The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-02-10
Certainly, certainly" responded my

Openeu IRON tno uf""iiS-tooiu W TIT
verandah.
Come ill.," he said. Come indoors,
nephew
At that moment M mother called
him. She needed the keys of the wine
cellar, and his aid in the choice of the
wine; and he left us.
Come in, Cousin Alfred" said L
cousin Marjorie,' he answered ''do
not ask me indoors. The evening is too
beautiful. Come with me. Will you
not walk with me this once under tho
moono You are not afraid of me, are
you, Marjorie."
/ laughed little.
why should fear youP" | asked.
"You are no stranger. l have always
heard of you. ! will walk with you
gladly"
walked beside him. / looked down.
He looked at me. We passed from the
garden, and turned towards the beach,
and came at last to tho ruins of the old
building, over which there has been 50
much talk lately. Then we called it the
old mill.
They say it Is centuries DID," said I.
"And so many lives have run their
course and ended in the tomb, while
those stones still remain" he said sad
". "Man dies, and these insensate
things outlast him. Yet. while he lives,
what a glorious thing to be man. He
paused His eyes glitered in his beau
tiful white face.
Think Of it, beautiful Marjorie" he
said. Think Of me, your cousin AL
! fred Young, strong rs u giant, rich.
powerful, and with YOU for his bride.
You, YOU bright young thing, think of y
man like that. with all before him. and
suddenly all is gone, and death leads
him he knows not whittier.
His glance. his voice, his words
frightened me.
"Cousin Alfred, are you ill.," asked.
perhaps we had better go home"
you shall 20 home" answered my
cousin, 'you sweet young living thing.
see fear in you eye. You tremble
Give me moment more. 1t is so sweet
herc-on earth, under tho moon-witb
you and love. Aud you have all lifo be-
fore you; give me one moment more
"My beautiful cousin is certainly de-
ranged" | said to myself.
Suddenly he bent toward me.
II havc not yet salutcd you, Marjorie"
he said. May not kiss your hand, |
your betrothed husbandp'
Oh, his soft sad voice! let him take
my fingers in his own, and he bent and
pressed his lips to them.
As he did so felt no touch Of human
flesh and blood, but through all my
frame thrilled strange electric flashes.
| could not speak or stir, but rs lstood,
turned, as it seemed, to stone, saw the
beautiful form before me gradually fade
away. 1t did not move from the spot
where it stood, but even as regarded it
| saw it change into white vapor and
slowly melt into the air,
| knew no more for hours. Then
was aware that they had borne mo into
the house and restored me to myself,
and lay on the great chintz-covered
sofa trembling with the memory of what
had passed
Out in tho darkness, beyond the
windows, the servants went to and fro
with lanterns, searching vainly for the
man who had come and gone 80
strangcly--for none believed my story.
But now there was heard the clatter
of horse's hoofs, man alighted at the
gate, asked for my father, and was
shown into our presence,
A seafaring man, tall aud bronzed,
81, lao bat 10 Cf
tdings. lie took the seat offered him,
and addressed my father:
"Sir, am the second mate of tho
Osprey and come to you with evil It'd
ings ! regret to bring thcm, but have
no choice"
Proceed, SIR" said my father. "The
Osprey has met with some disaSterp'
"No, SIR" replied the sailor, The
Osprey is in port, unframed by all the |
evil weather she has encountered on
her voyage; but when she sailed, she
had on board a passenger, a young
nobleman who crossed the ocean, it was |
said, to visit his aiiianccd bride. Tho /,
name and title recorded on our books is .
Alfred. Lord Hardinge."
My father bowed his head.
"My wife's nephew he said, land
betrothcd to my daughter"
Sir" continued the sailor, when
We reached port that nobleman was no
longer with lis. must tell the tale. He
was drowned in mid-occan, swept over
board by great wave. We warned him
of his danger. but he would not remain
below"
"IIow long ago did this happen"
asked my father in faint voice.
"a month ago" replied the second
mate of the Osprey.
Then hc drew from his bosom a min
iaturc, set with diamonds.
This" he said, chad been placed in
our captains care It was to DO pre-
sented to his bride Lord Alfrcd's own
portrait"
sprang from my couch, and caught |
it from him, and saw the face that had !
faded into the air in the moonlight beside !
the old mill. And | knew it was the
spirit of my cousin that had come to
M. But we said nothing to the honest
sailor He was well entertained, and
went his way again. And we three kept |
our secret well.
As for me, that ghostly kiss left by
my dead betrothed upon my fingers was