The Press., 1890-01-02

TheM-thens with q fevulsion tnat sent my blood -curdhng back to my heart, 1t shot through me:s
 How did see him, being in the darks
 That he was there for no good was sufh- cientiy demonstrated; but how could have seen hims experienced curious sensation as it broke upon me that the man had be- held was not included in the census of this planet. felt & tipgling in my limbs and buxzing in my ears. The sensation was physical only-mentally, l may say there was complete and instant blank.
 As the shock passed over pulled myself to- gether and retraced my steps down the pas sage and into the drawing room. It seemed strange that lighted room and the common place occupants
 My step had besn almost noiseless on the thick carpet Of the corridor, and no one nad noticed my approach. stood, perhaps, for five minutes in the doorway, shadowed by portiere, and gradually the perfectly natural and human expression of the room and the people, chatting pleasantly, with the clear lamplight full upon their familiar faces, so- bered my excited senses, and began to feel that I had come very near making myself supremely ridiculous What ! saw-or rather what now believed had fancied saw was one of those strange optical illusions, born of mental exaltation, and taking, as is usually the case, 8 most unexpected anc un- familiar form had been carried away by the music-by the presence and close sym pathy of the girl deeply loved and had seen-rno heaven born vision-but something sdirectly opposed to every image which, just then, should have possessed my mental vision. I had seen stealthy, creeping, lurking, mur- derousyes! murderous-that is what was written in every line of the evil face and crouching form-laurderl
 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 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 it in 5 my usual prosaic manner. Although now thoroughly convinced that had been the victim of a temporary hallucination, felt by DO means comfortable. My new accomplish ment was not an agreeable one, and my nerves were badly shaken.
 "Foolr' iapostrophized myself politely, and glad, after all, that had not absolutely appeared one in sne eyes of Mavis 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 ill looking friend of the passage The dressing room was queer little piace--one of the few rooms of the tower that had stood the ravages of time and | the, only one in the house that had not been, from laird to laird, added to and improved upon. It was curious enough, and some of it's old worm eaten oak had stood since the ear Hest days of Ghairlee.
 7, went to bed and very soon, it seemed to 5RrllF T to me-, I was awakened by-I know not whatig
 ssatsupi in bed and listened intently, thor oughlys awake.sszs H #s..
 For several minutes I heard nothing Then the dismal bowling of a dog came to me, as if from the. adjoining room-and yet it had a snothered sound as if, although near me, it's bowls were being stifed. Suddenly this sound ceased, and then came stealthy, creeping sound, and saw crouching figure against my wall-the same figure, the same evil face now turned straight toward rne, the same murderous expression-all, as it had, : just as suddenly, appeared in the hall
 E And my room was ill perfect darkness.
 But though the man continued to gaze straight into my s9yes he moved from, not toward, me slowl] and stealthily until he reached the door leading into the dressing room, and through this he disappeared.
 Wishsone bound followed, him. I forgot the deadly fear that had seized upon mo at sight of this monster, as believed him, of my imagination. rushed afteg him and would have thrown myself upon him in another instant, had not something rooted :. me to the threshold powerless. In vain I tendeavored to move hand or limb, in vain attempted to cry aloud when found myself incapable of motion-I stood as if chained gagged elpless speeches.. And before me crept the man, always skulking along the wall.
 Now my eyes 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 lute with a . pale ribbon woundl about it, there-oh, my t Godi stood Mavis! Kneeling beside her was an old waiting woman. Even in my speech less agony knew I paused, trying to place her, but she was some one could not remem- Der to have seen about Ghairlee. She stroked and kissed her lady's hand-my lady's hand and seemed to say some soothing word, but though saw her lips moved, try as I would I could hear no sounds.
 struggled frantically for the power to cry aloud, but my tongue was held by some ter rible force could neither save nor warn my darling of that ghastly shadow that is creep ing nearer, ever nearer!
 Mercifnl God!
 Without sound as fate-merci- less-death giving-the figure rose from its crouching posture and stood behind the two women. With some hideous gleaming weap- on uplifted to strike, with his evil face dis torted by the passion and intent to kill re- fected ingall its ghastly horror in the long, dim glass,into which my poor, lost Mavis stared as if already stricken, the man stood :, for an instant-enjoying in anticipation this dark and bloody deed. Then there was sud den fash as the thing he carried descended dull, crushing blow, and at last-too late my voice came to me.
 One shriek that should have rallied long forgotten lairds to the defense and then-un. consciousness
 When I opened my eyes. Mavis, my own Mavis, stood beside me. Then I saw the kindly face of ths laird.
 After a while, l told my story. Then he told his
 Many. years ago there was Laird ot Ghairlee who had cruel, wicked brother. This brother plotted to overthrow all who stood in his way, but the laird was toe strong for him and found him out for a wicked, murderous dog; so the gates. of Ghairaee were closed upon him. But though he said nothing he waited until the laird was away, and then he stole into the little passage leading to the tower rooms and hid there, and. that night be murdered the laird's young bride when none was within call but the feeble old serving woman
 Her picture hangs below, poor teddy, T added fheiatrd, s.M Mavis is enough like her to be herselfI But you should have told us of