Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-10-24

length OF the great central i.a.t Oy}dn = wv
| + the weird. lass iuatiug object, yin o. 60
Instantly 40 NY Uucarhly crS leaving me
tuy individuality once more.
AT this juncture 81 WEAKNESS had left
ne as,, ~ gar, .ud ! Nas con.
| sc.oua ui fl.t NE object Tad gone
| INTO ihces,.#, raenl, aud | it'lt impcled
10 follow it 3aa ! orbid curiosity was
AGAIN scidHg r.ceud determined oopen the
great door / had forgotten Peggy under
the strange influence Of this midnight expe-
riencC, ana boldly reached for the key in its
brass ring on the wall.
kut rs touched the key cold. icy, shiv.
ering sensation vent over me, and stayed
my eager hand. The lamps burned brighter
| now and and well, where was /,
noise behind me caused me TO turn
| quickly and, half alarmed, / noticed that
Peggy ami Aueil were standing ia toe pas
sage-way. How very long they have been
| standing there, | thought; then came the
| half awake sensation, and / realized that
they were waiting for me
When they saw me looking at them they
| called to me to 'coom away from there
At sight OF their familiar faces / started
and awoke, shaking of the lethal charm, TO
realize where I really was. As the knowl-
edge came to me instantly | became terri
fled, and rushing across the han fell faint
ing IN Peggy's arms.
When ! came to my senses once more
was lying on The low scttee in the servants
quarters ana The housckeepor was mop
ping my forehead alternately with camphor
and water and moaning as ii her heart
were broken.
Iopcucd my eyes langmdly, and looked
up At the dear Old soul bending over me. A
haf-frightcned exclamation Of JOY burst
from her lips
AN nue. Teddy, an It's yer own swatc
self that isn't ded yet Own glad Oi got
We away from that awful place afore thin
spirits Kilt yc,n
Glow long was in therculonet' asked
the whole Of The sensational experience
flashing wildly across my mind.
"Oh jist a mint Oi thought yer was
coming away once from the dlvlish whus-
perins but ye went roight along gropin
about like sumthln' stark chrazy, an not
moindin a wurrud Oi said to ycz7
II was evident they had seen nothing, so
! kept my uncanny vision TO myself Only a
minute Peggy said, and it seemed to me
years. remembered the awful feeling Of
helpless despair that had possession Of me
in that minute, and could not help but think
what must be the punishment in the next
world If one IS allowed such an experience
as only an insight | was sure / had eX-
perienced u part of Sir Ruperts punish
ment, somehow.
closed my eyes wcari!y and thought Of
Dante Had he such insights as | had ex-
perienceds The depths Of despair, with
Just strength enough to endure and never
become entirely exhausted, coupled with
the desperate knowledge that it was too
late too late | am fully satisfied with my
adventure. and shall hereafter be slow to
condemn any plausible ghoststory coming
TO my ken.
l lay so long with closed eyes aud motion
less form that the old hOusekeeper came
and bent over me until / felt her breath on
my check.
can shes worried out ana gone to slape,
she is. murmurcd she, turning away; but
| could not have slept for love nor money
If my reposc satisfied Peggy felt willing
TO keep up the feigned sleeping process in
order that l might think ! could do that
with wonderful distinctness, but as for
sleep, it was far from me.
Its near mornm''' / heard Peggy say,
IAN she'll Shape fun well the rest O the
noight here
So, suiting her actions 10 her plans, she
covered inc with a blanket, pulled little at
the pillow under my head, perhaps TO see if
was vet alive. and recRoned TO Ancil that
they "moight as well 80 to bed, il they
couldn't shut thor DIES for the first wink O.
Shape"
That nights experience left me in very
nervous stac, and ii was days before felt,
like Richard, myself again. Peggy did not
add 70 my comfort, either by remarking
each morning An how white and fraid-
lookin' We arc, to be sure"
But, as time settles ali things earthly, it
settled my nerves at last, and began To
speak 81 going back to Cousin Gladys little
cottage pcggys blank face and hearty de
murs kept me several days longer al the
Hall than had intended 10 stay, however
After all am glad now that she kept me,
on one pretcxt and another. as long rs she
did, for thereby | was enabled TO meet a
friend of Miriam's and perhaps add to her
happiness on my return And this is how
il happened | was walking in the park
alone one morning while Peggy was on
household duties intent when ] espied
not far from me / was wondering who he
was to have gotten into the inclosurc with.
out lief, when he looked up ana in my di-
rection
Seeing that / was watching him he came
forward, and removing his hat with ex-
ceeding grace, introduced himself as Allan
Percival, nephew of the deceased Sir Ru-
pert, and cousin to Miriam Pcrciyal Fairfax
"Did / ever hear of Mriami Did / know
of her voyage TO America, ana Just where
she was living now" were two questions
asked almost in a breath The first one
had scarcely answered by mere
monosyllabe when the next came, as il Il
had been kept waiting for years to make
itself known.
remembered that Miriam had spoken so
warmly, eloquently of this Allan Pcrcival
that did not hesitate in talking confdcnt.
ally to him. Indeed | had thought some
times when she was speaking Of her Lon
don visit and his illness that in time to
come Allan might find his affection re-
turned. I wondered If had better tell him
she was living with me; then | thought
should wait a moment and let him speak
Don't be afraid of me; / knew Miriam
went to America, or at least intended TO
make the voyage some months since he
said, respectfully, in Il most musical voice
aud with those wonderful eyes bent be-
secchingly on me "Sho intended TO 60 to
place called Bay View TO reside with a
lady friend, he continued, I'm order to get
away from sight and sound Of this
accursed place. and he looked around,
while his handsome face grew dark with
angry sorrow
TTo BE CONTINUED
FUaBELCWs or FASHION.