The Shadows on the Wall by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
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a few_moments he raged about_the room like acaged wild animal .He moved every piece of furniture; when_the moving of apiece did_not affect the shadow, he flung it to_the floor, his sisters watching .

Then suddenly he desisted .He laughed and began straightening the furniture which he had flung down .

"What an absurdity," he_said easily ."Such ato-do about ashadow ."

"That's so," assented Mrs Brigham, in ascared voice which she tried to_make natural .As she spoke she lifted achair near her .

" i_think you_have broken the chair that Edward was so fond of," said Caroline .

Terror and wrath were struggling for expression on her face .Her mouth was set, her eyes shrinking .Henry lifted the chair with ashow of anxiety .

"Just as good as ever," he_said pleasantly .He laughed again, looking at his sisters ."Did I scare you ? " he_said ." i_should think you_might_be used to_me by_this_time . you_know my way of wanting to leap to_the bottom of amystery, and_that shadow does look--queer, like--and i_thought if there_was any_way of accounting for_it i_would like to without any delay ."

"You don't seem to_have succeeded," remarked Caroline dryly, with aslight glance at_the wall .

Henry's eyes followed hers and he quivered perceptibly .

"Oh, there_is no accounting for shadows," he_said, and he laughed again ."A man is afool to_try to account for shadows ."

Then the supper bell rang, and_they all left the room, but Henry kept his back to_the wall, as did, indeed, the others .

Mrs Brigham pressed close to Caroline as she crossed the hall ."He looked like ademon ! " she breathed in her ear .

Henry led the way with an alert motion like aboy; Rebecca brought up the rear; she_could scarcely walk, her knees trembled so .

" I_can't sit in_that room again this evening," she whispered to Caroline after supper .

" very_well, we_will sit in_the south room," replied Caroline ." i_think we_will sit in_the south parlor," she said aloud; "it isn't as damp as_the study, and I_have acold ."

So they all sat in_the south room with their sewing .Henry read the newspaper, his chair drawn close to_the lamp on_the table .About nine o'clock he rose abruptly and crossed the hall to_the study .The three sisters looked at one another .Mrs Brigham rose, folded her rustling skirts compactly around her, and began tiptoeing toward the door .

" what_are you going to_do ? " inquired Rebecca agitatedly .

" I_am going to_see what he_is about," replied Mrs Brigham cautiously .

She pointed as she spoke to_the study door across the hall; it_was ajar .Henry had striven to pull it together behind him, but it had somehow swollen beyond the limit with curious speed . it_was still ajar and astreak of light showed from top to bottom .The hall lamp was not lit .

"You had better stay where you_are," said Caroline with guarded sharpness .

" I_am going to_see," repeated Mrs Brigham firmly .

Then she folded her skirts so tightly that her bulk with its swelling curves was revealed in ablack silk sheath, and she went with aslow toddle across the hall to_the study door .She stood there, her eye at_the crack .

in_the south room Rebecca stopped sewing and sat watching with dilated eyes .Caroline sewed steadily .What Mrs Brigham, standing at_the crack in_the study door, saw was_this:

Henry Glynn, evidently reasoning that_the source of_the strange shadow must_be between_the table on_which the lamp stood and_the wall, was making systematic passes and thrusts all over and through_the intervening space with an old sword which had belonged to_his father .Not an inch was left unpierced . he_seemed to_have divided the space into mathematical sections .He brandished the sword with asort of cold fury and calculation; the blade gave out flashes of light, the shadow remained unmoved .Mrs Brigham, watching, felt herself cold with horror .

Finally Henry ceased and stood with_the sword in hand and raised as_if to strike, surveying the shadow on_the wall threateningly .Mrs Brigham toddled back across the hall and shut the south room door behind her before she related what she had seen .

"He looked like ademon ! " she said again ." have_you got any of_that old wine in_the house, Caroline ? I don't feel as_if I_could stand much more ."

Indeed, she looked overcome .Her handsome placid face was worn and strained and pale .

"Yes, there's plenty," said Caroline; " you_can_have some when_you go to bed ."

" i_think we had all better take some," said Mrs Brigham ."Oh, my God, Caroline, what--"

"Don't ask and don't speak," said Caroline .

