The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-09-11

puny it sounded here. | wished |
could go to sleep. But in strange
house, anywhere, my first night is a
wakeful one. | must have got into
doze when a violent stroke upon the
door, as if given with a huntlng.whip,
brought me back to complete conscious
ness. 1t had a frightfui sound in my
ear, and, must confess, terrified me.
1t awoke Cora, l felt her grasp me con-
vulsively. Before l could speak or
scream, there came in quick succession
second and third stroke. / lay bath
ed in preparation, my head aching al
most with the fright Cora, l could
feel. shaking as with the ague.
Don't scream" | managed 10 whis-
per to Cora, though never in my life
was l nearer shriekirg myself.
Involuntarily / sat up. 1t was moon
light, and there was no blind to the
window, or it had not been drawn
down. Cora clutched me and pointed
to the wall There was an underlined
luminous shape.
Look look!' gasped Cora.
obeyed her gesture. The some.
thing was reflected in the mirror. l
closed my eyes and opened them again.
My heart stood still. 1t was no opti-
cal delusion. Ny eye might be strain
ed, partly with fright, but l was sure
that my imagination was playing me
no trick. / fell back, then ventured
to look again as l lay. The shape dis
appeared gradually, the wall resuming
its normal appearance Cora had GOV.
cred her face with the bedelothes.
"Don't be frightened, dear it is
shameful trick. Some one may have
reason for keeping the house empty"
| could not think so, but | wished to
inspire Cora with courage. ave will
telegraph to Alfred He will come
down and get at the mystery"
After the fright sleeping was ont of
the question. Cora would not be in
iced 20 uncover her face or release
her grasp. l spoke in whispers, but
that alarmed her when l essayed
word she grasped me tighter, or there
was stifed SSH
closed my eyes, opening them at
intervals, anxious for daylight. To
get up, to leave the room, was what l
dare not do. l dreaded the corridor in
the darkness. How l wished had
left light burning, but had seen the
moon. / dare not get up to light the
candle, striking the match might bring
some nameless horror upon me. dare
scarcely breathe audibly.
With what relief did view the first
streaks of light.
Cora said I-my calm voice sur,
prising myself-'we can get up now,
it is daylight"
LET us go back to London by the
first train" implored she. 81 dare not
sleep in this house another night. !
should die of fright"
Il shall telegraph to Alfred. II he
can't get down we will GO to hotel at
Barton or Hull. l feel sure that it is
trick. Don't mention a word to
Maria nor the old lady. Perhaps she
is in the conspiracy. She didn't wish
us to occupy this room"
But although l bound Cora over to
secrecy l determined to try and pre-
vail upon the old lady to state why she
had not wished us to occupy that par.
ticular room. After some preamble
brought up the subject, and when
acquainted the old lady that heard
noises, she became communicative.
1--we slept in the house." she admit
| ted.
z did you hear them?"
Il never slept in that room," said
, she, evasiYely. "What were they like?'
Like whip,as if the lash and stocl
e were held in the hand"
. "Ah," murmured she, with an assen
/ tive inclination of the head.
e You haven't slept in tina. room?'
a mo, maam.n
e "Will you sleep in it TO night =
: No, ma'am, not for all the none,
e in the world" answered she, with deci
sion.
l 'Is there any story connected wit
t the noises?"
/ "Well, yes, ma am, there is.
e Il should like to hear it. I should
!. feel better satisfied"
!. The estate came by marriage to tn
+ original of the portrait with the ridin
whip. 1t was not marriage of affec
;. ton. A young heiress was constrair
a ed to marry man much older tha
herself, who had an eye upon her dow
t ry. Court infiurnce was even brough
to bear upon her. The heiress had
o half-brother, an answering Jacobit'
who had followed the King to tn
c Court of Versailles Allying himseI
with the Pretender there was neve
/, any chance Of bis succeeding to hi
forfeited estates. He was too zealou
e a partisan. Eventually he was entrus
ed with mission to England, there t
], hold secret meetings with and gatht
the strength and disposition of thos
not inimical to the Stuart cause. Tt
Hanoyerian party were apprised of b
it descent upon the coast, and, withol
making the knowledge public, a watc
: was set. The recusant was warne,
and succeeded in escaping captur
is hiding at successive houses. He ha
i. natural desire to see his sisters
mothers children are nearer than
,e father's-at his sisters house he kne
N he could be safe for time, the cont
At guilty of water facilitating escape
moreover secret passage existed
the house, only the direct heir bein
u entrusted with the secret of its pos
t, tion.
Self-contained, dreading more tha
P, disliking the man who had been force
g upon her, no condolences ever passe
between husband and wife. The wife
ID GOODNESS probably exasperated hu
10 band prone to suspicion and jealousl
IL He had always imagined that his wi
had some prior attachment the yea
ID strengthened his belief AT one tin
ne be had hung about the court, sudden
~ he retired TO the country, and in a WI
ne immured himself and his young viii
I'D He was not one to wander far afel
We 1t seemed his mission in life TO wat,
and guard his wife. Her life becan
ce almost intolerable. Her brothers a