The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-06-04

dash you over the precipice i will re.
tire: dismount, and i viii return Do
not fear anything. I will take care of
you"
He was gone. Doubtless he only shut
the lantern, but he appeared to vanish.
Jackanapes ceased to shudder | LETT
the saddle, though | was hardly able to
move for my wet skirts. and stood by
his side. Instantly the stranger was at
mine, and as he reappeared my pony
kicked up his heels and dashed away up
the road
Never fear; he will take care of HIM
self" said the stranger. Follow me-
He led the way. The darkness had
concealed from me the fact that ! was
very near Il house. A wide door was
flung open. Within | saw deep hall
foored with oak, at the end of which a
fire roared in great chimney. | was
seated III huge chair, my garments dry
ing with curious rapidity. My host
stood near me-a handsome man with
his long, curling, golden hair and beard
and a sort of hunting dress of white fan
mel He smiled on me. but said nothing
until | spoke.
''They will be frightened at home" |
said.
II will not be long" said he coldly
81 am SO thankful to you," | fastened
to add. $50 very thankful
He did not answer in any conventional
manner His reply was this:
You have good reason to be. A death
in the cold waters of the torrent is not to
be desired, nor is a violent death of any
sort. Nature seems to forbid it. Thank
heaven for life, little girl -
'.And afterward you" said l.
He bowed gravely, then went toward
some great piece of furniture, on which
silver seemed to simmer in the freight
and brought thence a goblet of wine
Drink" he said.
drank. ! was warmed, comforted: a
sort of dreamy delight stole over me-
heard music; ! saw figures pass to and
fro. did not quite comprehend what |
saw; a delicious slumber came on the
wings of the music and enfolded me
For awhile | was delightfully."- conscious
that | slept. Then | was obliterated
Cries and shouts aroused me- | strug
gled to open my eyes. heard my name
''Maisie! Maisier' shouted from afar /
heard the clatter of hoofs.
There! There she isl There she isr
in my uncle's voice
! saw half dozen mounted riders ap
preaching over the fresh, sun Lit slope of
a great hill, and saw that | sat among
ruins, close to the time worn, weather
bleached wreck of an old chimney. the
high mantel of which projected over my.
head The roof of the house was gone
only one wall remained. About me lay
stones and mortar, blackened wood and
ffNlrr <Nf
fire and abandoned for years to the ele-
ments.
There was no wide hail, no glowing
host attired in white to offer me beakers
of wine: but | was dry, warm and com
Portable, Notwithstanding.
My uncle burst into tears, clasped me
to his heart. and in doing so changed his
tune and lectured me for losing myself
Jackanapes had come home riderless
My aunt thought me dead on the road
and was i'll with grief and terror. And
how did find the ruins? And what IA
mercy that | had not gone over the
precipice near by! So they bore me
home. And | kept my own counsel
said not one word of my experience IN
til our kindly neighbors had been break
lated it,
''lt must have been delirium." said
Yet 1T seemed so real"
my dear Maisie," said my uncle, in
Scotland we are astonished at nothing
have myself heard this story before
from four people who were rescued in the
same way. and saw the same wrath and
the same restoration of those ruins that
you describe. My grandfather, a poor
country woman with her babe in her
arms, Mrs. McLynn of the Heights and
my sister Constance have narrated the
same adventure. Everybody knows the
Haunted Ruins, but we have a special
interest in it. Long ago a handsome
young man, by name Alexander Mccoy
was sole heir to the place. then the hand
soonest residence hereabout, as one may
well imagine. He had all that could
make life happy. but he chose to fall in
love with an ancestress of ours. who
hirted with and Tilted him. Her por
trait hangs on the library wall, a saucy
dark eyed girl in her teens. He thought
life worthless without the jade. and the
night she married some one else. set fire.
to his old house and committed suicide
by jumping over the precipice into the
torrent. 1t is said he also appeared to
her at midnight. but that he said. 1
forgive you.
1.-The fancy is that it is the spirit of the
suicide. who thus expiates his sin, and
that when he shall have rescued a GER
tain number of persons he will be per
mitted to rest The story is always the
same. The luminous object, the figure
with the lantern, the great hall. the de-
ightful fire. the wine, the handsome
host With his white costume and golden
beard, the Weakening among the ruins
If horse or dog be present, the animal
quivers in abject terror as your pony