The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-01-02

youth, health and happiness, a pictur,
which Rex studied with immense satisfac
tion apparently.
The big drawing-room still retained it
Christmas decorations of holly and mistle
toe; scarlet berries were massed wherever
they would cling, and the freight cast {
pleasant glow over the shabby furniture
''Do you notice how strikingly the blaze
iliumines Lady Irmentrude's portrait to
night, Rex? l could almost declare thai
she smiled down on us just then. How
lovely she was ?"
every lovely-and astonishingly like
you"
"You foolish fattering boy Do you
suppose | am going to belive that non
sense ?"
The sweet silly nothings which the Low.
ers addressed to each other during the
next ten minutes were interrupted by a
sound of Gathering and banging in the hal
without
"The chest The chest They are
bringing the chestl'' cried Gladys, flying
to the door and throwing it wide open
Miss Letitia entered, followed by two
stout peasant-lads bearing the heavy box
between them.
"Here-before the fire said Gladys
eagerly.
Twitching imaginary forelocks, the two
young peasants departed after depositing
their burden, each enriched with half
crown for the New Years Eve rejoicing.
"Gladys, you shall open the chest, as
your patience and curiosity have been most
sorely tried regarding it.
Miss Fendall produced quaint old
brass key from her reticule; and Gladys,
trembling with excitement, undid, with
help from Rex, the various fastenings of
the chest.
At last the supreme moment arrived
when she found herself slowly raising the
lid, and the mysterious contents of the box
lay revealed.
At the top were various articles of lady s
apparel of cut and fashion quite unknown
to the present day. Slowly and reverently
Gladys laid them aside, for she knew in
stinctively that these were the relics of
some one long dead. She next withdrew
heavy velvet dress of delicate shade of
green, embroidered thickly with seed
pearls on the bodice and down the front of
the skirt; rare old lace hung in wavy frills
from the short sleeves, and a curious fan
of carved mother-of-pearl and painted feath-
ers lay with the costume. Gladys glanced
quickly from the dress to the portrait of
Lady Irmentrude above her.
eyes, dear, Lady Irmentrude was paint
ed in that green velvet dress. A most
becoming costume it was. [ saw her in it,
for the last time, on that dreadful night
thirty years ago" said Miss Fendall, whose
tears was falling like rain at the sad mem-
ories of the past. II packed away her
clothes when she left us, half mad with
grief, and in that box l put the last dress
| ever saw her wear, some letters, and a
journal in which the unhappy girl confesses
all her love for poor lost Herbert 1 could
not bear to think of these things, being dis
turbed perhaps by irreverent strangers, so
1 ordered that the box should never be
opened Tonight have relented; and |
am not sorry. Poor Irmentrude-yours
was sad fate I"
While the old woman was speaking, half
to herself, Gladys had gathered up the vel
vet gown in her arms and had vanished
with it.
When Miss Fendall raised her eyes again,
she started back with suppressed cry of
astonishment; there, under the portrait Of
Lady Irmentrude, stood what seemed to be
the living original. 1t was Gladys, who,
in the dress of her dead ancestress, resem-
bled her SO strikingly, that her two COM
panions were almost speechless with sur
prise.
"You thought / was ghost, didn't
you ?" said Gladys, with merry laugh.
"Child, what wild idea You real
ly-"
But Miss Fendall's speech was checked
by another apparition still more strange in
in the doorway. A white-haired woman,
with wild restless eyes, burning feverishly
in her thin pale face, came forward, with
steps short and tottering, like those of a
young child, to where the group stood
looking wonderingly at her. She wore a
dark dress of coarse woolen stuff, warm
red flannel jacket trimmed with fur, and
shabby artificial flowers stuck at random in
her hair.
"Why, Rachel, what made you think of
visiting us this evening? You have always
avoided us before, said Miss Fendall, in
kindly voice to her crazy protege.
l saw my Lady Irmentrude through the
open door, and came in to ask if 1 should
situp for her tonight" answeredthe strange
figure, curtesying before Gladys.
"Marvellousl This is, l believe, the
first time that the name of her young mis-
tress has been uttered by Rachel since she
became insane. The sight of Gladys in
that dress has awakened faint spark of
reason" Miss Fendall said, half to herself.
her eyes wide with astonishment.
@Your ladyship will not walk on the ter
race with Sir Herbert this evening-ha,
har cried the crazy woman, in voice
which she seemed unable to control, looking
Gladys keenly in the eyes.
s'For Heavens sake, Gladys, encourage
the woman in her delusion We may
learn an inkling Of the trath-for 1t rests
with her, if with any one on earth" whisp-
cred Miss Fendall, trembling with excite
ment.
aWhere is Sir Herbert?" Rex asked
huskily.
"Who are you who try to ferret out my
secrets p the woman asked angrily.
81 will do you no harm, no matter what
you tell me.
''I can tell nothing before her"-point-
ing to the imaginary Lady Irmentrude.
"Gladys, my dear child, leave the room"
Gladys, white and trembling, stole out of
sight behind portiere whence she could
hear unseen,
"Where is Sir Herbert? ?" repeated Rex,
the back Of a chair to steady
himself
"YoDder, in the wall, under the sundial.
1 saw him fall in, and then everything was
dark to me, and to him too. Ha, hal
Miss Fendall started violently, and ex-
changed glances with Rex.
''Go on-explain further. Where were
you VIXEN you saw him fall into the well?''
said the young man, fixing his eyes on the
crazy woman's.
sIIt urao ni0bf. tbara xvoe LITTLE moon |