, 1880-05-10

pose?"
ION nothiug more substantial than
senseless talk but if Miss MacWinkle
feels in the least nervous, daresay we
can contrive to put her into another
room, though it may not be such good
one"
Miss MacWinkle declined the offer
and felt little soothed by the encomi.
ums that were bestowed on her pluck
and good sense. A handsome young
dragoon officer, who had been dividing
his attention between the two girls of
eighteen, turned to Miss Mac Winkle
and said that the qualities he admired
most of all in women we're plain reason
and courage. Miss Mac Winkle blushed.
For few more such compliments she
would have consented to pass her night
III q room where goblins danced in a
viEg, provided, at least, that these imps
did not touch her. She became the
heroine of the evening, and when the
hour arrived for Der retiring to bed,
she took collected and graceful fare
we'll of the company.
eff I see ghost l will drive him
out of the room, and rely on you to
dispatch him for me-" she said softly to
the dragoon as she departed.
"Oh, yes 1 believe my room is IN
the same passage as yours, and I'll keep
q lookout, F" laughed the officer.
Don't use firearms, though"
"No; I'll rOut him out with poker
or an umbrella"
Every body was amused, and present
ly TIE whole company had dispersed.
Soon after midnight the house was
hushed, and even the dragon, who
ought to have been keeping watch for
the ghost, slumbered in peace the sleep
of the Just. Throughout the sight not
u sound was heard, and the pair of ter
riers, who had been left free to ramble
about the house as sentinels, curled
themselves up in the passage near Miss
Mac Wrinkles door and were never heard
to bark or growl once.
Breakfast used to be served at $50
in Capt. Jaf1e's house, and all the
guests staying under his roof generally
came to it. Miss MacWinkle had said
overnight that she would do so there
fore, when the company assembled, and
the coffee, tea, hot rolls, bacon, eggs,
buttered toast, round of beef. game pies,
etc., all spread out in a tempting
array, eyes were turned toward the
door, expecting to see the heroine walk
in. But Hiss MacWinkle was late.
After aquarter of an hours delay, Capt.
Jaft1e said to the butler: Has Miss
MacWinkles maid told her that break
fast is ready?"
"I'll go and ask her, SIR" answered
the servant, and he went out. Five
minutes afterward he returned, looking
rather furried, and said 3: "The maid
has knocked several times at Miss Mac
Wrinkles door, and there is no answer"
"When did she first knock ?" asked
Capt. Jaffle.
"An hour ago. sir then she came
back half an hour later, thinking her
mistress was asleep. She got no an
swer then !; and now she's knocking
again, and she's beginning to get
alarmed"
Everybody else became alarmed all
of sudden. A general adjournment
was made to the passage, and Miss
Mac Wrinkles door was vigorously
thumped, but without any responsive
sound being evoked. The handle was
tried, but the door was locked on the
inside. "Poor thing, she has tainted
from fright !" remarked one of the
young ladies Of eighteen.
ga fainting tit does not last an hour !;
we had better have the door forced
open,' said Mrs. Jatae, anxiously.
eff we send to the village the lock
smith won't be here for an hour" OBJ
served the captain. ''I had better go
and get my box of tools and do the
business myself"
The captain hurried off, and while he
was gone, his guests, who we're now Sc
rioasly frightened, indulged in every
sort ct conjecture. 1t it had not been
for the presence of their hostess they
would loudly have blamed the captain
for having put the nerves of Miss Mac
Winkle to such q strain. AS it vas,
some of them remarked that people
ought not to be allowed to keep ghosts
on their premises, and that haunted
rooms were only good to hear Of in
novels.
Meanwhile Capt. Jafis returned, and
after some trouble forced the door open.
Mrs. Jat1s with some ladies streamed
in and instantly uttered cries of dis
tress, which brought the men into the
room. The place was empty and the
window stood wide open, thus telling q
tale of some fearful drama which must
have been enacted during the night.
1t was evident that poor Miss MacWin-
kle must have received some horrible
scare and have leaped clean through
the easement. Luckily the window
was on the ground floor, SO that she
could not have been much hurt by her
fall but where was she?
The ladies looked out, half expecting
ko oaa on 70 form, in a ho1 .Onwn