The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-28
heard it; never, maybe, If you had not

l NohiCu ulOs
"Well, did it not seem very peculiar
to youf I can't tell why, but trifing as
it may seem, it has made a strange i'm.
preston On me. How do you feel about
itP
The gentle, smiling face turned to her
with look which told plainly that she
also was not unaffected by it. ..
eyes, 1t did sound strange, but I dare
say it was nothing unusual. Rats per-
haps."
"Rats, iudeedw said her companion,
'There is something 1 can not fully
make out in my mind" She went on,
"Tell what is there above that room
another roomr'
II do not actually know. I supposed
it to be the roof. You know we have
only been short time in the house; and
then you know how small noises will
sound at nightp'
Here the conversation ended.
+ Rachel, with her mother, attended q
dinner party that evening, which broke
up late. She went to bed past midnight.
She had hardly touched her pillow ere
the same light rapping sounds reached
her ears It came in the same manner,
rap, rap, rap, at regular intervals She
lay wide awake and heard it. Restless
and nervous, she could not close her
eyes. ...... e..
Perhaps If her bed fellow Of the night
before had not aroused her to hear it,
she might not have needed it now. As
it was the state of excitement in which
Miss Alton had been thrown afflicted
Rachel to an equal degree. Not until
daybreak did she sleep.
The following night she heard it not,
and she slept. Other nights passed, and
she was not disturbed. She began to
think that really she had been guilty of
some very silly fears
A week after she met Miss Alton.
"Have you heard those sounds again."
she said, almost as her first words, "How
very horrid they were to me. am not
able to tell why it should affect me so,
but it does. Only once7 Well, I'll tell you,
am coming to spend tomorrow night
with you again. ] am not much of a
believerin the mysterious or supernatural,
but l want to know more what this
means"
And come she did, and the two again
slept together. Again the sounds were
heard; rap, rap. rap, tap, tap, tap. To
their excited imagination 1t sounded as
if some one were in the ceiling above
their heads striking the boards with q
small hammer.
"What can it mean," said Miss Alton,
when they arose in the morning. tell
you, my dear, if / were you and heard it
any more, would have that place above
there, whatever it may be, searched. I
hardly know what, but it feels very, very
singular TO meas if there were some
great mystery there" o..
Several times during the next two or
three weeks did Rachael find herself dis
turbed by these tapping sounds above her
bed. When they were heard she could
not sleep. At length she grew pale and
sad, and her father noticed it. And Sir
John would know the reason why she
was thus pensive and dispirited. After
some hesitation, she told him all.
At first he was inclined to laugh; but
seeing the sober, earnest look Of his
daughter he resolved to institute search
in those upper regions and discover what
it was that 80 interfered with her peace
at night. li ra7, 4a ..aG -.
After a careful investigation Of the
premises he concluded that there was
garret or loft above the room which none
Of the family had yetexplored. Assisted
by his butler he sought the entrance to
this secluded place. In the hall leading
to the boudoir he discovered in the board
ed ceiling portion that, seemed by its
square-cut appearance to- be q kind Of
trap-door. He struck it with the pole he
had in his hand, and lusty blow or two
proved his ; conjecture. right A4step-
ladder was brought and Sir John mount
ed. and thence found himself in a low
cuddy or garrett iextending under the
roof. At the apex of the roof there was
plenty Of room to stand erect. From
where he stood at the trap-doof his eye
lighted upon a sort of half cupola or sky
light raised couple Of feet above the
roof. The butler followed and they could
hear the wind blowing hard without. As
he advanced he caught sight of apiece
Of thick rope suspended from the sky
light, which at the sides was inclosed BY
narrow glass apertures,,, The rope, urged
by the blasts that came in at one Of the
broken panes, was swinging back and
forth and striking at every swing against
the boarded side, on the upper portion of
which it was secured. ,,5s-.. ,.t......
"Stand perfectly still" said he to the
butler, "and listen" In few moments
he smiled and pointed TO thefop la-
"Don't you hear it beating against the
side of that skylight theref" said he.
"That is it, undoubtedly. In the silence
of the night it sounds to t1mid, excited
girl as ssome one tapping with hammer.
l must have the place and all about here
repaired without delay. But, bless my
lifel" he exclaimed, after pause, "what !
is thatT pointing to- strange-looking
object on the floor just under the sky
light ID Simmons, what can it be2 turn
it over and examine, n
The man obeyed, and well he might |
utter frightened exclamation when the |