, 1888-11-10

haCtuutt narrow bldlT"uNSs ana AZ length
reached the terminus of the gallery on
what seemed the second floor of the build
ing. | struck a match-I had but two
and must be careful Of them-but there
was nothing to see. Only the narrow
walls of a secret passagcl No door to be
seen! | retraced my steps. but the en-
trance had vanished. There was but a
smooth stone surface ! pressed every
spot in search of Il secret spring, but in
vain. and after ar. hour of useless search
| cursed my own folly uut- idfe-eaFiesity
for having thus entrapped me. | struck
my other match and noticed that the lit
tie gallery here, at its beginning, was
widened into a sort of vestibule large
enough to hold a table and n chair, and
bent off in one direction into n sort of al
cove. | could not suppress an eXclama
ton of delight as discovered a
short candle on the table. Besides
his candle the table held pens,
ink, paper and an odd copper salver
with Il heavy wrought rim in antique
design, the center a smooth, polished sur
face. An odd ornament for his strange
place, | thought. | looked at the pens
One had been recently used. As | sat un.
decided whether to call for help, or await
the return of the habitues of the place
for my release, a light flashed upon me
from n dark corner. | picked up the gilt
tering thing-a locket with Il jeweled
monogram. l pressed the spring. and dis
closed a dark, wicked, magniicently
handsome face. / knew it in an instant
that of Alvarez Dacarrol u man whose
name n few years ago had been on every
lip, who was now remembered for his
w~ickedness and his perfdy, who was
under sentence of death, and who had
despoiled Reynolds Herholf's father-in-
law of half his fortune through the
strange, magnetic influence he had ac-
CURED over his daughter. She at one
time had wished to marry him, but had
been made, it was said, to see his perfidy
before it was too late.
The locket, l supposed, had been Mrs.
Herholf's, and the maid who used this
passage for her midnight meeting proba
bly, had stolen it.
Putting the jewel in my pocket, | began
again, with the aid of the candle, a fresh
search for hidden springs. l returned to
the further end of the gallery. as that
surface was a smaller one to look over. /
had passed many times from end to end
of the smooth stone, pressing each spot
separately, before l noticed a mere pin.
point, where the stone seemed slightly
roughened. | pressed it. A door swung
quickly open on noiseless hinges, and II
draught blew some silken fabric across
my check. l freed myself from the ma
terial and looked around me. The bright
moonlight, through a large WINDOW,
showed me my own rooml
| went to the door. 1t was bolted, rs |
had left it. My room, then, was in the
secret passage route. l examined the
paneled wall, but could discover no sign
of a doorway, and as there was nothing
to be developed by conjectures, l soon fell
asleep.
Twice during the following day l sought
an interview with Mrs. Herholf, but was
unable to see her. | had determined to
tell her all knew of the use which was
being made of the secret passage, and to
restore her locket, as well as seek an ex-
PLANTATION of my silver ghost" as l had
called my nightly visitor. Herholf was
confined to his room, and his wife re-
mained with him.
Worn out with my watch of the night
before, | retired early, and soon fell into
heavy sleep, from which the oppressive
sultriness of the night reused me. Invent
to the window. The thick darkness was
only the more manifest by the occasional
brilliant flashes in the south, which fore
told an approaching storm. | was seated
by an open window close to the tapestried
wall.
Suddenly, ! seemed to hear or feel n hu.
man breath. | caught my own, and lis
tened with an intensity of purpose which
defeated it's own object. The blood
81 " hS1NAy PuiolIB SNIthll DuSg
ny ears, in its round to and from the
L'ain. Like a flash the white, floating,
illuminate figure came and melted away,
at the other end of the wall, as | felt
through the tapestry curtain the contact
of a passing human figure close by mel
Now | knew that what had seen a
been a retlectionl No wonder it had
melted to n~othingness when l seized it.
waited a few seconds, and then slim
! nlnn nniGnlaeG1u fhn naDal 4 In1 1.,r,.1
to know last night, | entered the gallery.
1t was, as expected to find it, dark and
empty. | CROPPED my way slowly to the
end. A strong blast of wind and the
beating of rain on the wall outside an
nounced the arrival of the storm.
A strong glare overhead made me for
the first time aware that light from the
outer world entered here. l now saw
above me n glass plate, clear, but very
heavy. semi-circular in form and semi
horizontal in position; doubtless unnotice-
able from without, but concentrating in
daytime a fair light on the table.
The wind was bearing the storm on
rapidly; each moment there were renewed
peals of thunder, and an almost constant
stream of light came through the circle of
glass.
| was determined to await my visitors
return, and looked about for Il hiding
place. A jutting corne offered the shelter
sought. / stepped into it, and as l did
so, dislodged some material which must
have hung on a peg above me, and which
fell, covering my mead and shoulders in
soft, close, yet metallic folds. threw it
quickly off, and it fell to the floor in a heap
which glittered strangely in the flashes
of light. took it up quickly and bore it
to the nearer light. it was blindingIy
dazzling-a curiously wrought suit of
finest silver wire, soft and yielding as
silk. folded it. as l might have lone a
silk handkerchief, and put it into my
pocket. | was no longer at a loss for my
nightly visitors silvery whitenessl
A half hour more had passed, There
was a sudden rush of air from the outer
world, bearing whit the increased sound
OF water pouring heavily down. Steps
upon the stone pavement, and knew my
self, at last, shut in with the ghost of
Penarns.