The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-16
THE HISTORY OF A LIFE.
~ THE AUTHOR OF CAPTAIN GERALD" 'THE
RIGHT OF Way" ETC.
CHAPTER XI.-(CoNTINUED.)

splendor an hour ago. Still, Euphemia
could just see her way, and pushed on
boldly. No doubt she should find some
turning presently, that would lead to her
own apartments.
At this moment she caught the faint
glimmer of light within twenty yards
Of her, which looked as if it came from
under door, and persuaded, now, that
Bhe had come to one of the servants
rooms, and she should find guide, so
she went up to it and knocked.
No answer came. She waited little
while, and then knocked again. Still no
reply.
Euphenlia's patience began to fail her.
Bhe gave the door one more emphatic
knock, and rs this summons met with no
more attention than the others, she
turned the handle, and pushed the door
wide open with her foot.
To her surprise, there was no light here
Of any kind, excepting the faint refec-
ton of the outer grayness, that could
Just manage to penetrate through the
closed curtains.
Euphemia was fairly mystified, and an
odd sense of awe and fear, not common
to her brave nature, crept over her. She
was still standing just in the doorway,
irresolute, when suddenly white figure
seemed to rise out of the very ground be-
fore her; and so near, that if it had
stretched out its hand, it might have
touched her cheek.
Its whta rigid face lowered yard at
least, above her, and its stony eyes looked
strai ght before it. The eyelids never once
twinkled, nor the compressed lips move;
and there was something so awful in this
utter repose, this ghastly steadfastness,
that Euphemia tottered and felt for one
second as If her senses would forsake
her.
However, as we have said before, she
was brave woman, and so she managed
TO rally sufficiently for fight.
She reached the end of the long pass
age, then glanced back over her shoulder
fearfully, to see if the Thing was in pur-
suit.
But the passage was one line of shadow
to the very end, and not even speck of
white lightened the darkness. Euphemia
went down stairs, then, at quieter pace,
though her heart was still beating in
great leaden throbs.
As she reached the hall, she heard Mr..
Roper's step, and hastened towards him.
81 have Just had a terrible fright" she
exclaimed, seizing hold of his arm with a
nervous strain. II missed my way in
searching for my room, and got into a
long, dark passage, somewhere | should
fancy, at the rear of the house"
"But you are not afraid to be in the
dark, my lovew
"Oh mol at least, I never have been
But noticing, as | thought, a light under
one of the doors, made up my mind
one of the servants was in her. room, and
would direct me; and then"
"Well, my dear?'
81 saw something so awful-so astound-
ing"
'But what was it, then?
81 can not tell you. / am afraid even
to ask myself"
'Describe it to me as we'll as you can"
at was tall--nay, almost gigantic in
height-with stony, immovable face,
and staring eyes, and was dressed in
white"
"My dear Euphemia, you must have
been the sport of some delusion."
'Do not see you now!
"Of course"
"Then, Just as plainly as | see you at
this minute, saw that creature then"
'But surely you don't believe in spir
fts?"
II don't know what I believe, George
but | know what | saw"
"These kind of mistakes have been 50
frequent, my dear, it behooves us to be
very careful. | am sure the apparition
was no apparition, and could be easily
accounted for. VIII you come and show
me where you saw it, and let me examine
the place myself? 1t could not but be a
great relief to your mind to have the
phenomenon looked into"
Euphemia drew back for a minute,
Bhuddering and then she conquered her
qualms, and followed Mr.. Roper taking
the precaution, however, to light one of
the candles she found on the sideboard
In the hall.
When they reached the end of the
passage, she saw that the door Of the
room where she had seen the strange ap-
partition was ajar, but she could not re-
member whether the had drawn it too in
flying, or left it wide open, although she
rather inclined to the latter opinion.
Mr. Roper entered with an incredulous
smile on his lips, which deepened visibly
as his first glance showed that no one was
In the room. Then, suddenly, he burst
into long, loud laugh.
Behold the ghost!" he exclaimed, as
soon as he could speak, and pointed to a
plaster-of-paris bust, which stood on the
wide mantelpiece. ...
"But it was not there saw it at all, y
said Euphemia, somewhat nettled; 'it
was standing just opposite the door, and
was besides, Of such an extraordinary
height that ! could not have been mis-
taken even if | tried"
E.My dear wife. come here and he con.