The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-06-20

|
the breakfast room awaiting me. He
was standing with his back to the Are
"Good morning, ALT" he said, smil
ing in his cheerful manner. "You are
an exception to most lovers of late
hours, See" .d .1Ha. u..io
| "Yes,' I replied; 81 sleep soundly
and therefore rise early
| You'll find the nights long and dull
here, I'm afraid, after the excitement
TO which you've been accustomed" i''
"Oh, no, not at all, | said "There
are so many old associations about
Stanley House that | think / shall
never be dull here. Now, last night ]
strolled through the grounds and did
not return until close upon midnight y
"These late hours seem to be very
stupid custom and one which / could
never cultivate. think, my boy, that
you would have been much wiser il
you had turned in when l did and
slept until morning"
| "Why, ] daresay I was in bed be-
fore YOU a .r.f 40.
| In bed before mel 7" he repeated,
with a puzzled look. What do you
men p
| 81 mean just what l say-that !
was in bed and asleep before you were,
unless you finish your rest and rise be-
fore IL p. M"
"You must be joking, Alf,' he said,
incredulously. II was in bed by
o'clock and was up this morning at g."
"Surely you must be mistaken, Ste
phen, for | met you on your double at
the top of the avenue last night as
was returning to the house." la..n
"lmpossible!' y .nu-r Hm -.
Indeed, did. | would have spo-
ken to you, but you hurried away and
thought you had seen me and wished
to be alone" ....
at could not have been me. | was
never out of the house after 7 o'clock"
All that day l was haunted by the
recollection of what l had seen on the
previous night, and of my brothers de-
NAL. | had heard singular stories of
Stephen being a somnambulist before
had left England, and could not help
wondering if he was still addicted to
freaks of that kind; but l had never
seen him walk in his sleep, and as
had only half believed the tales / had
been told, was not inclined to accept
this explanation as solution of the
problem. However, l was determined
to solve the mystery.
AS soon as all were in bed, there
fore, on the night following that on
which | had arrived at Stanley House,
| again went out into the grounds, de-
ternined,if | met the mysterious person
whom Ihad seen on the eprevious ight,to
follow him and discover who he was.
The moon was shining fitfully from be-
hind the stormy clouds that now and
again ohscured her disc, and breeze
of wind stirred and whistled in the
branches of the trees. paced upon
the grass beneath the tall elms that
pointed their foliaged branches to the
frowning sky. | had taken up my
point of observation just in front of the
West wing of the house, which had
been so long shut up and left to fall
into decay. So great indeed had been
my brothers horror lest any portion OF
it should be touched by human foot,
that not only had he boarded up every
window and door that had communica
tion without, but he had also caused to
be built up every door that had given
access from it to the main body of the
building.
My head was full of thoughts of my
boyhood as l walked to and fro. re.
membered many happy days spent ir
those rooms, for they had been my
fathers favorites; and it was not with
out pang of regret that ] looked a
them, deserted and ruinous, simply be
cause a false woman had also loved
them. iJ ..' 1". ."."' ..
had waited until past midnight
and had almost given up my quest a:
hopeless, and was about to return tc
the house when l heard footstep OF
the damp gravel walk approaching.
drew back into the shadow of the
trees and peered forth into the dark
ness, for at that moment thick cloud
shut out the light of the moon Nearer
and nearer the footsteps came, and a
length the glimmering of a Lantern
shone out on the darkness. The mar
hearing the light went up to the prin
cipal entrance of the West wing
where he paused, and a moment late
heard key shoot back the heav,
lock the next instant the light anC
the man disappeared as the door CLOSED
behind them.
Animated and excited, | steppe,
quickly but softly across the grave
walk to the door, where for a momen
paused and listened. A footstep wa
ascending the creaking staircase.
waited until heard it on the seconC
| flight before | tried the door. | foun,
| it open, and entered softly, closing tn,
door behind me. Before proceedin,
further, ! cautiously took off my boots
and then | ascended the cold clamm,
stairs, that smelt of the tomb, -
| From the second landing there open
ed suit of apartments, which | re
membered had been called the stron,
rooms, because they were in the yer,
heart of the building, and had fey
windows and only one door for ingres
or egress, The heavy oak door tina
opened into these rooms l found wa
ajar, and bright light streamed ou
between the opening. To my grea
astonishment, when entered thi
room, ! heard voices in the apartment
beyond AT first was so amazed tha
l could not distinguish a single wor
that was spoken, but as l become cain
and after drawing close to the door c
the room, from which the sound pr,
ceeded, ! distinctly heard a woman
voice in fearful accents saying:
"Oh, if you really love me deliv,
me from this place What have
done that | should be forced to be.
t this punishment 7 Have / not love
t with true woman's love Speak {
' me, DO not look at me with eyes
: CLASSY that they seem to see me nc
/ give me one word, so that | may hei
! you as the same Stephen that you we
| before this fearful malady overtoc
y you. Let me again see the light