Telegram-herald., 1889-10-25

aH4 knes &Sfrt ~@-H-r~ 80 A~aArIt
tat hs w&s kkls4- bat tne squire IA
c4lsod IL = fona Dellsf Tat t1e 10y
~0si- yet FetsTn-
Il sili gr~gs 4 be - dead or not. hs
szid ssEsmem Der. NyHark. tie tern
BE con sSst we made - Eeet again 81
tAe srst CkristIass eve NJ son 5 ace -
sp~na q hls owa house. AID a~peBd apon
it 10 ~ come, tziher lu the splrlI u ia
re nesh Neat Christmas eve TIE e&n-
oust wil se spread. ana thsn lac truth
~ as fate shall DC known - ne
Again sere the windows u the cd
hSa stlszs Wllh light. sna the host s2s
a. the hesd ~ he banQuetlEg table, Dut
nov ais fscs vac pale. and no sule en-
wreethec bis lips. he expected = spirit
cues - DigbE. One by one the guests
errlved. until al we're present bat the
young master of TIE house
a sorry specfacle was this feast for
the guests rrembled a. though stricken
with agae. Until the elOcks had ehlno1
the hour OF IL and the white haired cid
squire rose @ lie feet light in bis eyes.
Gentlemen. said be. Il have cause
20 REJOICE TINS night, for se have proved
that Csptain Jack stiil lives. You re-
member our compact, H. meet once
more The whole thirteen Of -, either IN
the flesh OF the spirit Only one is sb-
SEN. nv brave son. Bat. gentlemen
had AIS splTiJ fed from tits world. Il
would have returned here tonight 10
keep good the cath made. re Is not
dead nv SOL lives. and my life Is ge-
nlled with hope Lieutenant WymGrA
concured With his host. and then tee
neglected wines aud yl6ncs were drunk
and eaten. and every heart VAS lighter
Before breaking up the squire insisted
that the OhIh should be repeated. has
mind confident that Captain Jack would
surely return. 40 on the preceding
Christmas eve. the company stood up,
and with hands clasped. repeated after
tie squire the same oath.
Seventeen years have passed, and
Christmas Is again at hand. bul death
lad been busy during the past six mon hs
among the friends who had 80 long met
'on a Christmas eve at Halstead hal.
The squire was dead. and three other
gentlemen who were advanced a years,
go that Of the original thirteen only eight
were known live.
Within month OF Christmas the
lodge keeper WAS found dead In the PARK,
his death being hastsned, no doubt, by
the breaking up Of old ties and associa-
tions OF the eight living members Of
the dread compact only one was absent,
Lieutenant Wymstk, his profession hav-
ING again called him again 10 India Two
weeks before the seven met In solemn
conclave TO discuss the matter OF their
oath. for II must be confessed they much
regretted their participation in IL. Some
voted that the matter be allowed TO drop
as being perfectly senseless, arguing that
as the hall was empty and the keys in the
hands OF the trustees they could not
gain admission. The majority. however.
proposed that they present themselves
1t the gates, at lea according 10 the
compact.
Finally this was decided upon. each,
however, hopeful that this would term
mate what was becoming dreadful ter
ror 10 them. Captain Jack was not dead,
but had managed to save his life by pre-
tending 10 conform 10 the religion and
custom OF his captors, hoping some day
for an opportunity to escape. This op-
portunity never came, and his fate would
probably have been forever shrouded in
a mystery had not Wymark been borne
TO the Same strt Dghold. This strong
hold was Immediately stormed by the
British, and the captives restored 10
liberty. Our two soldiers now made di-
ItCL lOi Iiklduu dIQ ~ Was OnlS w lHt
most determined efforts that they ar
rived In the hall in time for the annwal
feast. 1t was just IL o'clock Of Christ
mas eve.
"Just in time" said Wymark. "and
the old place Is filed with light. What
a constitutiony our father has. Why, he
is near upon 80 years OF age, and last
Christmas looked as well as ever"
Dear old chap murmured Captain
Jack; "but how strange everything
seems. There is not footmark ia the
snow, and the gates look as il they had
not been opened for days and days"
AS he spoke a spectral figure issued
from tho lodge, and the gates swung open.
1t was the ghost of the keeper, and as
he beckoAed TO the men he regarded
them with burning eyes.
"Ah, good silas," began the captain,
but pause on feeling the tightened grip
D, Wynark on his arm.
"Hist, JACK Tis spirit. God forbid
that We have come too late !"
"My father 7! moaned the captain.
They pushed past the spectral gate
keeper. and entered the hall. the doors
of which were opened with invisible
hands. Up to the banqueting cham Der,
the table Of which was spread for the
feast, though not a sound could be heard
OF any living thing.
"a dread revelation tonight" gasped
Captain Jack. 81 wonder how many OF
the thirteen still liveY'
1--WE shall soon know" was the reply
of Wymark, 'for 1t ia nearly II 80"
The soldiers seated themselves In the
same chairs as they did seventeen years
before and waited. Meanwhile the other
living members of the compact made
their way TO the gates. hoping to have
10 turn back again. but TO their horror
the iron door swung open. and they
were compelled to 20 forward by some
unseen power. Upon entering the ban
quet chamber they recoiled at the sight
OF Captain Jack then explanations FOL
lowed and the nine men seated round
the table.
-Four Of us gone aid wymark
"Whv. all were here INST year. Ny
friends. my oath may have been an un
holy one, but VS. were forced TO keep it.
Nav God forgive us, and see US safely
through"
II want but one glance OF nv pooI
old father. said Captain Jack, but car
IL be possible"
lie stopped. for the hour OF ~ had be
gun to strike. and nine strong meI
gazed with cxpectant horror one q; an
other. for the sounds OF rustling gar
ments we're heard about them. though
none but themselves were 10 % seen.
As the last stroke fingered In the air
the whole OF the chairs were occupied bl
thirteen men. four of whom were specters
"My friends. tho old squire salG. IL
his wcll-remsm bered tones. I'VE ruse
according 90 onr compact, but u ha'
been the fates 81 some - IA 20 be called
10 the spirit land We are here on.ght
and greet you one and ell ard may ihe
smile 81 heaven fail on and rest upoJ
ny son. Captain Jack
"Oh. my father sohbed the soldier
sprlnglng forward to embrace the phan
tom hut a. be did 81 tho room wa