Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1871-12-06
PENpERLEITH.
By THE AUTHOR OF 'FLoRANCE BRAND
ON 'wRoNGED AND RIGHTED, ETC.
CHAPTER vII.-Concluded.
LADY PENDERLEITH.


UNcoNsCIoUsLY she plueked and tore
at her lace ruff1es, rending them to
shreds, as she pondeled over the ques-
ton, then she continued.
Neither, after all should like her to
die there. It would worry and haunt
me afterwards. If I could only get her
conveyed away by stealth, and carried
abroad, she might be yet saved, and my
purpose effected. will think of it.
For a time, she remained buried in
reflection; then, scattering writing ma
teriaIs over the table, to give the ap-
Dearance that she had been thus engag-
ed, she rang the bell for her maid.
"Ifs very chilly, your Iadyship,' re-
marked the woman, while combing out
her mistress hair; would not your lady
ship like a fre?'
No; am not lcold' was the cours re-
joinder.
The lady's-maid, sileneed, proceeded
quietly with her duties, till noticing the
reflection of Lady Penderleith's face in
the glass, she nearly uttered scream of
alarm. There was something so strange
about the features. There was so singu-
lar a glitter in the gray eyes fixed upon
the other gray eyes in the mirror. 1t
was no pleasant face to look upon-it
was face to make ones blood run cold.
Pm downright positive her ladyship's
as mad as a March ARE said Jane
Digby, when that night she returned to
the servants hall; 'and if any one had
only seen the hexpressiOn of her face
Just now, they'd have thought so tOo.-
It wasn't human sanity. don't know
volts come to the place lately. I pro-
test Pm sometimes afraid to go about
alone
$50 am I; for there are such strange
noises, amt there?' added Susan, AIma's
maid, edging her chair closer. They
may have been heard before; but I new
er heard them. Only tonight, an I was
coming along the corridor joining the
left wing, I could have sworn heard
faint footsteps going along beside me-
If poor Miss Alma indeed drowned her
self, instead OF runned away, should
"a thought it her ghost haunting the old
ROOM
This announcement ELECTED a scream
from the pretty hOusemaid, about whose
waist Symonds found it absolutely ne
cessary to place his manly arm before
he could calm her startled nerves.
Are YOU superstitious, Susan?' asked
Lady Penderleith's maid, with sudden
gravity.
Not much
Il am; and Pm sure something dread
fuPs goin' to 'appen. Ishouldn't won
der if somebody's going to die; for, as I
undressed her ladyship, her hair and
clothes smelt mouldy, like a church
yard-vault; and if that don't foretell
desth, don't know what dOes,'
well put in Richard MaybroOk, the
pamekeeper-who, by SusaR's introduc-
ton, frequently formed one of the par
tv in the servants halI-tyou know my
dog. Snip, poor Miss Alma's favorite,
who always had kind word and look
for him, as for every one, heaven bless
her?'
Yes; everybody knew Snip.
We'll, only last night, when was
passing near the left wing, Snip began
to whine and howl, and then to scratch
at the wall like mad. I thought he'd
got rat-hole, but it wasn't nothing of
the kind. Yet Snip hOwled and scratch
ed as if he'd "a dug up the foundation;
and I couldn't get him and away till I
carried him, and I'm blest if he'd cease
bowling then. Now you know they say
dogs sure to howl if there's to be a
death in the house,
And 1 suppose, by his scratching
said SymOnds, jocOsely, that Snip was
kindly a digging of the grave, to save
expense of a sexton, and not keep the
body waitin'. only wish as how it
were her ladyshlp'sp
'Ah, Symonds, we all on US knows
you are a spite,' said the cook.