The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-02-20


 " Matter e mile. mile and half, ol two mile, was the gruff, vague reply, de noting the speaker as an independent Sykes or Hodge, with nothing to hops from me.
 "I'm for Swalecliffe. Shall find a trap to take me up7"
 A suppressed guffaw of laughter from Hodge. He nudged Sykes.
 "Bill, here's a bloke for Swalecliffe Wants to be took up."
 "Swalecliffe Castle" l added; "do you know itT my question provoking fresh unseemly chuckling.
 The missing porter here came to my aid, and after ten minutes, spent by the loafing navvies in cutting in their vernac- ular incomprehensible but seemingly sur. prisingly witty jokes at my expense, an open fly was fetched from the inn.
 The heavy roads made the short drive almost long. The rain had ceased and the subsiding wind blew in ftful gusts Heavy masses oi black cloud, like basal. tic columns, were drifting away to the horizon. Overhead the sky was swep, clear, and the moon shone out with after rain brilliancy. The vegetation of the country was passing through seemed strikingly rich. Huge elms, sycamores and beeches overshadowedt the road, their trunks wreathed with enormous ivy growths. Geography was never my strong point, but l fancied there was a river in these parts. Suddenly we left the high road through the gates of a hva nG hill through the private grounds of Swale- cliffe, dark drive of half mile or more. On either side Lay picturesque jungle, shadowed by an overgrowth of enormous forest trees, and stretching on the left hand down a deep ravine, where the ex- traordinary luxuriance of the vegetation recalled a Carolina swamp. Huge masses of creepers, loading the trunks and branches of the trees, made them look like misshapen giants. Below, dense growth of dark ferns, dark laurels, and gnarled willows covered a marsh, re- vealed here and there by pool of black water caught by the moonlight. The ap- proach, as seen by me that night, was like some fantastic dream-a disordered fancy picture of Dore's-where the con- torted boughs take half-human forms, and over all hangs some glamour of black magic. It was oppressive, and I felt sense of relief as we abruptly emerged from the wood.
 High and dry on grassy eminence the castle rose boldly before me, striking, itself, from its size, its massive strength, and picturesque style. The gray stone looked white against the dusky blue sky. It stood, with its pleasure ground and outlying buildings enclosed by brick wall, like veritable old fortress, with towers, and approach un- der the gateway of a Gothic stone. fronted lodge-the monster plaything of mer- chant prince.
 Matthew Parker met me in the front hall.
 lust in time for dinner" he an- nounced. "You've twenty minutes to dress. David, show MT. Milfred his room."
 An elderly, fatherly-lookiIg footman led me into large, lofty hall with sky light roof. Corridors opened on each landing ofthe stone staircase we ascended. No wonder Parker was hospitable, with accommodation in his castle for the whole 
 followed David down long passage above, at the extreme end of which was my room. As he opened the door gust of air from the window left open extin- guished his candle. Instead of first closing the window, he hastened back to the landing to get light. Meaning to sup ply his omission, walked into the room the draught instantly slamming the door behind me.
 It was small oblong apartment, with a window facing the door. The breeze had parted the curtains, and the moons rays streamed in between them. As passed the threshold was arrested by an impression-unlike anything In my past or subsequent experiences-an impress sion can never forget, and would gladly never recall-fantastic, instantaneous, startling, vivid. It was as if some strange, strangely clad figure were hanging, lurk- ing in the aperture between the window stopped, trans6xed. know the spell lasted not a minute, but it seemed an eternity that 1 stood there alone in the gloom, under a strange roof, shut in with this mystery-the semblance of figure, and face that could not sec.
 David reentered with lamp. As he placed it on the table the moon-beams paled, the appearance resolved itself into an effect of light and shade and now the man stood in the window embrasure fill ing the very space occupied moment ago by another.
 As he closed the window and drew the hangings recovered myself, thinking, We see faces in the fires, goblin shapes in the branchings of the trees, why not shadow figures in the curtainsp"
 With Davld's help contrived to ge down in time. Parker's entertainment was princely, like his mansion. Young people were in the sjority, the evening passed merrily in round games and im- promptu charades, and at midnight I retired, having laughed away the very of that extraordinary delu- sion that had signalled my first moments In Swalecliffe.
 ! found my friend David stirring the