The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-04-10

team OF norses going slowly homeWards-
for no living creature moved quickly in the
Fens
When all was still, save that the frogs
mad begun to croak among the rushes, |
turned to my books, and in mystic volumes,
such as the history of the Rosy Cross,
sought for counsel from men who, like me,
had resolved to be alone
One night, when 1 had been about a
fortnight at the Tower, 1 sat up rather
later than usual at my studies. A new
vista was opening before me, and | seemed
to be on the point Of reaching over that
indefnable barrier that separates us from
the other world in which spirit is the known
reality-a world whose laws must some day
yield themselves up to our mastery. L
raised my head and drew in long breath
of the night air that blew in at the open
easement. While sitting thus, persuing
an argument in my own mind, the sound
of stealthy foetstep on the. stair caught
my ear and abruptly broke the chain of
my thoughts.
Irritated at this disturbance l resolved
to forbid the servants coming upstairs SO
late and then tried to resume my reading
But the words on the page conveyed no
meaning to my mind and l found myself
dwelling instead on that unwonted sound.
Suddenly it flashed upon me-I had not
heard the step go away.
My door faced the stairs and only a very
small landing interviewed l looked at my
watch; it was half-past one.
Obviously none of the household had any
business upstairs at that hour-had |
heard the step of burglar who was even
now outside my door? l was unarmed
and beyond reach Of help, for the bell in
my room communicated with an empty part
of the Tower and had not yet given or
ders for its alteration. Hastily and nerv-
ously 1 locked my door and listened long
for retiring footstep, but not sound
came, and l fell asleep at last without un-
dressing. Next day felt tsomewhat ashamed
of the nervousness that had seized me, for
though | do not boast of any special amount
of animal courage, l had never before ex-
perienced such uneasiness | concluded
that my nervous system must be unstrung,
and resolved to take more exercise than |
had done of late
1 asked the butler casually if he had
been upstairs late last night He was an
elderly man and had spent many years in
my cousins service, and l thought there
was something strange in his look and tone
as he replied, "No, sir; none Of as were
were upstairs.
A confused remembrance of a ghost story
came into my mind, told long ago by
chance guest, and summarily cut short by
the old squire. Perhaps the Tower was
haunted and a ghost was part of my in
heritance. l hesitated to inquire lest l
should put the idea into the heads of the
servants; but as l had little faith in the
supernatural origin of so-called ghostly dis
turbances took sundry precautions against
imposture. | had once been a fair shot, so
l opened long untouched box and got out
pistol that had lain there for two years.
This 1 cleaned and put away in my room.
then ordered that candles should be placed
there in addition to my usual lamp, and
desired that the bell should be at once
altered
When evening came l sat down to my
work and read with quite my usual atten-
ton, but l could not recall the keen per-
ception of the previous night
About o'clock | felt my mind wander
ing involuntarily from my book, although
1 had not been aware of the lateness of the
hour until l looked at my watch; quarter
of an hour later | heard faint sound. l
listened anxiously; it was the same step as
before, coming slowly upstairs, the step of
one who walks wearily-the step of a wo-
man, for 1 distinctly heard the rustic of
dress. l quietly placed the lamp so that
the light would stream right into the pas
sage, cooked my pistol, and as the footsteps
reached the door | threw it open. There
was no one there.
A sense of horror seized me, and l think
at that moment l would rather have met
any visible foe than have stood face to face,
as it were, with an empty sound.
Next morning Bond fingered unnecessa-
rily in removing the breakfast things, and
after glancing two or three times at me as
sat idly by the window, he spoke.
"Mr. Fairfax me, sir-but you
don't look we'll this morning"
81 don't feel very well, Bond" re-
piled.
sBeen disturbed at night, perhaps, sir"
said the old man pointedly.
"What do you mean? Why should l
be disturbed at night ?"
"Because you're the owner of Morcar's
Tower, sir.
aThen there is story that | don't
know p / exclaimed $50 and finish your
work, Bond, so as not to let the women re-
mark anything, and then come and tell me
about it.
When he returned Bond gave me a gar
bled version of the tale l shall presently
relate in the words of one Immediately con-
cerned but he added that since the COM
mission of the crime that gave Morcars
Tower its evil name it had been haunted
by mysterious footsteps No ghost had
ever been seen, but these steps continually
passed to the door of the room occupied
by the owner and there died away
My cousin, stout-hearted, practical man as
he was, had tried every room in the Tower
without escaping from this terrible guar
dian; and Bond thought the nervousness
caused by the nightly visitation had helped
to bring about Mrs Fairfax sudden death.
Had he been richer man the squire
would have abandoned the Tower, but he
could i'll afford to do SO and in time became
accustomed to the ghost.
"Did none of my cousins ever hear it ?"
l inquired.
aYes, sir, they did. Mr.. James and
Mr. Frank each heard it before they left
home for the last time. Mr.. Frank told
me himself, sir, and said he thought it
might be a sign he was never coming
back
"And Harry"
Master Harry was so much younger |
don't think he rightly knew the story.
Mr. Fairfax made the other young gentle
man and me promise never to tell it to any
one; and Master Harry wasn't one to think
of things of the sort.
"How did the others find it out p
ttSa,,,a NOV ae I did sir-hu MASTER