Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-18

the doorway.
Presently il moved to the wall OF the
church, a short distance from the door,
aud / saw it stretch out its hand, appa-
rently 10 touch the wall. Then 10 my
horror. il moved forward in the direction
of the tree in which ] was concealed.
Did It know / was there? Beads OF cold
sweat were upon my face | clutched a
stout branch with both hands, On
stalked the figure, upright, gigantic in
stature, wearing what looked like n black
robe. with long pointed shoes, the ends
of which were fastened to its girdle, and
n great funnel cap upon its head. At
the distance Of a dozen feet or so its
footsteps were distinctly audible. Not
firm ami heavy rs became its stature and
rait. but soft and light as young girls
careful tread. The figure passed the
tree Just on the edge of It's dark shadow.
I saw its face, and gave great start.
II was the.Hermit of Hollow Booth !
He passed on and / watched him un-
/ Ill he entered the wood and was lost TO
view.
When once he had disappeared, /
found difficulty in believing that nay eyes
hal not deceived me. What had be-
come Of his long white locks and beard
his tremulous gait and stOop? Was all
this part OF the trick? What was his
motive What mystery lurked behind
the old, wOrm-caten door?
/ It was somethinglto have found out
that was dealing with actual flesh and
blood. and yet 1t complicated matters
seriously. There was no knowing what
tragedy was hidden behind this elaborate
masquerade of eccentricity.
determined, however, that I wonld
find ont. debated with myself whether
| should get Lennier to JON me. ! de-
cided to go through as / had begun,
singlo-handed.
Dropping to the ground, / made for
the spot where ! had seen the Hermit
stretch out his hand, and my attention
was attracted to a stone gargoyle, repre-
senting an Open-mOuthed demon.
AZ | gazed at the grinniDg montrosity.
sinister and almost irreligious carica-
tire of the human face divine, an ex-
citing idea entered my mind. stood on
tip-tOe and reached mp, but | failed to
reach the gargOyle by some inches. /
looked abOgt for something to stand on,
and finally got largo stone from the
side of the road Mounting this | was
enabled to thrust my hand into the de-
mons mouth. There WIS o hollow in
the lower jaw, and as my fingers slipped
into this they touched something cold.
Ny fingers clutched il. | did not wait
to examine it. but bounded TO the door.
There was a soft click, and the door
swung noiselessly open. 1 had found
the key.
II was the evening Of Christmas Day,
n red-letter day in my life, for that very
morning | had pleaded my suit success
fully with the divine Dorothea, and had
won from her sweet lips a confession Of
her regard for me.
After dinner Lennier and repaired to
the smOking-room where in the course
of time we were joined by the ladies'
do not remember how it came about,
but the topic Of conversation was ghosts,
and eventually the proposition was made
that We should each tell a story in turn.
The divine DOrothea, a creature OF cX-
cellcnt Imagination and quaint fancy,
led off with q blood-curdlng narrative
an effort chat reflected great credit on
her inventive faculty. as she deludel u5
all into the belief that it was "true
tale" Doubtless it was, in an oblique
sense.
Lennier followed next aud was in turn
succeeded by his lady. it was getting
late when my turn arrived
NOW, Trehemc don't pile up the
horrible too much. Remember the
ladies nerves are not ike our own-oi /
steel, remarked Lcnnier but the ladies .
protested that they woui1 give any /
thing 10 feel a genuine shiyer Of horrJr /
for once.
"Well. am not going to tell a story /
at all, - said, coolly. Then added: /
"But if You like, ! will show You "a
ghost worth looking at. 90
Hello, what's up now 2" inquired I
Lcnnicr. with an uneasy laugh; whilo /
the ladies' exclaimed, YES, yes, show .
us the ghost
"You will have 70 come with me tothe .
priory then, and we must not lose much .
time, either l said, looking AZ my
watch
"He is Joking" remarked Mrs. Len
nier, in disappointed tone.
ooh, Dick, you are not, are Won ~
cried the divine Dorothea, gently touch
ing my arm with the tips OF her fingers
and looking reproachfuly into my eyes.
Never more serious IL my life. II
Won care 10 come ! viii show YOU some
thing worth seeing
"The medieval monster OF fifty years
ago, eh?" shifted Lennicr cou,emptu-
ouoly.
eyes, and something else, TOO, if YOU
care for it," | said, being quite superior
to any amount Of skeptical sarcasm.
Lennier made n brave fight against
what he called "the madness OF the
thing : but upon the spindle side there
were deXterity and tact, and the result
goes without spying.
At hllt-past T. we we're all four in the
crouching behind couple
Of tOmbstoDes that stood side by side in
good view OF the now famous doorway.
The divine Dorothea ana ] had one Of
the stones to ourselves. and, rs a series
Of observations had led me to conclude
that the sable figure would not show him
self till after | o'clock, began to devote
myself to making some silent experiments
in the art of cOurtship.
forgot the ghost altogether. It was
4 clear, frosty night frosty, but glori
)usy warm Judging from my own tenn
oersture. Moreover, the divine Doro-
.hen herself was some distance from the
freezing point though heard Lonnier
nutter something about lawfully cold"
Presently, by chance, peered round
he stone was the figure IN black.
DOLLY stalking away from MS, AMI
already nearing the margin Of the wood
Look /! look ! be quick !" y
They obeycd, following the direction
# my finger. "Ho, no, no. " they cried
Il startled tones, as they cazed az tie
gigantic figure in the dim distance. ,
When it had disappeared in The wood I /
aid?
1--WE almost lost him that time. We
must have been asleep. We ought to
rave seen him come through the door T..
way. What do you think OF lin, Len /
lier ?"