The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-09-07

|
ing me out of the corners of those blue
eyes covertly. l must make random shot
If nothing more or Peggy Clarkson would
| soon begin to believe that was an inn
| postor.
| 'sPeggy," said I, sit may be that the grief
| of losing her husband and little innocent
son will kill her before she can return. l
believe that it is grieving that is killing her
i anyway, instead of disease. She has the
portrait Of Arthur and the baby, but has
| not her own, and doubtless she desires to
have them all together. I do not know
| whether she thinks she will ever be able to
return or not. dreaded always to mention
| it, and she might not want me to either;
she is so sad, Peggy, so sad"
"Och hoon!'' walled Peggy, san it's dying
| she'll be in that far-away country, an it's
me that'll niver set eyes on me darlint ony
more, ony morel'
''As long asthere is life there is hope,
| Clarkson,n ventured, cheerfully.
ooh, yis but whin there's not much of
aythur to depind on it's therrible."
| "Well, Peggy said, hopefully, "when l
go home I shall tell her just how you feel !;
how happy you would be to welcome her
back to Heatherleigh, and verify believe
J she'll come, for she remembers how you
| used to love herr
| ssArrah! and thin We can hev the por-
thra1t, ma'am; yis. me Teddy, We can take
the swate, proud face from the gallery, and
| carry me old weary hearts blessing with it
to Miriam
presume never felt 80 fully relieved in
my life; so glad that I might fulfill my
| promise made on the spur of the moment.
| and which had dreaded to carry out ever
since set foot on English soil.
| But that was gotten along with. I went
over to Peggy and kissed her withered
cheek "Miriam will be so glad, SO thank
| full to YOU, / know. Her pale face will
| brighten, I am sure, and you will be glad,
| too, that you have given her happiness, ii
! only for day."
sDo you really believe that his spirit is
here ever?' 1 asked, earnestly, looking
straight into those great, blue eyes.
II know it, ma am,'' she replied with un-
mistakable emphasis; and gave in.
"Well, suppose it Isl" Isald. ''Won'tyou
go through the hall with me, Peggy. some
night and let me hear him walk! I'd very
much like to hear him; indeed, would"
She looked at me in wild-eyed silence
CHAPTER XXI.
'An lGS ulOlSHIF SGIduSS w LOU hOAAuS wv
folks We Americans are, ony way. Oh
reckon as ye're so indipindint the other
soide the wather that ye're not afraid o.
the spirits or the dead, or the divil his
selfr'
ssYou are right in that, Peggy; we are not
standing in particular fear of any one but
God.''
'sAn' Oh ruther guess some ov ZEN don't
sthand in uuakip' fear O. Him, not by an
overly soight."
could not help smiling at the earnest
ness Of the old housekeeper and the near
ness Of her shrewd guess to the facts of
the case But said: Swell, will you go
with me, Peggy, to find Sir Rupert in athe
central hall some night before | go home!"
And she promised me she would.
1t happened on rather sullen, gusty
night that Peggy and chose to investigate
the ghost story, or rather, chose, for.
Clarkson did not choose, save only for the
sake Of her promise.
With the recital of Sir Rupert's roaming
about the central hall doing penance ring
ing in my ears and burning in my soul
waited, in company with Peggy and Ancil,
In the deep silence for the spirit to Sswalk."
Clarkson, ali in SILVER of fright and ex-
citement, declared that had taken ''the
spirit yud be most loikely to give US fair
show
Idrew my wraps about me in the dense
shadows, and Clarkson chung to me like a
frightened child as we entered the central
hall, and our footsteps echoed hollow and
strangely as we proceeded.
Had it not been for my overruling desire
Of experiencing genuine spirit visit and
my morbid love Of adventure with the mys-
ferrous, should have given up the project
at the outset because Of the old housekeep-
er's increasing timidity. But could not
bring myself to say: Let Us give it up
and so we proceeded.
So crouching low on the lower steps OF
the great oaken staircase we waited pa
tiently for some demonstration of Sir Ru-
pert. The hall lamp.. which had not been
lighted since the deaA master lay, so cold
and rigid, in the I'D joining room, were light
ed, and, burning low, cast more of gloom
than cheerfulness around us. The witch
ing hour approached; the shadows hung
heavily folded in the corners, and seemed
70 cling to the moldering balustrade like
dense curtains Of Grape Peggy was grow
Ing uneasy, and, too nervous to converse,
sat shivering on the edge Of the steps,
white faced and alert
n Anrdl leaned anainHk The noliShed railing |