The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-04-02
The Haunted Chamber.
A,ther Of Monica" "1lonu Scuuu
'.PhylliS,' etc, etc.
CHAPTER VI.
BY TIE DUCHESS. "


chair. and forsaking the game of ten
mis- then proceeding to go forward and
greet her host, where have you been?
We have missed you so much. Flor
ence"-turning to her cousin will
YOU take my bat. dearest? I am quite
tired of trying to defeat Lord Lisle."
Lord Isle, a mlddle-aged gentleman
Of sunburned appearance, looks Ummls-
takably delighted at the prospect OF a
change in the game. He is married;
has a large family of promising young
Lisles, and a fervent passion for ten
mis-. Mrs. Talbot having proved a very
contemplate adversary, he is charmed
at his chance of getting rid OF her.
So Florence, glce Dora retired. joins
the game. and the play continues with
unabated vigor. When however Lord
Lisle has scored a grand victory, and
all the players declare themselves
thoroughly exhausted and III need OF
refreshments, Sir Adrian comes for
ward. and walks straight up TO Miss
Delmaine. to Dora's intense chagrln
and the secret rage Of Arthur Dyne-
court.
"You have often asked to see the
haunted chamber, he says; why not
come and visit it now? 1t isn't much to
see. you know; but still, in ghostly
sense, it is, suppose, interesting"
Let US make a party and go. to-
gether," suggests Dora, enthuslastlcal-
" clasping her hands-her favorite
method of showing false emotion OF
anv kind. She is determined to have
her part III the programme, and y
equally determined that Florence shall
go nowhere alone with Sir Adrian.
What capital idea" puts IN Ar
thur Dynecourt, coming up to Miss
Delmaine, and specially addressing her
with ali the air of a rightful owner:
Charming" mutters a young lady
standing BY; and so the question is
settled.
1T will be rather fatiguing journey,
you know" says Captain Rmgwood,
confdentially. to Ethel Nilliers. 1t S
an awful lot of stairs; I've been there,
so know all about tits worse than
the treadmlli. !.
Have YOU been there too:" demands
Miss Ethel saucily, glancing at him
from under her long laShes.
Not yet" answers the captain. with
a little grin. But, l say, don't 60
viii vou?"
Il must; am dying to see it," replies
Ethel. You needn't come, you know;
I dare say l shall be able to get on
without you for half an hour Or So
Il dare say you could get Oh uncom-
monlv well without me forever" re
torts the captain rather gloomily. To
himself he confesses maodily that this
girl with the auburn hair and the blue
eyes has the power of taking the curl
out of him" whensoevcr lie wishes.
II believe you are al! of the bogies
hidden in this secret c..;>:nber, and so
dcr'G care to come" says Miss Villiers
tauntingly.
Il know something else I'm a great
deal more afraid Of, responds the gal
liant captain meaningly.
Me-" she asks innocently, but GER
tainly coquettishly. "Oh, Captain Ring
wood"-in a tone of mock injury
what an unkind speech. Now I know
you look upon me in the light of an
ogress, or a witch, or something equal
y dreadful Well, as have the name
of it.. as we'll have the gain Of 1t,
and So nmand you to attend mo
to the ed chamber.
You, Il obey" says the cap
tain. ".C.... and I follow-I follow,
though l die..'" After which quotation
he accompanies her toward the house
in the wake Of Dora and Sir Adrian,
who has been pressed by the clever
widow into her service.
Florence and Arthur Dynecourt fol-
low them. Arthur talking gayly. as
though determined to ignore the feet
that he is thoroughly unweicone to his
companion; Florence, with head erect
and naughty footsteps rSnd eyes care
fully ayerted.
Past the ball. through the corridor,
up the staircase. through the galleries,
along more corridors they go, laughing
and talking eagerly, until they come at
last to an old and apparently much dis
used part of the house.
TraverSing more corridors. upon
which dust lies thickly, they come at
last to a small iron-bound door that
blocks the end of one passage.
Now we really begin to get near 1t,
says Sir Adrian encouragingly, turning
as he always does, when Opportunity
ence.
Don't you feel creepy-creepy?" asks
Ethel VillierS. with smothered laugh,
Then Sir Adrian pushes open the
door, revealing steep flight of stone
steps that leads upward to another
door above. This door, like the lower
one, is bound with iron.
This is the tower" explains Sir Ad-
rian. still acting as cicerone to the
small party, who look with interest
around them. Mrs. Talbot, affecting
nervousne: s, clings closely to Sir Ad-
rian's arm. Indeed she is debating IN
her own mind whether it would be eff
fective or otherwise to Subslde into a
graceful swoon within his arms. "Yon-
der is the door of the chamber" con-
tinues Sir Adrian. Come let us 60 up
to it."
They all ascend the last fight Of
stone stairs; and presently their host
opens the door, and reveals to them
whatever mystery may lie beyond. He
enters first, and they all follow him,
but as if suddenly reeolectlng some
important point, he turns, and calls
loudly to Captain Ringwood not to let
the door shut behind him.
There is peculiar spring in the
lock-" he explains a moment later;
and, if the door slammed to, we should
hnd 1t Impossible 10 open II from Inc
inside, and might remain here prison
ers forever unless the household came
to the rescue"
>."Oh. Captain Ringwood, pray bs
CAREFUL" cries Dora falteringly. @Ouz
very lives depend upon your atten-
tion!"
Miss Villiers, do come here and help
me to remember my duty" says Capt.
Ringwood, planting his back against
the open door lest by any means it
should shut.
The chamber is round, and has, in
stead of windows, three narrow aper-
lures in the walls, through which can
be obtained glimpse of the sky, but OF
nothing else. These apertures are just
large enough to admit mans band.
The room is without furniture OF any
description, and Oh the boards the dark
stains of blood are distinctly visible.
"DynecNrt. tell them a story OF
two," calls out Ringwood to Sir Ad-