The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-11-06


greatest pleasure our hostess. a wo-
man Of winning manners yet cold when
need be, and the lady who was shortly
to become her daughter, languid
girl. pretty to look at when her lover.
the heir, was by her side. know
that nearly all present that night
speak now of haggard look on the
earls face, and of quick glances be-
tween him and his wife; l know they
say that the heir danced much to
keep himself from thinking, and that
his arm chartered on the waists of his
partners; 1 know the story that he
had learned of the existence of the
Thing that night But l was present,
and l am persuaded that at the time
all thought as did. that never was a
gayer scene even at Glendowie, never
a host or hostess more cordial never a
merry-eyeG heir more anxious to be
courteous to all and more than cour-
teous to one. The music was mar
vel for the country. Dance succeeded
dance. The hour was late, but an
other waltz was begun. Then sud-
denly
And at once the music stopped and
the dancers were as still as stone fig
ures. 1t had been a horrible inhu-
man scream, so loud and schrill as to
tear a way through all the walls of
the castle; scream not of pain, but
of triumph. I think it must have
lasted half a minute, and then came
silence, but still no one moved; we
waited as if after lightning for the
thunder.
The first person / saw was the earl
His face was not white but gray. His
teeth were fixed and he was staring at
the door, waiting for it to open. Some
men fastened to the door and he cast
out his arms and drove them back.
But he never looked at them. The
heir 1 saw with his hands over his
face. Many of the men stepped in
front of the women. There was no
whispering, think. We all turned
our eyes to the door.
Some ladies screamed Zone, I have
learned, swooned; but we gave her not
a glance, when the door opened. It
was only the African servant who en-
tered. man most of us had heard of
but few had seen. He made a sign to
the earl, who drew back from him and
then stepped forward. The heir hur-
ried to the door and some of us heard
this conversation:
= mot you. father; me-"
Stay here, my son; 1 entreat, l
command"
Both" said the servant, authorita-
lively; and then they went out with
him and the door closed.
The dancing was resumed almost
Immediately. This is strange thing
to tell. Only a woman could have
forced us to seem once more as we
were before that horrid cry; and the
woman was our hostess. AS the door
closed, my eyes met her. and saw
that she had been speaking to the mu-
sicians. She was smiling graciously,
as if what had occurred had been but
an amusing interlude. l saw her take
her place beside her partner, and be-
gin the waltz again with the music.
All looked at her with amazement
dread, pity, suspicion, but they had to
dance docs she know nothing?" I
asked myself, overhearing her laugh
ing merrily as she was whirled past
me. Or was this the woman's part in
the tragedy while the men were doing
theirs? What were they doing? 1t
was whispered in the ball room that
they were in the open, looking for
something that had escaped from the
castle.
An hour, 1 dare say, passed, and
neither the earl nor his son had re-
turned. The dancing went on, but it
had become an uncanny scene; every
one trying to read the others face, the
men uncomfortable, as if feeling that
they should be elsewhere, many of the
women craven, only the countess in
high spirits. By this time it was known
to all of us that the door of the ball
room was locked on the outside
Guests babe our hostess good night
but could retire no further. One man
dared request her to bid the servants
unlock the door, and she smiled and
asked him for the next waltz.
About two o'clock in the morning
many Of us heard child's scream
that came, we thought from the hall
of the castle A moment afterward
we again heard it-this time from the
shrubbery. l saw the countess shake
with fear at last, but only for a mo-
ment. Already she was reckoning to
the musicians to continue playing.
One of the guests stopped them by
raising his hand; he was the child's
father.
You must bid your servants unbar
that door," he said to the countess,
sternly. 'or | will force it open"
You can not leave this room, Sir
-," she answered quite compos-
eddy; and then he broke out passion
ately, fear for his child mastering
him. Something about devils work,
he said.
There is some one on the other
side of that door who would not hest
tate to kill YOU" she replied; and we
knew that she spoke of the native
servant.
Order him to open the door,"
IT of