Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-03-08

ing the futter Of ghostly garments in
the shadows that lurked in the far end
of the huge room. ....75s.s,.s
Yet, as the days went by, the old
grange assumed home-like look to
her. Mrs. Moreton was all gentle
sweetness and Aldebert's chivalric
Kindness endeared him impressibly TO
the solitary girl. She began to feel that
she had found refuge. But it was not
destined to endure for very long. She
was sitting at her window one moon
light night in July, long after the fami-
~ had retired to rest, when something
white and spectral glided across the lu-
minOus space on the lawn-the figure
of tall man, not unlike Aldebert Mo-
reton She started up with slight
scream and buried her face in the drua
peres of the window.
1.-THE ghost ~ she gasped inaudibly;
''the ghost!"
Nor did she rest until she had taken
refuge in Mrs. Moreton's room.
The old lady listened to her tale in
tremulous silence.
my dear" said she, "you are mis-
taken. The jewellers OF another world
are never allowed to come back to haunt
this. You were asleep-you dreamed.
uDconsciously."
"Dear Mrs. Moreton" PERSISTED Ma
rian, IT was as wide awake as am
now. I tell you saw it with my own
eyes. 1t was tall and white, and oh
how ghastly!"
She shuddered as she spoke. Mrs.
Moreton soothed. explained, and coax
ed but in vain. Marian would not even
90 back to her own room alone, SO com
plete had been the shock.
II will 60 with you. my DEAR" said
the old lady at length.
She arose, threw on light flannel
dressing gown and opened the door of
her apartment. AS they stepped out
into the hall Marian uttered piercing
cry. There, full before them, stood the
ghost!
Mrs Moreton drew Marian back into
her room and shut and locked the door
and sank trembling on the sofa, clasp
ing both her hands before her eyes.
"Did 1 not tell you ?" faltered Marian.
"How can you explain this ~
Mrs. Moreton had no word of answer;
she could only rock herself backward
and forward, moaning like one in NOR
tai agony.
"You must not go from this room to-
night, child" she said. Lille down
upon my bed and try to rest"
Toward morning Marian walked
from brief, fevered slumber, and found
herself alone; and when she next met
| Mrs. Moreton it was at the breakfast
table.
Aldebert entered the room later. He
was pale and strangely agitated, and
his mother looked wistfully up in his
| face as he entered. He nodded slight
ly:
cat last" he said
"Thank God ~ Mrs. Moreton muir
INJURED.
And Marian noticed that neither
mother nor son ate a mOrsel of the
breakfast so temptingly laid out, Marian
went to Mrs. Moreton, as soon as Aide
bert had withdrawn, and falteringly
impaired to her her resolve to leave
Moreton Grange. Their kindness had
made it very pleasant to her; she had
been treated more as an equal than a
salaried dependent, but the shock her
nervous system had last night received
rendered it impossible to remain longer
Mrs. Moreton listened in silence.
"Aldebert." she said to her son, who
at that moment entered, miss Couch
ly is going to leave us ="
10 leave us And why
Involuntarily Marian's heart leaped
up, as she saw the sudden flush upon
his death pale forehead.
''She saw-the ghost-last night ~
said Mrs Moreton, speaking the words
with an effort.
''She will never see it again." said
Aldebert Moreton, sadly. "Marian"-
he had never called her Marian before.
and the word sounded strangely sweet
in her ears-"will you come with me ?"
in the disused portion of the old grange,
where upon canopied couch corpse
lay, robed in the garments of the grave!
'There is the ghost you saw, Marian,
he said it will never haunt these glades
sgain."
"Who is it ?" she faltered, clinging to
his arm, with awe stricken face.
my brother Hugh, who has long
dwelt concealed within these walls, that
witnessed his crime, and his daily atone
ment for remOrse. and who is at length
set free by the great pardoner, Death.
Immured in necessary retirement
throughout the day, he used to seek air
and exercise at night and the common
people, who had fancied him dead in
England long ago, and who delight in
aught savoring of superstition, believed
from an occasional glimpse of him, that
the grange was haunted. We let the
story gain credence; better anything
than divulgence of the truth. The long
deception is over at last, and the poor
prisoner, thank Heaven, is set free
Last night he roamed out, half deliri-
GUS, in the temporary absence of his
nurse, returning only to die"
He led Marian from the room; she
breathed more freely in the fresh air of
the portico without.
Marian" pursued Aldebert, in low
earnest voice, ''you will not leave the
old grange now? With you its sun
shine would all depart"
II will stay" she answered.
"But not as my mothers companion,
Marian; that must all be over now.
You must stay here as my wife !"
And from the wedding-day of the last
heir of Moreton Grange a newer, bright
er life dawned upon the old place. AS
the years crept on, and the sound of lit
tie children's voices made music around
the gray walls, the shadows fled away,
and no one, save Aldebert and his wife,
ever knew where the murderer was
laid to rest, after his long penance of
solitude and remorse!
Moreton Grange was haunted no lon
ger.