered his man to halt behind some clumps of willow and poi o bushes that waved and fluttered along thn wntoislde. Meantime the rout onmo ilnai- orously toward us There was n gront fl" tree a little wny up the croft , perhaps n stouo'a throw or thereby from the luislipj where wo were hidden The hiving < luirr of men nnd women who surrounded Mi Bell halted bonexth It , nnd v\o could sn that the poor minister still had the rope drawn about his neck so tight that he was half strangled "t'p ' with him' " crlod the voice of Philip Stansfleld "He has us good as confessed his guilt. Wo may not be nblo at oueo to put an end to his pnrtnci , the Englishman but wo will exeuito vengeance upon this paltering rogue , who ( ns It wcie ) wns taken rodlnmled Up the tree with you dell s tnllor , and throw the rope over n branch I nm a magistrate , nnd 1 ordoi you to do It' ' Thu poor minister stood silent , his lips moving , hut not a sensible word com I ID ? from them. He seemed turned to stone , only his wild and glabsy eyes turning this way nnd that Then Philip StaiiKfleld reni from n paper a sort of warrntidlee for the "execution , " of which I could only make out the words , "Art and part lu the crlmo ot cruelly slaying Sir James Stinslleld , depriv ing him of his life and oven of his pocketbook - book , with sundry pi pets nnd moneys therein " And over as ho read he continually Inter rupted to tug at the uoo c which was about the neck of the poor dumb victim , crying out nt eich pull , "I will hive his llfo , the bwik- honrlcd rogue' " Or , again , "How like you that , murderer of my father ? " And anon. "So will I serve Umphrny Spurwny , the Englishman , nnd all thnt have crossed and harassed me' " And all the tall that followed the young man cried out fawnlngly , "Aye , servo him so , Sir Philip' " At this Uumphray Spurway smiled grlmlj , but did not otter to move baud or foot to sivo the minister till the man called the dell's tailor hnd drfccemlcd to the ground with the end of the rope In his hind "Mnko ready , " cried Philip StnusfUld to his company , who at his word set tholr hands to the rope like so many hinds playIng - Ing pianks at a hiring fall , laughing .ml jesting with drunken Jollity nbout the poor , trembling , whlte-glllod minister nnd with what a plump ho would find himself In an other w prld "Now pray your bent , Mister Minister" said Philip Stnnsfidd to Mr. Doll , "for by my faith as a gentlcnnn in flvo minutes you will bo In Abraham's bosom and right sorry I am for the patrlaich1" Then ho counted "one , two , th " But Umphray Spunvay was before him , stopping coolly Into tL" midst of them. "Surround them , men1" ho cried at the pitch of hl great voice And at his words the thirty weavers came forth from their hiding places with cocked plstoKv and drawn swords , to the great confusion of the bold , drunken sots who hid been so lightheartedly edly hauling the minister to his death Only Philip Stansfleld himself stood hla ground , for with all his half-maniacal fury no ono denied him a sort of brute courage Ho wns indeed oven unolutely and oven Indolently ready to accept the consequences of his acts. The rope thnt had been In the hands ot his followers swung to and fro over the branch of the fir tree And presently , as Mr Bell sank on his knce.s to give thanks for hift deliverance from his persecutors , It slipped and fell to the ground with the sound of a wLIp cracking "And now , sir , what means this fnrco' " said Umphray Spurway , looking sternly nt the young man , whoso face , usually bloated with drink and passion , wns now of an un pleasantly mettled pallor , like freshly cooled potted meat. j "Nny , " returned Philip Stnnsfleld , braving It out with bin hand on hl hip and his feathered bonnet cocked on his head , "woio it not for your weavers I had served you the. same. And I will yet see you swing each , bebido the other In the Grassraarket If not hero. You two wcro last seen with my father. You were drinking with him both In the changehousc- In his own chamber. You were forth of jour house all night and thcro is evidence to prove that you vvero teen casting his holy Into the river nt paht 12 of the clock yestreen , nigh to the old bridge of Ksk. " The man's arrogant effrontery amazed nnd dazed me , and I think that I was nbout to cry out In denial , but Umphrey Spurway curtly bade tno ho silent. "Well , " ho bald , "for1 that -which I have ilono I am ready and willing to answer. As you must also answer for your lawless deet In putting this minister In fear of his Ufa without trial or color of law. " "I am not answerable to a pockpuddlng ivnbstor1" said Sir Philip Stansllcld , waving his hand contemptuously. "No" " replied Spurway , dryly "Then it \vero better for you to go and prepare the replies you will make to these to whom you ire answerable Tor doubtless a question or * Lwo will bo nuked about this night's work of more than one " Tlio young man did not deign to make an)1 ) ejolndcr , but turned on his heel nnd strode i way up the green croft toward the great louse of New Mllns , of which ho had taken complctu possession , .ordering all things within it from the first moment of liH lather's death , as If ho wuro Its undisputed master. " Umphiay Spurway watched him go with tlio same gilm smllo on his face which it iad worn over Mneo I told him my tnlo \nd I bomehow know as vvrll ns If ho had taid U thnt he wus thinking how far Kobln irecn had ilddcn on his wny to the hoiihe i > t vlr. George Hume , merchant In the Ed n burgh Grass market nnd particular Intimate * > f my lord advocate , Sir James Dalrymplo of 3tnlr ( To Bo Continued ) If joa h.iTcn t a ricular litnltli j movement ot the bowels evury day you ro nick , or will Lu Kupyimr lUKcl open uml bo well tnrca In tliutlupnot violent physio or pin polbou U ilaiifi.rout 'llio tmuoilicM ciblett luustporliicl wajr or lci | Iniclliu uwUs Lit ir uui ) clean la tu tuku . I'leasant I'nluiahlu I'oiorit Tastelood IVonood. KoTrHlcken Wiakon ordrlpe lOe Ua ) Wrtto for rrco nimplu and ijooUU-t on health Aililrcn Bltrlloc lltBtd ; I oni-tDj , I Utij , Xuilml , H.w Toil. 3C : . KEEP YOUR BLOOD GLEAN
