The Washington critic., 1890-02-15

entered the passage leading TO my room aud
reaching II In my usual prOsaic manner
Although now thoroughly convinced that
/ had been the victim OF temporary hal
lucinaton, felt 10y no means comfortable.
My new accomplishment was not an agree
able one, aud my nerves we're badly shaken
M"FOolp' ] aDostrophiZed myself politely
aud, glad after all that had not absolutely
appeared one In the eyes OF Mavis aud her
family, | began TO undress, First, however,
] searched my sleeping and dressing rooms
thoroughly and found them quite free from
the presence OF my Unlocking friend OF the
passage. The dressing room was queer
little place, 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 i'm
proved upon. IL was curious enough aud
some Of It's old worm.eaten oak had stood
since the earliest days of Ghairlee.
went 10 bed very soon, and II seemed to
me fell asleep. Very soon, too, 1t SCENE
To me ] was awakened BY know not
what.
sat up in bed and listened inteutly.
thoroughly awake.
For several minutes | heard nothing
Then the dismal bowling OF dor came to
me as II from the adjoining room-and yet
1t had smOthered sound, as IT, though
near to me, its howls were being stiaed.
stealthy, creeping sound, and | saw a
crouching figure against my wall-the same
figure, the same evil face now turned
straight toward me, the same murderous
expression-all as IL had, Just us suddenly,
appeared in the hall.
And my room was 10 perfect darkness
But though the man continued to gaze
straight into my eyes he moved from, not
toward, me slowly and stealthily, until he
~ inf ha a
room, and through this he disappeared.
With one bound ! followed him. for
got the deadly fear that had seized upon
me at sight of this monster, as believed
him, of my imagination. / rushed after
him and would have thrown myself upon
him in another instant had not something
rooted me to the threshold powerless. In
vain l endeavored to move hand or limb:
in vain ! attempted to cry aloud when
found myself incapable OF motion. ! stood
as If chained gGgged-helpless- speech
less. 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
lutte, with pale ribbon wound about it
there, oh, my God, stood Mavs kneelng
beside her was an old waiting-woman. Even
in my speechless agony knew ! paused,
trying to place her, but she was some one
] could not remember 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 I saw her
lips move, try as would | could hear no
sounds.
] struggled frantically for the power to
cry aloud, but my tongue was held by some
terrible force. | could neither save nor
warn my darling of that ghastly shadow
that is creeping nearer, ever nearerl
Merciful God!
Without sound noiseless as fate-mer-
ciless-death giving-the figure arose from
its crouching posture and stood behind tue
two women. With some hideous, CLEAN.
ing weapon uplifted to strike, with his evil
face distorted by the passion and intent TO
kill reflected in all its CHASTITY horror in the
long, dim glass, into which my poor, lost
Mavis stared as il already stricken, the
man stood for an Misunderstanding In an
ticipstion this dark and bloody deed Then
there was a sudden fash as the thing he
carried descended-a dull, crushing blow.
and at last--too late-my voice came to M,
One shrek that shOnld have rallied lon =
forgotten lairds to the defense, and then :
Inconsistencies.
When opened my eyes, Mavis, my own
Mavis, stood beside me. Then | saw the
kindly face of the laird.
After awhile told my story; then he told
his.
Many years ago there was laird of
Ghairlee who had a cruel, wicked brother
This brother plotted to overthrow all who
stood In his way, but the laird was too strong
for him and found him out for wicked,
murderous dog; SO the gates of Ghairlee were
closed upon him. But though he said moth
ing, 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 he murdered the laird's young bride
when none was within call but the feeble
old serving woman.
'.Her picture hangs below, poor leddy,'
added the laird. ''Mavis is enough like her
to be herself But you should have told us
of the warning in the passage, laddie, nd
] myself should have minded what night II
was and told you to sleep with Dugald.
For who passes the night in the tower
rooms on October must aye see the ghaist
o. Ghairlee!n