Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-09-04

sea. Sydney seemed to be dragging me
along. Once caught glimpse Of his face
and saw 1t was deadly white. though his
eyes were straining wildly after the phan-
tom he was following. Still he went on
and on. We were nearing the beach now,
and | could hear the surf beating against
the rocks and dimly see the white crests OF
the waves hanging in the foggy night.
Now we were on the beach. l felt the sea-
weed under my feet and stumbled. Still
be on the brink of the water | thought, and
shivered. Then | put out my other hand
and clutched at Sydney's arm.
In Gods name where are you going?'
said in a terrified whisper.
The boy did not answer. He stopped
dead. The darkness was thick about us.
We were standing in p mist, and even the
blurred stars had faded out. Suddenly
felt wave break over my feet. And at
that moment, kissing out and echoing
across the darkness, there grated in my
ears the sound of q harsh and hollow
laugh-the very laugh 1 had heard in my
dream.
The gloom was so dense that could only
see the outline of Sydney's body, though
was grasping him with my two hands
There was perfect silence. Still | stood
there motionless, rooted to the rocks. Then
| felt the boy start off again toward the
house. Another wave dashed up against
my feet as l turned with him, and began to
ascend 10 the gardens again. The fog was
growing thinner. Presently it parted, and
strong wind seemed TO have risen sud-
denly out of the sea. Now could distinctly
see Sydney's eyes still fixed on the invisi-
Bile thing before him. l cOuldsee, too, that
we were mounting the pale avenue Of fir
trees, and from the distant windows of the
library a dim light was casting shadows
down upon our faces. But we did not
make fer those windows. My guide turned
off to the left, and we entered the deserted
part of the house / felt utterly spell
bound. | seemed to have lost all power of
volition. | believe l should blindly have
followed that boy to my death.
We had plunged into a 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. Sgd
ney could never have been in it. and yet he
led me on rapidly and never faltered or
hesitated once. | tGink that the moon
must have come out, for there was a faint
light shining through the windows as we
passed, and by that light he guided me.
We crossed several empty rooms and pass
ages, and ct last came out into long corri-
der. That, too, we traversed. At the fur
Their end door opened before us. | stepped
through it into my own library, and stood
there in the lamplight gazing stupidity into
Sydney's face.
He, too, had paused. But he never spoke
a word, nor looked at me. His eyes were
fixed on tall bookcase in corner of the
room. Presently he began 10 move slowly
toward it, and |, still holding him. fol-
lowed. Then, as we approached it, to my
utter amazement the whole bookcase swung
back upon its hinges revealing a small
closet which | had never seen before, with
some dusty rolls of paper lying on a shelf
within it. With weird cry Sydney sprang
forward wrenching himself from my grasp.
He seized the papers and, turning, thrust
them into my hand. Then, with his face
as white as snow and eyes distended, he
raised one arm and pointed to the window.
In another moment lie 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 crash
ing down about me. [ was outside, stand
ing 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 banished 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 l went back into the library
found Sydney in dead faint on the floor.
l rushed to the bell and rang it till its tones
went pealing and clashing 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
hands. But did not mind it, for felt as
if life had suddenly come back to me. And
when my mother and the servants came
out and gathered, startled and lamenting,
round us, fell down on my knees beside
the boy and wept as never | wept, | think,
before that day or since.
| have no more to tell. The. closet in the
library opened, found. by secret spring
but what hand opened it that terrible
night never knew. Among the papers
which Sydney had thrust into my hand
was the long lost document which con-
tirmed my title to the estate. Sydney was
for long time i'll but at last, with careful
know my mother and did all
we could for him. and somebody else, who
shall be nameless, did more than we-he
recovered, and has ever since remained
with me. Neither of us ever spoke much
of the things we had seen that winter day.
The mystery of my inheritance is mys-
terry still, and men will bury it with us in
our graves. Only this know and will tell
you, that, from that hour to this, Sydney
has meyer seen ghost again.
So | am Grant of Tullybardane, and the
heiress Of Glen Levannoch is my wife
Belgrdria.