Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-11-25

NOLh1o1G! SHo always SPEAKS u d SOllS-
what pouting tone, and with heavy
emphasis.
'Tea-nonsense!" responds Sir Adj
Ran. There's nothing like champagne
as pick-me-up. I'll send you tea also;
but, take my advice, and try the cham
payne"
"Oh, thank you, I shall SO much pre-
fer my teal" Mrs. Talbot declares, with
q graceful little shrug of her shoulders,
at which her friend Miss Delmaine
laughs aloud.
81 accept your advice, Sir Adrian"
she says, casting miSchievOus glance
at him from under her long lasheS.
"And--yes, Dora will take champagne
tOO-When it comes"
Naughty grill" exclaims Mrs. Tai
bot, with little Hickering smile. Dora
Talbot seldom smiles, having learned
by experience that her delicate face
looks prettier in repOSe. Come, then,
Sir Adrian" she adds, let us enter
your enchanted CASTLE"
The servants by this time have taken
in all their gage-that is, as much as
they have been able to bring in the car
riage; and now the two ladies walk w
to the Steps and enter the hall, their
host beside them.
Mrs. Talbot, who has recovered her
spirits little, is chattering gayly, and
mOnODoliZing Sir Adrian to the best of
her ability, whilst Miss De1main6 is
strangely silent, and seems lost in a
kind of pleased wonder as she gazes
upon all her charming surroundings.
The last rays of light are streaming
in through the Stained-glasS windows,
rendering the old hall full of myster-
ious beauty. The grim warriors in their
coats Of mail seem, to the entranced
gaze Of Florence Delmaine, to be max
ing ready to spring from the inches
which hold them.
Waking from her dream as hereach-
es the foot of the stone staircase, she
says abruptly, but wit h a lovely smile
playing round her mouth
'''Surely, Sir Adrian, you have ghost
in this beautiful old place, or a secret
staircase. or at Least a bogy of SOMA
sort? Do not spoil the romantic look
of it by telling me you have no tale of
terror to impart, no history of a ghOstly
visitant who walks these halls at the
dead of night"
eve have no ghost here, I am sOrry
to say" answers Sir Adrian, laughing
'sFOr the first time feel distressed and
ashamed that it should be so. We can
only boast q haunted chamber; but
there are certain legends about it, am
proud to say, the bare narration of
which would make even the stoutest
quail"
Good gracious-how distinctly I'M
pleasant" exclaims Mrs. Talbot, with
a nervous and very effective shudder.
"HOW distinctly delicious, you meant"
puts in Miss Delmaine. "Sir Adrian,
is this chamber anywhere near where
shall sleep?"
ooh, no; you need not be afraid Of
that!" answers DynecOurt hastily.
II am not afraid" said the girl sauci-
ly. Il have all my life been seeking an
! adventure of some sort. [ am tired of
my prOSaic existence. [ want to know
what jewellers in the shadOWy realms
! Of ghOSt-land are like"
Dear Sir Adrian, do urge her not
to talk like that; it is positively
wicked" pleads Dora Talbot, glancing
| at him beSeechingly.
Talbot from my house ifyou persist in
your evil courses" says Sir Adrian,
laughing again. "Desist, pray you'll"
Are you afraid, Dora?" asks Flor
ence merrily. "Then keep close to me.
l can defy all evil spirits, [ have spells
and charms"
"You have indeed!" puts in Sir Adj
rian, in q tone so low that only she can
hear it. And, knowing this, you
should be meEciful."-
Though she cannot hear what he
says, yet Mrs. Talbot can see he is adj
dressing Florence, and marks with
some uneasiness the glance that passes
from his eyes to hers. Breaking quick
ly into the conversation, she says tim
idly, laying her hand on her hosts
arm
This shocking room you speak of
will not be near mine?"
Tn another wing altogether" Sir
Adrian replies reasSuringly. Indeed
it is SO far from this part Of the castle
that one might be safely incarcerated
there and slowly starye to death with
out any one of the household being a
bit wiser. 1t is in the north wing in
the old tower, a portion of the building
that has not been III use for over fifty
years."
81 breathe again" says Dora Talbot
affectedly.
= shall traverse every inch Of that
old toWer-haunted room and aII-be-
fore / am a week Older" declares Flor
ence defantly. After which she smiles
at Adrian again, and follows the maid
up the broad staircase to her ROOM.
By the end Of the week many other
visitors had been made welcome at the
castle; but none perhaps gave 50 much
pleasure to the young barOnet as Mrs.
Talbot and her cousin.
Miss Delmaine, the only daughter
and heiress Of an Indian nabob, had
taken London by storm this past sea-
son; and not only the modern Babylon,
but the heart Of Adrian Dynecourt as
well. She had come home to England
on the death of her father about two
years ago; and, having no nearer rela-
tiyeS alive, had been kindly received
by her cousin, the Hon. Mrs. Talbot,
who was then living with her husband
in a pretty house in Mayfair.
Six plonths after Florence Delmaine's
arrival, George Talbot had succumbed
to a yirulent fever; and his widow, up
on whom a handsome jOinture had
been settled, when the funeral and the
necessary law worries had come to an
end, had intimated to her young cousin
that she intended to travel for a year
upon the Continent, and that she would
be glad, that is-With an elaborate sigh