The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-04-25

him sit down at the table, still holding her
hand is his, as if he needed the sense of
touch to assure him of her reality. She
would not ask him any questions or let
him speak until he had eaten, and then she
put him into an armchair, and, kneeling at
his feet, said, with her arms around him
and her cheek against his
"Would you ike to tell me now, dear p
He bent his head slightly, but did not
speak, and she continued:
"What is it, Hubert? Did you-did
you-see something?"
He bent his head again, and his clasp
tightened round her, as if he feared to see
her slip from his grasp. She waited a mo-
ment, and then whispered
"What was it? What isit haunts THE
Glen p
There was a pause, and then she heard
his voice-hollow, toneless, almost inaudi-
BILE:
"You p he said.
She started from his hold with shud-
dering cry of incredulous horror, and for
moment they looked at one another,
speeehless and motionless Her first ghast-
ly impression was that he had gone mad,
and, reading that thought il her white,
terrified face, he mastered himself by a
violent effort, and spoke again in a more
natural tone:
"There, dearest, | am not mad; don't
look at me like that. At first thought |
would not tell you, but afterward | felt
that the memory would stand between us
always-that We must face it together, aw
ful as it is.
He drew her back into his arms, and she
let him hold her for several moments with
out speaking.
TELL me all about il" she whispered at
last, and in low, thick voice, speaking in
short, abrupt sentences, he told her,
sit was about | o'clock We were sit
ting in-in the room to the right of the
door as you 90 in"
II know" she said; ego on
He shivered slightly and continued;
at was strange experience to sit there
waiting for something supernatural with
that old man, to whom it was so familiar as
to be no longer terrible. He told me that
-it-was only seen occasionally, generally
about this time of the year; always on the
Goth of November"
She lifted her head with a sudden start.
"My birthday !" she said; and he drew her
closer as he went on;
He told me that no one knew exactly
how long since it had first appeared, and
that it had altered in appearance as the
years passed when | saw it first, he
said, about eighteen years ago, it was lit
tie child running about the house as real
child might have done; then it was pret-
ty young girl; and now-ah, sir = he said
suddenly dropping lis voice to Il whisper
look ? He pointed behind me, and
turned quickly. There, in the old-iash
ioned oak settle, near the empty hearth
| saw-you." He broke off and pressed
his lips to the head which was lying on his
shoulder. "You were looking, apparently
straight at me, but you took no notice ot
me and seemed unconscious of my pres
ence. think the feeling of sick horrol
that crept over me as looked at you aros,
first from that-it was unspeakably awful
| watched you as You sat there paralyzed
By and by you rose and left the room, ant
| followed you as you went into the hall
out into the little wood behind the house
round the garden, back again upstairs, ant
into the little room at the stair head. Il
was there-how long after | don't know
but it was there that at last, with Il ghastly
feeling of terror inexpressible, | saw YOU
form gradually grow indistinct. ! saw yor
fading slowly from my sight. | saw
YOU" j strong and uncomfortable
shudder shook him from head to foot, anC
the strong hands that held hers were icy
cold and trembling. After moment he
resumed: 81 must have tainted, | sup
pose, for the next thing | remember is the
bright morning light, and old Sam dashine
water in my face felt dazed and stupe
fed, and was only conscious that | mus
have time to think, so sent you that note
dear, and have been walking about evel
| since"
There was a long silence. Mrs. Ferrar,
lifted her head, kissed her husband tender,
ly, rose and walked to the window. The
stars were shining brightly and she stood
there looking up at them. At last she
turned and came back to him as he sal
Watching her, still with the strained look
of horror on his face,
"Ny poor dear!" she said, standing by
his side and gently stroking his hair, "my
poor dear
She was pale, and there was something
hushed in her manner and her low voice
but otherwise she was quite herself again
and seemed to be rather sympathizing will
her husband than feeling on her own &C
count. He felt this at once, and looked a
her in amaZement.
"What can we do ~ he said
''You have thought of nothing-of u,
plan for-for laying me ?" she asked, witt
a little hysterical laugh.
He shook his head
''Then | will tell you what | think. L
is not to be explained, of course; but ther,
must be some link-of which we know
nothing-between my life and this myste
rious house, and we must find out what
is, | have known very little of my fathe
anu lHolueT. W hnotHeI uieu WHeu l. wa
bern, you know; my father two years after
and the Lessons, who were so good to me
knew nothing of their life in England
never even seen my mother. But We cai
learn the history of the house, and we vii
go to Mrs. Green tomorrow, and she vii
tell us. She knows, am sure L
would rather not so te sleep, think; bu
you are tired out, my dear, and now yol
must rest"
The slow night wore itself away at last
He was too thoroughly worn out to resis
her long, and slept the heavy sleep of ute
exhaustion, while she sat beside him think
ing. She was very far from being an i'm
aginative woman, but the story she ha,
heard and its connection with her con
stantly recurring dream had impressed he
almost in spite of herself. Her husband
horror, too, had to certain extent com
municated itself To her. and she felt ~