The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-03-10

/" So soon,n she muttered-" SO soor
have l caught the dream-like feeling O
the place." Through long marble halls
cold and dark, they passed, until they
reached the eastern wing. Here ther'
was broadflight of Acknowledgment
ed stairs, which led them into suite o
splendid apartments. The first seemed
to be kind of library and mushroom
the second, a parlor of great size anC
very richly furnished.
But Margaret's attention was at once
fixed upon child who was lying in ;
graceful attitude on rug of long white
silky wool. The fire glowed over he
white cheeks, and made strange glanc
ing lights in her silken dress, and tipped
with rosy hue the little white sandals o.
the tiny lady. She looked curiously uE
from her book as the two women ap
preached her, and when Mrs Selby said
Julia, here is your new governess, .
she stood up and examined Margaret
with frankness that had in it some.
thing extremely charming.
Evidently the scrutiny satisfied her.
She laid her daintily mittened hand in
Margaret's and said: 90 You will do.
shall like you, 1 know. Mrs. Selby, you
may 60 away now" ....
Mrs Selby smiled at the small lady's
air of authority, but took with apparent
pleasure her dismissal. Then Margares
drew chair to the fire and sat down,
determined to await patiently the next
move in this strange life-drama.
Julia seemed to have also the same
intention. She sat on stool in front of
Margaret studying alternately the fire,
apicture in her book, and then the fac,
of her companion. There was some
thing uncannily premature in the elk
like child, even her wonderful beauty
had an intelligence about it oddly a
variance with the baby frock and silker
sandals.
By-and-by the child stepped lightly
across the rug, and laying her oper
book on Margaret's knee, said gravely
''Do you believe Robinson Crusoe evel
saw that one-naked-foot-print on the
sands
"No," answered Margaret, boldly.
81 do" said the child, with posi-
tiveness that defined contradiction.
Margaret nodded.
"Did you ever read the Castle Of
Otranto?'"
eyes"
"Do you balieve thatP"
."No, not at all. :"
80, but you will. You don't think
the castle was haunted, eh?''
Certainly not" answered Margaret,
with still more decided emphasis.
80, but it was. This castle is
haunted, too. You will find that out:
all my governess do" said the weird
little woman, nodding her head mys-
teriously,
Margaret was so confused and aston
ished by the calm assurancepf this as
sertion that she could think of no COM
monplace that was strong enough for
contradiction, and half afraid of her
eerie companion, she asked: "When
do you go to bed, my lady?''
''When | am sleepy. am not sleepy
tonight. Last night heard some one
walking about in the next room at this
time. Iwant to see if they come back
again"
"TheyP Whom doyou mean?''
81 don't know, do you? Alison says
they are my ancestors. What are an
cestorsP"
By this time a creeping feeling of fear
that she could not quite control took
possession of Margaret. She glanced
cautiously behind and around her;
even the strange shapes that the spider
like legs of the furniture took in the
dim corners of the large room filled her
with vague, unreasonable terror.
o, you are frightenedr' said the child,
in voice that was half scornful, half in
dignant.
This imputation Margaret stoutly de-
MED; but in spite of all her efforts to APP
pear Indifferent, she perceived that the
keen mental sight of her pupil had
measured her weakness, and despised
her for it.
'''Touch the bell"
Margaret obeyed, and almost imme-
diately an old woman appeared
''You may put me to bed now, Alison.
l am very much disappointed" and. with
the shadow Of courtesy, she disap-
peared with her attendant through one
of the many doors communicating with
the parlor in which they were sitting.
1t was not very pleasant beginning,
but better came of it than Margaret
hoped for. The dreamy, superstitious
child found a kindred spirit in her
teacher. They soon fell into course of
reading which was as new and fascina-
ting to, Margaret as to the child. The
library was ransacked for weird stories
and poems, and the little lady delighted
in nothing so much as in hearing her
governess read or recite such morsels
of haunted literature as the "Ancient
Mariner"
One night they had stood at the win
dow watching the great waves of rising
storm lash themselves into foam and
spray among the rocks. The wind walled
pitifully; the rain beat against the win
dow-pane; it was dreary night.
'Come and read me about the Ancient
Mariner again said Julia, seating her.
self upon the rug, and clasping her lands
around her small knees. Margaret, moth
ing 10th, commenced in low, measured
tone the wondrous poem; but feeling the
child's eyes thrilling her into a genuine
belief of the whole ghostly story, she
gradually dropped her voice till its whis-
pers frightened even herself.
Suddenly she became aware of a
draught of colder air, and the next mo-
ment of an influence altogether strange
and unfamiliar. The child opened wider