1/1911 - 12/1911a - The Lowell

THE LOWELL
"Tn faith, 'tis good to be inside this blustery night," the older one. a large,
red-faced man, cried. "Hurry, girl, and bring us something to eat and to drink.
Mo! here is our worthy host. How do you happen to be up so late, my man ?" he
ended, suspiciously.
".Sir. some late travelers, soldiers like yourselves, stopped late at mv inn
and have been gone but a short time. I have many soldier guests since Lord
Cornwall's captured this region. Alas, a poor man like myself gets little rest from
you soldiers." he replied, ending with a complaining tone.
This answer satisfied the soldiers, especially since Katrina entered at this
moment with their supper, thus diverting them from the landlord who seized the
opportunity to slip out and bring the lieutenant's horse to the door.
As Katrina set the food on the table the younger officer spoke for the first
time.
"We!!, my pretty maid," he said affably, "are you loyal to old England or a
sauev rebel ?"
"I am a rebel as you're pleased to call it,"' she replied proudly, "and you'll
find few women in the colonies who are not."
"Kaith, the women of the colonies are hot-tempered. Tf the men were as
spirited we would soon be defeated." remarked the older officer jokingly.
"Never fear. You'll have cause to fear them yet," cried Katrina holly.
"If I can escape injury from your eyes 1 need not fear the men." said the
younger officer, then turning to his companion. "We must learn more about that
road before us. Can you tell us. girl, if this road follows the river?"
"What, are you riding that way to-night, of all nights?" she exclaimed. " 'Tis
more than many men would do. You are brave men to ride by the witches' bog
this night."
"Why. what is that? Think you to frighten us with a granny's ghost story?"
one asked .'cornfully. "But tell us. anyway."
" 'Tis said that years ago," she explained in awe, "a late traveler, riding down
this n.ad on a stormy night like this saw the witches and ghosts holding revels in
the bog. They caught him spying on .them and he has ne'er been seen since." Mer
voice sank lower and above it could be heard the wailing of the wind outside.
"1'iiit on this night every year at twelve o'clock ht rides down that hill and at the
bottom disappears as when the witches caught him. You could not hire a man for
love nor money to go that road to-iiight."
The night was suitable for ghost stories. The few candles in the room cast
grotesque shadows on the walls. The wind howled In the chimney and the
thunder rolled. Though the soldiers seemed even less inclined to ride on that
night than before the story, they scoffed.
"Nonsense, go away with your witch stories: you see two ride that way
to-night." cried one officer.
Katrina gave an awed look at them as she left the room with her tray. When
SIK- wa< gone the red-faced man glanced at the clock then at his companion.
"I'ifteen minuter, to twelve." he remarked, "get out your maps and correct
that mistake before we go. and take your time. If we M>end some time here we
won't reach that bog at twelve." Me laughed uneasily.
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