River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-02-17

house that we moved here even before
she was out of danger, and as soon as
possible we shall quit the neighbor-
hood forever"
'But," said |, as soon us Harry had
thus brought his communication to a
close, have you thoroughly sifted the
matter, and satisfied yourself that no
trick has been played on your"
"Of course | have. On the night of
the 31st of July / went alone. without
giving hint of my intentions to any
human being, to the Hall, which had
remained empty and locked up from the
day we left it. carefully examined the
drawing room, through which only
access to the'square room could be had,
sounded the panels, the back of the
chimney, the floor, every spot in fact,
where any one could possibly be con-
cealed. Then l locked the door and
waited"
"And then ?"
Precisely the same scene was repeat
ed. You will, / have little doubt, witness
tomorrow night; and | will accompany
you. think you will be satisfied that
have not lightly give way to ground
| less fear"
Harry spoke so gravely, and was al
together SO unlike his former CHEEKY
hght-hearted self, that / felt some
prickings of conscience in permitting
him to undergo again, for the gratifica-
ton of my sceptical curiosity, an or
| Ioal that To hsy,, ox,iHNntlx- &c
no little suffering. But my intense de-
sire to witness the phenomena. of
whatever nature they might be, which
had so deeply impressed my friend,
got the better of my scruples, and |
looked forward with impotence to the
following night
In the morning Harry told Mrs.
Danvers that he had accepted an invi-
tation for us to shoot with a friend of
Mr.. Easton's, who lived several miles
off, and that we should sleep at Kings
Lea. She turned whittier than ever, if
possible, and exclaimed
80, Harry! have you forgotten what
night it is?"
Come, come, little woman" he said,
Il must not have you give way to I'M
| CdSlIltSS. w Z Will dSh Ihdi IdlDOO W
come and stay with you. | am sure
you would not wish to deprive Burley
of good days sport"
Certainly not" she answered in her
sweet sad voice.
/ felt like a great brute, but, rs she
was not supposed to know that | was
aware of the strange events that had
so deeply shaken her, could only say
a few commonplace words, hoping
that should not be allowed to cause
her any inconvenience, and the matter
passed over.
Our shooting that day was little more
than pretext, and after an early din
ner we left Kings Lea in Mr. Easton's
dog cart. He insisted on taking some
wine in a hamper, and we were besides
provided with lamp, packet of can
dies, and materials for making fire.
Harry brought with him the keys of
the hall, and on our arrival Easton
sent away the dog cart, with instruc-
tons to the servant to be at the stable
entrance, which was close to the road,
at half-past 10 o'clock-an order which
the man received with evident unwill-
ingness.
Passing through a large entrance
hall, and along a broad passage lighted
at the end by a window through which
the moon gave faint light, we entered
the drawing room, and through it the
scene of action. The room was as
Harry had described it-a square
chamber, we'll furnished with hand
some carved oak, and raised by two
broad steps above the level of the
room through which only it could be
entered. A Turkey carpet lay in the
center of the floor, showing the oak
boards at the sides, and on this stood a
large heavily-carved oaken table. An
armchair of similar workmanship
stood on each side of the large open
hearth, and other chairs were scattered
about. We carefully examined every
portion of the room, EastOn measur-
ing the depth of the walls and sound
ing the paneling on all sides, as well as
the floor. Harry looked on with a
faint smile on his face till | raised the
carpet in the course of my investiga-
tons, and discovered a large dark stain
on the boards, on the side of the table
furthest from the fireplace. A similar
mark ran across the floor to the top OF
the steps, and then spread out into
another wide stain like that beside the
table.
''That looks very like a stain of
blood" l said, pointing it out to Dan
vers.
''Does it?" was all he answered, but
the smile died out on his face and
didn't return.
When our examination was con-
cluded we lit the fire, and piled the
hearth with number of logs of wood
to make cheerful blaze We also
trimmed the lamp, and stuck lighted
candles into variety of candlesticks
which stood about on the tables. Then
Easton proceeded to unpack tie wine;
but as he was setting it on the large
oak table, Danvers called out:
Don't do that, Easton-don't put
the wine down therew
CAS- you please" answered Easton;
and he drew forward a small, spider
legged table from corner, and placed
] it near the fire. We gathered round
Fit, and Harry drank two or three
| glasses of sherry in succession; but con-
versation tagged, and we began to feel
| that our experiment was not altogether
an agreeable one. Harry's ill-conceal-
ed horror at the idea Of the wine being
placed on the large table gave me, at
| least, an uncomfortable sensation,
while it excited my curiosity; and
when Danvers and Easton rested them
selves in the two large armchairs by
the fireside, | drew one to the table
which was now connected in my mind
with the sight we had come to see, and
leaned my elbow on it. | noticed that
Harry looked sharply at me as | took
up my position, but he made no re-
| mark
Some time passed in conversation
more or less well sustained; then we
began to look at our watches as the
| hour drew nearer and nearer. We
! replenished the fire and sat Oh, waiting
almost in silence. If any one wants 10
make the most of an hour, may sug
gest that he should sit doing nothing,
! and waiting for some unknown event
which may be expected to occur at its
close. | began to fancy that 10 o'clock
never would strike; but it did, and
quite soon enough. AS the first stroke
of the appointed hour sounded on the
church-clock, l seated myself firmly at
the table, with my left arm resting on
it. 4 glance at my companions show
ed me each seated in his chair, with a