Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-14


reached by voice from witch he was
separated-even in y material snnse-bv the
width OF n whole field.
Mrs. Ferrars and her husband had come
10 the neighboring village on the previous
evening, that the latter might make studies
Tor 2 picture, audit was her first experience
81 bnglish country. Though her parents
i had been English, she had lived all her
ne IN ST. Petersburg. and there Hubert
Ferrars. on q holiday journey, had met
her, loved her--their friends said from
force Of contrast--and married her. But
they had been sitting ont Of doors all day
long. and though she had been impressed
by the scenery at frst--strangely impress
ed her husband had thought-Mrs. Fer
rars felt that ten hours OF 1t WAS almost
enough.
Oh, dear old goose" she murmurcd to
herself "he is buried again. and really
thought he meant TO come this time.
Must | go back?" I'll try another call
first"
She made n speaking-t trumpet Of both
hands this time, and, with little laugh in
her voice, called ",Coo-eel co-eel"
This time her voice reached him, and he
looked up with start.
How much-longer? the laughing
voice demanded.
She kept her eyes fixed on him as he put
his things together, lest he should relapse
again, and then, as be joined her, she said:
We'll, thank goodness Do you know
how often YOU have said 'Tll come and
have not come IN the course Of the last
hourY No, don't apologize, sir Be thank
ful that you have a wife who knows the
value Of your eyesieht'
lie was tall, Quiet-looking man, with
dark hair and very derk-brown ewes, in
which there was usually an absent, far
GU xtrar
now, however, as he looked down at the
httle woman at his side; they were full of
love and cOnteDtment, and their expression
was reflected in the blue ones that met
them When their mutual friends had ex-
claimed at what was apparently such an i'll
assorted match, Hubert Ferrars had de-
clared that lac was the only person IN the
world who really appreciated his wife,
popular as she was aud Mrs. Fertars had
asserted that nobody ever could, would. or
should understand her dreamy, reserved,
Impractical husband as she did 1t was
two years since these theories were first
formulated, and they held to them more
firmly than ever.
She took his camp-stOol from him now.
slipped hoT other hand through his arm,
and they walked slowly through the fields
toward the little cottage where they were
staying. On reaching 1t they paused n
moment and looked down the little village
street. The sun was setting and the seven
elms that stood in row a little further
down the street, separating the school
house from the little village shop. cast
long shadows over the winding road and
the primitive apology for apavement. The
low, matched cottages on the opposite side
were bathed in crimson glow. except
where the trees threw their shadows. and
the little diamond window panes flashed
and sparklcd in the light.
4" How pretty and quaint said Mrs.
Fcrrars. " never saw anything at all like
it. Ah.n breaking of suddenly, look,
Hubert. there is that woman again. Let us
see if she Will look at me this time
The woman in question had just come
out of the dark little shop and was stand
ing. dazZled for moment by the bright
reflection from the windows opposite
shading her eyes with her hand. She YVES
an Ordinary-loOking woman enough, with
one of those rather stern, strong,
wrinklcd faces to be seen by the
dozen in any country village. She
crossed the road out Of the way Of
the dazzling light. and "a she did so she
suddenly became aware Of Hubert Ferrars
and his wife. A sort Of spasm passed across
her face aud she came slowly mp the street,
fixing her ewes ON. Mrs Ferrars with a look
which 1t was hard to detne-half recogni-
ton, half question, all perplcXlty, and
yes, there could be no doubt about it
fear. She never moved her eyes as she
went by, and as she passed they turned
with a simultaneous movement and looked
after her until they saw her at "A little dis
lance stop and look back again. and then
with a sudden gesture wipe her brow and
neck with her coarse apron.
They looked at one another in amaze
ment.
What can she mean. Hubert? She
looked like that when We passed her yester-
day evening and again this morning when
she was standing az a cottage door AZ ]
went by. let Us ask Mrs. Haynes If she
can tell ms anything about her
Mrs. Haynes, their landlady, was. after
the manner of her kind, loquacious but
not enlightening. The woman WA Mrs.
Green, she told them, widow woman
fairly well to DO. She was bit prOud-likc
kept herself 10 herself; but. deary no. she
was not mad-nObody less SO. She had a
brother who was not 10 be called just right
in his head since he lived by himself in the
haunted farm; but she were all there right
enough: She
But here her flow Of information was in
terrupted. Hubert Ferrars was co,,nOis-
SGn- of haunted houses. In the ideas con-
nccted with them, and often in their mate
rial aspect he found form OF the pictu-
rescue ia which he delighted, and he took
up the word at once.
THAT haunted farm" he said. Where
is that. and what haunts itf"
As TO what haunts it, sir, that can't
say, not believing in such stories nor wish
ing TO hear them. Ii lies about two miles
out in very lonely part, and pretty place
II must have been before 1t went TO rack
and ruin through 10 one living there, be-
cause Of-whatever il Is as Is seen there.
The land was sold, OF course, all but the
garden and bit Of wood at the back,
which 10 one didn't want. and there old
Sam lives a-minding of it, he saws, though
who for no one couldn't say. They do say
as him and his sister-that's Mrs. Green,
sir-was servants there years back, but
I'm never in those parts, SO TO speak, and
can't tell for certain"
Is the place in ruinsI Can one get
in?"
"Lor no, sir: not to say in ruins. It's
whole enough: only deserted like Butts
Mrs. Green as could tell yOu I'll about IT,
sir. only she don't always care to be ques-
toned. They DO say as she have seen
what there Is 10 be seen-times and again
and as for getting in, you could mention 1t
to her, and maybe she'd see Sam about II.
He's bit crusty. sir, old sam Is"
Mrs. Ferrars had turned away. Haunted
houses had no attraction for her; she was
." too practical" she said But she was
very curious about the woman who had
looked SO strangely at her. and she now
said:
Let Us do that, Hubert. You would
like 10 see the house, and should like to
see Mrs Green. Shall We go now? 1t Is
not too late, is IT, Mrs. Haynes?"
So Mr. Ferrars took up his hat again,
and they walked down the street. pursued
by Mrs Haynes voluble directions, to the
little cottage which she pointed out.
The knock was answered Immediately by
the woman who had passed up the street a
little while before, and as her eye fell on
Mrs. Ferrers's face the same expression
sprang into them again. She turned them
away, however, at once and kept them
fixed on the ground 10y an obvious effort,
W lille Hubert Fcrrars, coming straight TO
the point, said pleasantly:
Good evening. Mrs. Green. | believe? |
Mrs. Haynes, ourlandlady, has been telling
us about a haunted house in this neighbor-
hood, and. as / was anxious 10 hear more
OF it, and If possible TO see It, she referred
me tOyou. | shall be SO much obliged if
You can help me in the natter
She looked up rs he finished, hesitated a !
moment, then with another furtive glance !
a. "a II