The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-09-03
caught my ear, and abruptly broke the chain

and then tried to resume my reading. But
the words on the page conveyed no meaning
to my mind, and l found myself dwelling in
stead on that unwonted sound.
Suddenly it flashed upon mel had net
heard the step go away.
My door faced the stairs, and only very
small landing interviewed. 1 looked at my
watch; it was half-past l.
Obviously, none of the household had any
business up stairs at that hour-had heard
the step of burglar who was even now out
side my door? / was unarmed, and beyond
reach of help, for the bell in my room COM
municated with an empty part of the Tower,
and 1 had not yet given orders for its altera-
ton. Hastily and nervously / locked my
door, and listened long for retiring footstep,
but not sound came, and 1 fell asleep at
last without undressing. Next day 1 felt
somewhat ashamed of the nervousness that
had seized me; for, though do not boast of
any special amount of animal courage, had
never before experienced such uneasiness
/ concluded that my nervous system must be
unstrung, and resolved to take more exer-
else than l had done of late
/ asked the butler, casually, if he had been
up stairs late last night. He was an elderly
man, and had spent many years in my
cousins service, and I thought there was
something strange in his look and tone as he
replied, mo, sir; none of us were upstairs"
A confused remembrance of ghost story
came into my mind, told long ago by
chance guest, and summarily cut short by
the old squire. Perhaps the Tower was
haunted, and ghost was part of my inheri-
tancel hesitated to inquire, lest 1 should
| put the idea into the servants; but as l had
| little faith in the supernatural origin of So
called ghostly disturbances, l took suudry pre-
cautions against imposture. l had once been
fair shot, so l opened a long-untouched box
and got out a pistol that had lain there for
| two years. This l cleaned and put away in
nv room. l then ordered that candles
should be placed there in addition to my
usual lamp, and desired that the bell shonld
| be at once altered.
When evening came l sat down to my
work, and read with quite my usual attention;
but | could not recall the seen perception of
the previous night.
| About o'clock / felt my mind wandering
voluntarily from my book, although l had
not been aware of the lateness of the hour
until l oolzed at my watch; quarter of an
hour later l heard a faint sound. l listened
anxiously; it was the same step as before,
coming slowly up stairs; the step of a woman,
| for / distinctly heard the rustic of dress.
| quietly placed the lamp so that the light
would stream right into the passage, cooked
|
door threw it open. There was no one
there.
A sense of horror seized me, and / think
at that moment 1 would rather have met
any visible foe than have stood face to face. y
as it were, with an empty sound.
Next morning Bond fingered unnecessarily
in removing the breakfast things, and after
CHANGING two or three times at me as l sat
idly by the window, he spoke:
MIR. Fairfax-excuse me, sir-but you
don t look well this morning"
81 don't feel very WELL Bond" 1 replied
sBeen disturbed at night, perhaps sir, y
said the old man. pointedly.
What do you mean. Why should l be
disturbed at night?"
Because you're the owner of Morcar's
Tower, SIR"
s'Then there is a story / don't knowl" ]
exclaimed. $50 and finish your work, Bond
so as not to let the women remark any
thing, and then come and tell me about it. .
When l returned, Bond gave me garbled
version of the tale l shall presently relate in
the words of one Immediately concerned, but
he added, that since the commission of the
crime that gave Morcar's Tower its evil name
it had been haunted by mysterious footsteps
No ghost had ever been seen, but these steps
continually pass to the door of the room
occupied by the owner, and there die away
! Ny cousin, stout-hearted, practical man as
| he was, had tried ever room in the tower
without escaping from this terrible guardian;
and Bond thought nervousness, caused by
the nightly visitation, had helped to bring
about Mrs. Fairfax's sudden death.
Had he been a richer man, the squire
would have abandoned the Tower; but he
could i'll afford to do so, and in time became
accustomed to the ghost.
L -
inquired.
ayes, sir; they did. Mr.. James and Mr.
Frank each heard it before they left home
for the last time. Mr.. Frank told me him
self, sir, and said he thought it might be {
sign he wasnever coming back
"And Harry
master Harry was much younger.
don't think he rightly knew the story. Mr.
Fairfax made the other young gentlemen
and me promise never to tell it to any one
and Master Harry wasn't one to think o.
things of the sort"
ssHow did the others find it out?"
Same way as did, sir; by master chang
ing his room so often. They got it out o
Mrs. Fairfax, poor lady, at LAST
"Well, Bond, 1 suppose can depend OF
you to help me if try to find out anything
about the ghost?"
Eyes, sir; but I'd advise you to leave i
alone, if might be so bold"
"My good fellow, can't go on living her,
without trying to understand this affair.
there's ghost, there must be some reason
for his or her coming; and if could dis
cover the reason, it might put stop to thes
visits"
''Wel, sir. there's no denying that would b.
a good thing; but doubt you'll find it be
You'd you to manage"
eat least I'll try, Bond" said as he lef
the room.
That night 1 placed lamps on the stair
and in the passages that led to them, an,
made Bond sit up there that he might motto
where the steps came from. l myself sa
opposite the open door of my room, with m
eyes fixed on the staircase. At quartz
| past l, Bond called out, as agreed on, at
coming, sir;' and minute later 1 distin
, guised the first footballs. Slowly and stead
, ly they came up the stairs, SO that l coul