Morris tribune., 1882-09-21

to carry down TO breakfasta violent cold, and
| no tidings Of tae ghost
Erna was m the garden, az her absence from
Heatheott, doubt If he had seen the sun In rise
once in the last ten years, unless from the
windows in the bedroom. I stole softly out
into tho open air, and down the tangled alleys
of the dear old garden. I knew the corner
that she would seek-where roses grew red and
white among the white and yellow Of the
tangled honeysuckle, and hero and there be-
tween the bushes bloomed fragrant masses OF
Glove and pink, and the faint air In stealing
past dropped heavily with the perfumed
breath of flowers. sss %E ~
l stole on her softly, and the next moment
had caught her in my arms and my lips for q
moment brushed her cheek. - ~ "a
She started from me-red as the roses she
was gathering.
IN, ,Mr. osborns," she said, ''how dare you'll"
Then her eyes saught mine with an cages in
terest as she gently disengagsd herself
"Oh Gerald" she cried, shave you seen
| him. &
"Who? The Winstanley Of the legand?"
questioned, laughing at her. ''No Erna; the
ghosts as civil and unabrustive ghost as one
could desire, and doesn't seem even inclined to
haunt my dreams"
NJ ~ ~ so y
remember as if that dead year had been
yesterday, how shy she was of me all that day,
and how. when we parted in the evening her
hand rather touched mine than clasped it, and
she babe me the coolest of good nights" We
and laughed as caught her eyes fixed on me
for moment with an eager, questioning gaze
No, Erna," said. not yet"
MOT yet" l could have answered on the
third morning Of my broken slumbers in that
low browed, shadowy room, where the rats
and wind between. them made uncanny noises
IN the far-of corners, and one started broad
awake in room reputed to be haunted and
one hears vague noises in the darkness, it is
hard for the moment not to have faith in
ghosts
I had dream on the fourth night Of my i'm
prisoment in that room that chilled me into an
asue fit of terror, and from which awoke
shivering, and with wild cry forcing itself
from me IN the greatness Of my fear. l had
| dreamed of being alone with one long dead, and
| that the thing had touched ME; and when ]
! awoke, trembling, and with the cold dew of my
terror upon me, was not in the room where
had fallen asleep, but to which as it seemed to
me in a dream, the dead had led me. =
went down as haggard as q man might be
whom such dreams had haunted, and paced the
terrace before the old house, thinking feverish-
~ of them. Birds sang in the trees around
me; the morning air was cool to my hot fore
head; and il the eastern sky was lit . herald
| redness, rhat Scrimsoned momentarily into a
more glorious proclamation of the advent OF
the sun. And even as the god of the day leapt
up in all the brightness that only the eye Of the
eagle can look on from his burning couch of
cloud, twin stars shone out on the morning also
the stars that lure man to his bliss or his
bale; and there danced and sparkled from I'M
der u shining of golden hair girls bright
eyes. Erna had risen as early as the sun, and
but little later than myself; and stealing softly
on me, her voice breathed as softly in my ear,
while stood there lost in gloomy musings and
unconscious of her coming, the gay greeting:
Beau chevalier!'
started lind turned almost fercely.
"Erna," said, by way of excuse for my
abruptness, 81 took you for the moment for
the continuation of my dreams"
4 Your dreams, Gerald" Her face flushed,
and her voice grew eager. ''There are no
dreams in Winstanley's room. Tell me what
you have seenYh g.
But was in no mood at the moment for ex-
plana ton, and turned away without answer
ing her question or satisfying her curiosity.
Early that afternoon, when the glory Of the
June day was at its brightest, we took our way
through the dim aud dusty passages of the un
inhabited part of the old house, and after a
while, stood silent side by side in the room to
which. if I might credit my dream. no earthly
guide had led me-
1t was dim old chamber darker and email
er than that called after the traditionary Win
stanley and in far moro hopeless state Of
disrepair Once it had been an oratory, and
the single and beautifully shaped window had
blaZed with colored glass, ard from the carven
woodwork of the walls there had looked down
the faces OF the twelve Apostles; but the glass
was long since gone, and the Apostles pre-
sented now but succession of indistinctly-
outlined lineaments, falling year by year into
more irreparable decay I went from one
blurred mask to the other, rvainly seeking to
recognize that before which, as it seemed to
me in my dream, my ghostly guide had paused
for moment, aud, pointing to 1t, had vanished
from my sight 1 stopped at last at one which,
centuries BEFORE had in all probability imaged
forth the face Of Peter, and considering it at
tentively, felt some dim uncertainty of q rec
oguition dawn upon me. "Erna," said, Il
was this"
persisted in believing lay hidden behind that
bit of carven wood. The June day wore
slowly out, afternoon was creeping into even
ing, but stili, though the sun sank IN the west,
and this shahowy twilight began to lend an
added dimness to the chamber, those small
white fingers followed patiently every line of
carving in the grim old panel and the grimmer
face that frowned above it. and the bright eyes
watched tirelessly for sc me clue as to where
might Turk the spring that 1t was Erna's wild
fancy lay somewhere hidden for her to press.
At last, tired of by turns aiding in and laugh
ing at this wild quest, menaced Erna that,
unless she yielded to nay oft repeated entreaty,
and abandoned it, 1 would leave her to seek
for secret springs and hidden crypts alone.
Then turned towards the door, as if to carry
uut my threat
She fled past me, rapid asa legendary fay,
and placing one hand upon the lock, with the
other waived me back. Gerald, she said,
half laughing, and yet with strange, sweet
coaxing in her voice, Il want you to promise
that as long l c loose to seek in this room for
the secret l think 1t will give up to US, you
will not leave me-"
I had not meant to speak to her of my love.
What was there in her words that they
shonid thrill some subtle nerve within me,
and send strange passion burning through my
veins 1 took her hand in mine-her slight
girls hand-and my eyes sought hers with a
sild desire to read my destiny in them,
"Erna," 1 said, 'look up.''
She bent her head still lower I could see
only the crimson cheek, and the goldes head
that dropped above it. q. =
You said once that if [ eyer dared to speak
TO you of love again, it would force you to re-
member that we were scarcely even cousins
dare it now; will be something more than
cousin to you, or we shall part. Erna, say
now, and more boldly than year ago-I love
you'
Still no answer: and the check flushed more
aud more, aud the golden head dropped lower,
i love you, Erna, I repeated, trying vainly
to make Der lift her face to mine.
Something in her silence sp'i her blush en-
bodened me. drew her gently to me- and
FgFF Eka fEH F#a ~
The ghosts have given you to me, Erna,"
said. releasing her-as she rather shrank from
me, and hid, her glowing face. against the
carven wall from which The stony visaged
saints frowned grimly down on our betrothal
kiss.
And I stretched1ont my hand and laid it
lightly on hers, asst rested on dark and
moulded thing. in which there yet lurked in
distinct suggestions of the treachery.of Judas.
felt the warm, soft hand tremble under mine,
and struggle to escape me; and, tightening my
clasp, there came next instant o frightened cry
from Erna; then,a rush into our faces Of cold
air, as, with grating and sullen sound, the
wall gave way an inch or two. And then, the
spring refusing to ACT, closed heavily again, and
left us standing there, looking wildly into each