Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-08-17

4
rouching form-murderi
| shuddered from head to foot.
Then pulled myself together again, and
thankful that my return to the drawing room
had been unobserved, / determined TO depart
as quietly as l had come. This l managed
successfully, and lighting a candle this time
at the head OF the staircase, entered the
passage leading TO my room and reached IL I'm
my usual prosaic manner. Although now
thoroughly convinced that ! had been the
victim OF a temporary hallucination, / felt by
| no means comfortable My new accomplish
ment was not an agreeable one, and my
nerves were badly shaken.
"FoolT" / apostrophized myself politely,
and glad, after all, that had not absolutely
appeared one in the eyes of havis and her
family, began TO undress. First, however,
searched my sleeping and dressing rooms
thoroughly and found them quite free from
the presence Of my i'll looking friend of the
passage The dressing room was queer
little place-one Of the few rooms of the
tower that had stood the ravages of time and
| the only one in tho hose that had not been.
from laird to laird, added to and improved
upon. II was curious enough, and some of its
old worm eaten oak had stood since the ear
lest days OF Ghairlce
l went TO bed and very soon. il seemed IN
me, fell asleep. Very soon, too. IL seemed
TO me, | was awakened BY know not
what
sat up in bed and listened intently, thor
| oughly awake.
For several minutes / heard nothing.
Then the dismal bowling OF a dog came 10
me, rs II from the adjoining room-and vet
it had snothered sound as IL, although near
me, its howls were being stified Suddenly
this sound ceased, and then came n stealthy
creeping sound, and l saw n crouching figure
| against my wall-the same figure the same
evil face now turned straight toward me, the
same murderous expression-sll, as il had.
/ just as suddenly, appeared in the hall
And my room was In perfect darkness.
But though the man continued to gaze
straight into my eyes he moved from, not
toward, me slowly and stealthily until he
reached the door leading into the dressing
room, and through this he disappeared
| With one bound followed him | forgot
the deadly fear that had seized upon me at
sight of this monster, as / believed him. of
my imagination. ] rushed after him and
would have thrown myself upon him in
another instant, had not something rooted
me to the threshold powerless. In vain |
endeavored 10 move hand or limb, in vain |
attempted TO cry aloud when found myself
| incapable OF motion-I stood as il chained
gagged helpless-speechless. And before
me crept the man, always skulking along the
wall
Now my ewes Travelled beyond him to divine
| his destination, and there-before the mirror
| of the old dressing table, with her bonny
| brown hair all unbound and her little, white
| bare feet, showing beneath her loose night
| robe, and in her hands the old lutte with a
pale ribbon wound about it, thereon, nv
Godl stood Mavisl Kneeling beside her was
/ an old waiting woman. Even in my speech
less agony knew / paused, trying to place
her, but she was some one l could not remem-
Der to have seen about Ghairlee Shestroked
and kissed her lady's hand-my ladys hand
| and seemed to say some soothing word, but
though saw her lips moved, try as would
| could hear no sounds
j struggled frantically for the power to cry
aloud, but my tongue was held by some ter
rible force | could neither save nor warn NV
darling Of that CHASTITY shadow that is creep
/ ing nearer, ever nearerl
Merciful Godl
Without n sound-noiseless as fate-merci-
less-Sleath giving-the figure rose from its
crouching posture and stood behind the two
women. With some hdeous cleaning weap-
ON uplifted to strike, with bis evil face dis
torted by the passion and intent to kill re-
Elected in al. its CHASTITY horror in the long
dim glass, into which my poor, lost Mavis
stared IL already stricken, the man stood
| for an misunderstanding in anticipation this
dark and bloody deed. Then there was a sud
den flash rs the thing he carried descended
a dull, crushing blow, and at last--too late
| my voice came to me-
One sbriek that should have rallied long
| forgotten lairds to the defense and then-un-
| Consciousness.
When | opened my eyes. Mavis, my own
Mavis, stood beside me. Then | saw the
kindly face OF the laird
After a while, told my story. Then he
told his.
Many years ago there was a Laird Of
| Ghairlee who had cruel, wicked brother
This brother plotted To overthrow all who
stood In his way, but the laird was too
strong for him and found him out for n
wicked, murderOus dog; 30 the gates of
Ghairlee we're closed upon him But though
he said nothing he waited until the laird was
away, and then he stole into the little passage
lending To the tower rooms and hid there.
and that night he murdered the lairds young
bride when none was within call but the
feeble old serving woman.
Her picture hangs below, poor Teddy -
added the laird, "Mavis is enough like her To
he herself But you should have told us OF
the warning In the passage, lsdde, and my
self should have minded what night il was
and told you 10 sleep with Dugald For who
passes the night In the tower rooms on the
9Th OF October, must aye see the Ghaist o.
Ghairleeln-London Society.
U.ua m