The Portland daily press., 1881-01-22
THE PRESS.
chambers Journal.l
The Mysterious House.
CONCLUDED FROM FRmAY.l


My first quest next morning OH leaving
the apartment where had slept was for the
purpose of ascertaining whether my bed
room had been again entered after l haG
left it on the previous evening. | unlocked
the door and cautiously looked in. Enough
light came through between the drawn cur.
tains to show me that the room was appar-
entity as left it. / advanced 10 the window
and found the thread there, unbroken, and
evidently untouched. l must confess felt
somewhat disappointed. Ny fears had prob
ably exaggerated my conceptions of the dan
ger, and had anticipated a second visit as
more than probable. After thinking, how
ever, l came to the conclusion that it was
better as it was. Had my strange visitor for
any purpose entered my room second time
and found that had quilted it, the effect
might have been the reverse of favorable to
a discovery of the trickery, which discovery
could best be forwarded by my making as
little change in my habits as possible. 1t
was not improbable, seeing that no suspi-
cion had been aroused by the knowledge
that had changed my sleeping apartment,
that the ''ghost' might be emboldened to
pay me visit on the following night; and
by that time | hoped to be able to arrange
for the interception of my strange visitor
and the detection of the trick.
In the course of the morning made up
my mind how l should proceed. Mrs. Wee
will generally left after breakfast on her En-
rands to the neighboring village or else
where, not generally returning for a few
hours; and l thought this good time to OBJ
tain an interview with Andrew, the old gar
dener, who, saw, was engaged trimming
the walks in front of the door. L had no
doubt now that what had seen had been
also appearing to the servants who had so
suddenly departed on the previous evening;
and l had no doubt also that Andrew knew
the whole story about the ghost having been
again seen in the house. l opened the par
lor window and spok4 with him over the bal
cony. "Will you come upstairs, Andrew?
| should like to speak to you."
He stood for a moment in hesitation,
scratching his head. | think he would have
preferred anything to entering my house at
that moment; bus evidently he did not see
his way to refusing A few moments later
he was in the drawing-room.
Andrew" began, with some intention
al solemnity of manner, ''you see the posi-
ton l am in" His expression indicated
that he considered the position very I'M
pleasant one. "The story has got about"
1 went on, ''that this house is haunted" He
turned pale. You think it is haunted?' l
asked, looking at him fxedly.
He hesitated for few moments, shook
his head slowly, and succeeded finally in
saying, wat is folks to think, ma amp
Il acknowledge" l answered, shat the
thing ha7 queer look. When people ap-
pear, and vanish as suddenly as they came,
it is difficult to think of them as creatures
of flesh and blood like our selves"
"'Tain't possible-like," was Andrews
comment, and / observed that with the
words his face took a more healthy hue
The quiet tone l had assumed treasured
him. Ghosts, when they can be reasoned
about, lose half their terrors.
NO." l answered him, sit is not possible,
But Andrew, if we look at these things
from another point Of View
''Be there another?" he eagerly asked, as
l paused to allow him time for the express
sieu of opinion.
Yes said, ''there is another. Before
l believe in your Interpretation, Andrew
before l believe it possible that spirits can
wander about the world for no other reason
than TO frighten people, l must test mine"
His eyes, awakened to new interest, were
looking at mine very inquiringly.
/ explained at once. "What | mean is
this. l suspect a trick. Somebody has a
spite against the owner of this house-some-
body has an interest in keeping it empty"
Andrew was naturally Shire wd. As
spoke there came into his face new look
of keenness. He smiled ''There has been
queer things done," he observed impartial
ly.
''You have been here some weeks"
said. Have you heard anything during
that time about this house, about the peo.
pie who ownitP l am told they lived here
once"
Thus stimulated Andrew told me that the
md 6c ,s<r;,x
TO Lord B, father of the present lord,
whose park was commanded by our front
windows. On the ma rriage of a favorite
sister with Mr.. Roupel, man somewhat be-
meath her in position, he gave her the
house. Here the married pair lived, in
much unhappiness it was said; and here
their only child, daughter, was born. At
ter running through his wife's money the
husband died. When left alone the widow
and her now grown-up daughter, determined
to let their house and live abroad. The rent
Of the furnished house, with its excellent
garden, would bring them in an income suffi-
cient to enable them to live quietly in some
foreign town. But while this project was
being discussed the widow died, suddenly
and mysteriously. An inquest was held
over her; for strange suspicious were circu-
lated abroad. The verdict was that she had
died of the family complaint, heart disease.
But there were those who still spoke mystic
riously about the circumstances of the death
and declared that the poor lady had met with
foul play.
Now this was the germ of the ghost story:
for it was said far and near that Mrs. Rou-
pei, if she had really been murdered-and
by her own child, as some dared
to whisper-would never rest in her grave.
And when singular appearances came and
went, and strange sounds were heard in the
house, now empty, save for an ancient
housekeeper, the suspicion, scarcely spoken
Of at first above the breath, so dark it was
and monstrous, was by-and-by openly dis
cussed
On this part of the story old Andrew was
very ready to dilate. He warmed to the
theme indeed, and would willingly have Civ
en- me, had l desired it. full and particular
account of the various people who, from
time to time, had been driven from the
premises. But l, holding still to my point,
that trickery had to do with it, restrained
his flow of language, and endeavored by
close questioning to find out what he knew
about the daughter of Mrs. Roupel, who. if
his story were true, was the present owner
Of the haunted house.
| ELECTED the following facts. Miss Rou-
pei was nineteen years of age about the pc
rod of her mothers death. She was then a
young lady of high spirit and cheerful tenn
per; she was accomplished, witty and unus-
ually attractive in appearance. Thus. in
spi.e of the drawbacks entailed by poverty
and sad, melancholy mother, the young
lady was not without suitors. The suit of
one OF these was, according to her mother
and herself-they remembered their old an
tecedents and were proud-little short of an
for the man was neither more
nor less than Lord BIS house steward
The old housekeeper, to whom, before he
bestowed the house upon his sister, the old
lord had apportioned two rooms. was Mrs.
Weevil, the stewards mother.
1t was natural that Miss Roupel, niece of
his former employer, should reject his suit
with disdain. 1t was perhaps no less natu-
al that the rejection, imbittered by con-
.empt, should sink deeply into the stewards
soul. The fact was that from the day when
ne was forbidden the house where his moth
sr lived the young man changed. People
spoke of his black looks, of his hard ways,
If his cruel, cynical speeches, and some pre-
iicted a bad end for him.
Meanwhile, MisssRoupel, now left alone
by her mothers death, married Mr.. Eyer
'on, man from monetary point of view
scare ely more eligible than the steward. He
was lieutenant in the navy; but as he had
nothing in the world. but his pay, they car
ried out Mrs. Roupel's plan of letting their
house furnished, believing it would bring
them in sufficient income to enable the
young wife to live 10 comfort while her hus-
band was away from her. But, as Andrew
remarked if this was her belief she muet