"No, I_am not going to," replied Mrs Brigham; "but--"

Rebecca moaned aloud .

" what_are you doing that for ? " asked Caroline harshly .

"Poor Edward," returned Rebecca .

" that_is all you_have to groan for," said Caroline ." there_is nothing else ."

" I_am going to bed," said Mrs Brigham ."I sha'n't be_able to_be at_the funeral if I don't ."

Soon the three sisters went to_their chambers and_the south parlor was deserted .Caroline called to Henry in_the study to_put out the light before he_came upstairs .They had_been gone about an hour when he_came into_the room bringing the lamp which had stood in_the study .He set it on_the table and waited a few_minutes, pacing up and down .His face was terrible, his fair complexion showed livid; his blue eyes seemed dark blanks of awful reflections .

Then he_took the lamp up and returned to_the library .He set the lamp on_the centre table, and_the shadow sprang out on_the wall .Again he studied the furniture and moved it about, but deliberately, with none of_his former frenzy .Nothing affected the shadow .Then he returned to_the south room with_the lamp and again waited .Again he returned to_the study and placed the lamp on_the table, and_the shadow sprang out upon_the wall . it_was midnight before he went upstairs .Mrs Brigham and_the other sisters, who_could_not sleep, heard him .

The next_day was_the funeral .That evening the family sat in_the south room .Some relatives were with_them .Nobody entered the study until Henry carried alamp in there after_the others had retired for_the night . he_saw again the shadow on_the wall leap to an awful life before_the light .

The next morning at breakfast Henry Glynn announced that he had to_go to_the city for three days .The sisters looked at him with surprise .He very seldom left home, and just now his practice had_been neglected on account of Edward's death . he_was aphysician .

"How can_you leave your patients now ? " asked Mrs Brigham wonderingly .

"I don't know how to, but there_is no other way," replied Henry easily ." I_have_had atelegram from Doctor Mitford ."

"Consultation ? " inquired Mrs Brigham .

" I_have business," replied Henry .

Doctor Mitford was an old classmate of_his who lived in aneighboring city and who occasionally called upon him in_the case of aconsultation .

After he had gone Mrs Brigham said to Caroline that after all Henry had_not said that he_was going to consult with Doctor Mitford, and she thought it very strange .

"Everything is very strange," said Rebecca with ashudder .

"What do_you_mean ? " inquired Caroline sharply .

"Nothing," replied Rebecca .

Nobody entered the library that day, nor the next, nor the next .The third day Henry was expected home, but he_did_not arrive and_the last train from_the city had come .

"I call it pretty queer work," said Mrs Brigham ."The idea of adoctor leaving his patients for three days anyhow, at_such_a_time as_this, and I_know he has some very sick ones; he_said so . and_the idea of aconsultation lasting three days ! there_is no sense in_it, and NOW he has_not come .I don't understand it, for_my part ."

"I don't either," said Rebecca .

They were all in_the south parlor . there_was no light in_the study opposite, and_the door was ajar .

Presently Mrs Brigham rose-- she_could_not have told why; something seemed to impel her, some will outside her own .She went out_of_the room, again wrapping her rustling skirts around that she might pass noiselessly, and began pushing at_the swollen door of_the study .

"She has_not got any lamp," said Rebecca in ashaking voice .

Caroline, who was writing letters, rose again, took alamp (there were two in_the room) and followed her sister .Rebecca had risen, but she stood trembling, not venturing to_follow .

The doorbell rang, but the others did_not hear it; it_was on_the south door on_the other side of_the house from_the study .Rebecca, after hesitating until the bell rang the second time, went to_the door; she remembered that_the servant was out .

Caroline and her sister Emma entered the study .Caroline set the lamp on_the table .They looked at_the wall ."Oh, my God," gasped Mrs Brigham, " there_are-- there_are TWO--shadows ." The sisters stood clutching each_other, staring at_the awful things on_the wall .Then Rebecca came in, staggering, with atelegram in her hand ." here_is--a telegram," she gasped ."Henry is--dead ."

From "The Wind in_the Rosebush," by Mary E .Wilkins Freeman .Copyright, 1903, by Doubleday, Page & Company .

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