Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-12-30

J
might to force the ancient lock to yield
80 him. At length his efforts are
crowned with success; the door flies
creakingly open, and a cloud of dust
uprising covers them like a mist.
"Ah!" eXclaims Ethel, recoiling; but
Arthur, STOPPING forward, carefully
examines the dark staircase that lies
before him WraGGo! i! i::G:!:9::s g! 9hla
gloom. Spider-nets have been drawn
from wall to wall and hang in duSky
clouds from the low ceiling: faint,
stale, sitting smell greetS his nOStrils,
yet he fingers there and looks carefully
around him.
you'll fall into it, if you don't
mind" remarks Captain RingWOOd.
"One would think uncanny spots had
an unwholesome attraction for you"
RingWOod, ever since the memorable
night in the SmOking-rOOm, when Sir
Adrian was SO near being killed, has
looked aSkance at Arthur DynecOurt,
and, when taking the trouble to adj
dress him at all, has been either sharp
or pointed in his remarks. Arthur,
cOntenting himself with scOWl at him,
closes the little door again, and turns
away from it.
AT night" says Sir Adrian, in an
amused tone, ''the servants, passing by
the door below that leads up to this
one, run by it as though they fear some
ghOstIy ancestors Of mine, descending
from the haunted chamber, will pOunce
out upon them with their heads under
their arms, or in some equally unpleaS
ant position. You know the door,
don't you, Arthur-the second from
the tTning?"
NO" replies Arthur, with his false
smile, II do not; nor, indeed do [ care
to know it. [ firmly believe [ should
run past it too after nightfall, unless
well protected"
"That looks as if you had ga evil con-
science" says RingWOOd carelessly, but
none the less purpOSely.
ut looks more as if / were a coward,
I think" retorts Arthur laughing, but
shooting an angry glance at the gal
LIANT captain as he speaks.
well, what does the immortal Will
lam say?" returns RingWoOd cOOlly.
conscience doth make towards Of us
all!'"
'You have a sharp wit, sir" says Ar
thur, with apparent lghtnesS, but pale
with passion.
II say, look here" breaks in Sir. Adj
rian hastily, pulling out his watch; ''it
must be nearly time for tea. By JOve,
quite half past four, and we know what
Lady FitZAlmOnt will say to us if we
keep her deprived Of her favorite bev-
erage for even five minutes. Come, let
us run, or destruction will light upon
our heads"
So saying, he leads the way, and soon
they leave the haunted chamber and all
its gloomy associations far behind
them.
CHAPTER VII.
Reluctantly, yet with a certain
amount of curiosity to know what it is
he may wish to say to her, Dora Wends
her way to the gallery to keep her APP
pointment with Arthur. Pacing to and
fro beneath the searching eyes Of the
gaunt cavaliers and naughty DANES
that CLEAN down upon him from their
canyases. upon the walls, DynecoTt
impatiently awaits her coming"
"Ah, you are late!" he eXclaimS as she
approaches. There is tone of author
ity about him that dismayS her.
-"Not very, | think" she responds
pleasantly, deeming conciliatory meas
Ures the best. "Why did you not come
to the library? We all missed you so
much at teal"
mo doubt" he replies sarcasticaIly.
Il can we'll fancy the disappointment
my absence caused; the blank looks
and regretful speeches that marked my
detection. PShaW-let you and me at
least be honest to each other! Did
Florence, think you, shed tears because
Of my nOn-cOmingw
This mood of his is so strange to her
that, in spite of the natural false
ders her dumb.
Look here" he goes on savaGely, Il
have seen enough to-day UP in that &C
cursed room abOye-that haunted
chamber-to show me our game is not
Eet won"
Our game-what game?" asks Dora,
th foolish attempt at miscOncep-
Re laughs aloud-a wild, unpleasant,
scornful laugh, that makes her cheek
turn pale. Its mirth, she tells herself,
is demOniacal.
'You would get out of it now, would
your" he says. ut is too late, I tell
you. You have gone some way with
me, you must go the rest. want your
help, and you want mine. VIII you
won, when little more labor will place
it within your graSp?"
"But there must be no violence" she
gaspS; mo attempt at"
What is it you would say?" he inter-
ruptS sternly. collect yourself; you
surely do not know what you are hint
ing at. Violence! what do you mean
by that?"
81 hardly know" she returns, tremb-
ling. ut was your look, your tone, |
think, that frightened me-"
Put your nerves in your pocket for
the future" he exclaims coarsely; "they
are not wanted where / am. Now to
business. You want to marry Sir Adj
rian, as / understand, whether his de
sire lies in the same direction OF not"
At this plain speaking the dainty
little lady Winces openly.
MY own opinion is that his desire
does not run in your direction" con-
tinues Arthur remorselessly. 1--WE both
know where his heart would gladly find
its home, where he would seek q bride
to place here in this grand old castle,
but [ viii Illustrate that hope if [ die
for it,"
He grinds his teeth as he says this,
and looks with fierce defiant eyes at the
long rows Of his ancestors that line the
walls.
"She would gladly see her proud fair
face 100l<iDO down 0DOO me- from