The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-08-14
po,o over,,e ~ trces and from the d;s.

| pale avenue Of trees and from the dis
| tant windows of the library dim light
was casting shadows down upon our
faces But we did not make for thoss
windows, My guide turned off to the
left, and we entered the deserted part cf
the house. I felt utterly spcllbound
I seemed to have lost ali power Of yo-
lit'on. / believe I should blindly haze
followed that boy to my death.
We had plunged into q labyrinth Of
shadowy rooms. leaving the outer air.
How we got into that part Of the house
cannot tell. had not been there for
years. Sydney could never have been
in it, and yet he led me on rapidly, and
never faltered or hesitated once.
think the moon must have come out, for
there was faint light shining through
the windows rs we passed, and by that
light he guided me. We crossed several
empty rooms and passages, and Mt last
came out into long corridor. That.
too, we traversed At the further end
a door opened before us. l stepped
through 1t into my own library, and
stood there in the lamplght, gazing
stupidity into Sydney's face. He, too,
had paused. But he never spoke u
word, nor looked at me. His eyes were
fixed on tall bookcase in a corner of
the room. Presently he began to move
slowly toward it, and I, still holding
him, followed. Then. as we approach
ed it. to my utter amaacment, the whole
bookcase swung back upon its hinges,
revealing small closet, which had
never seen before, with some dusty
rolls of paper lying on shelf within
it. With weird cry Sydney sprung
forward, wrenching himself from my
grasp. He seized the papers, and,
tnrning. thrust them into my hand.
Then, with his face as white as snow
and eve distendcd, he raised one arm
and pointed to the window. In another
moment he had tottered back and fallen
on the floor.
But was already at the window. In
my frenzy dashed my shoulder against
it. The fastening gave. The glass
came crashing down about me. Twas
outside, standing in the chill blue night.
Round me the wind was whining and
clustering. The fog had melted away.
Overhead the stars were burning golden.
The banshed clouds had gone. But no
sign of any human figure. man or
ghost, was there. Only the desolate
avenue, with its fir trees bending over
!, it, and at the far end, in the dimness,
the high moon over the whitened sea
When / went into the library I found
Sydney in dead faint on the floor.
rushed to the bell and rang it till its
. tones went pealing and clashng through
the house. Then l raised the boy in my
arms and carried him easily into the
lighted hall. The blood from the cuts
of the broken glass was running freely
down my face and hands. But l did
not mind it, for felt as if life had sud
denly come back to me. And when my
mother and the servants came out ant
gathered, startled and lamenting, rount
us, | fell down on my knees beside the
| boy and wept as never wept, think,
before that day or since.
l have no more to tell The closet ir
/ the library opened, found, by secret
| terrible night never knew. Among
, the papers which Sydney had thrust into
1 my. hand was the long lost documen
which confirmed my title to the estate
Sydney was for long very i'll; but at last
} with careful nursing-I know my moth
er and did all we could for him, ant
r somebody else, who shall be nameless
did more than wc-hc recovered, ant
/ has ever since remained with me
, Neither of us ever spoke much of thu
I things we had seen that winter day
|, The mystery of my inheritance il
u mystery still, and men will bury i
/ with us in our graves. Only this
: know and will tell you, that, from tina
< hour to this, Sydney has never seen /
4 ghost again.
| So am Grant of Tullybardane. ant
3 the heiress of Glen Levannoch is m.
V wife.-BoSton Sunday Herald.