Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-07-06

the wall felt icy to my touch, and so
clalnmyl | found il at length, the
great hideous, rusty thing, feeling in
the darkness dor could not see iO
like m instrument of torture.
With great difficulty | found the
key hole. and then il seemed full of
rubbish. which felt like papers and
leaves.
At first the rusty lock would not
yield. but finally the great door creak.
ed on It's worn hinges and swung in
ward noislly.
There was lutteriug and scurrying
across the floor aud from the walls
about me, and n damp, musty odor
greeted my nOstrils, Ii was well for
me that my hostess insisted on my
takinga small travelling satchel, which
| now held in my hand, for in It's diff
ferent compartments were things
needful IN an emergency-a small
night lamp, matches. a small flask of
liquor, a guide book, a needle case,
thread, scissors and a thimble, and a
good lunch. Thankfully | pressed the
clasp, opened the Sltchel and found a
match.
AS ! struck it the great door swung
heavily TO with a sharp bang. The
lock clicked, but | thought nothing of
it then. | heard a snort Of surprise
from Dick" and then | hurriedly lit
my lamp and held it above my head.
What a vast, grand old rooml Rare
old tapestries hung from the walls,
festooned in their modify draperies
with cobwebs and dust. y Here and
there paintings in massive gilded,
furnished frames, hung upon the
walls, with dust and mold SO thick
upon the faces thereon none might
tell the features.
The door was of tessellated marble,
whose beautiful mosaic was nearly
hidden by the ravages of time and
dust.
Huge pieces Of furniture were
placed in admirable confusion about
the room, and velvet rugs of a now
lndistinct pattern covered the floor in
front of each chair or couch.
The windows were curtainless, but
solid wooden shutters, iron bound,
kept out all prying eyes. Placing my
lamp (Which gave but little light in
these huge dimensions) upon the tall,
l~acquered mantelpiece, | looked at
my watch. Seven o'clock. | had no
thought of fear, but a feeling of awe
crept over me as the moldy tapestries
waved to and fro, without a rustic,
probably from a broken spot in the
masonry Of the great walls. where,
too, a piteous moaning of the wind
kept crying.
Calmly, amidst the dead and gone
"Brau-W ylleens" looking down upon
me, able. no doubt, To see through
dust covered eyes, sat down on one
of the massive chairs and ate my
lunch, for | was desperately hungry.
Though not lacking in ideality or o
nance. il wa an excellent time to be
practical, and TO appease an appetite
was a good strengthened of the nerves.
You see, | was just the least afraid |
should be afraid.
My repast over, | took my lamp once
more in my hand. and as | did so, a
creaking board somewhere made me
start, and then | thought | heard
footstepsi
Trembling slightly, and the least in
dignant without knowing why, |
hastily crossed the wide room and en-
tered a garnet hall. Undecided, |
stood for an instant listening. This
room was mostly bare, and so full Of
dark shadows quickly left il.
Turning to 60 out, / found the door
would not open. Again and again |
tried il, but in vain. Suddenly again
| heart Dick" snort, then champ his
bits and paw the ground, and step.
He. too, evidently heard or saw some
thing TO brighten or annoy. | must
get back 10 him-but howl
A winding staircase next met my
eye, and. trying TO be brave, | began
ascending the steps, Again the sound
of footsteps. How foolish and ner.
vous ! was becoming. Reaching the
top, a long, narrow corridor opened
before me, and as | advanced another
door near suddenly closed.
But on ] went, peering into rooms
and halls, quaint closets and cup.
boards. with a firm determination todo
or die. felt my courage rise and be.
gan to reason with myself. IL was the
wind and the rats and bats and
scratching Of boughs and leaves
against the window shutters and roof
whence came the noise which my
nerves had couiured up into whisper.
ing voices and footsteps. Unaccus.
toned to the unusual excrtion Of rid
ing 50 far and tramping about, | grew
very weary.
Couchcs stood almost everywhere.
as If the former inmates Of the old
house were only too fond of leisure aud
reclining. With my handkerchief |
brushed the cobwebs and dust from
one that had once been q thing OF
beauty, IN It's rich crimson satin GOV.
ering aud heavy golden cords and tas.
sells, now 50 sUilcd and furnished.
Gratefully | sank down upon il
after placing a shawl over il, albeit
the green mold and its odor were very
suggestive Of n tomb.
Somehow amid all this gloom and
desOlation | grew singularly calm
when raising my eyes | met two dark.
beautiful, tear filled eyes gazing full
into mine from IN opening in the floor
overhead.
l did not start or cry aloud, and as
II impcllCd from an unseen force, |
raised my hand and bcckoned 10 the
form
II quickly Ianished, and soon after