Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-02-11

reached 1t In my usual prosaic manner.
Although now thoroughly convinced
that had been the victim of Tempo
rary hallucination, felt by no means
comfortable. My new accomplish
ment was not an agreeable one, and I.y
nerves were badly shaken.
fFool!'' / apostrophized myself po
htely, and glad, after all, that | had
not absolutely appeared one in the eyes
IF Mavis and her family, l began to
1ndress. First, however, l searched
my sleeping and dressing rooms thor
Oughly 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 in the Tower that had
stood the ravages of time and the only
one in the house which had not been,
from Laird to Laird, added to and inn
proved upon. 1t was curious enough,
and some of its old worm-eaten oak
had stood since the earliest days Of
Ghairlee.
i went 10 bed and very soon, il
seemed to me, | fell asleep. Very
soon, too, it seemed to me, was awak-
ened BY know not what
l sat up in bed and listened intently,
thoroughly awake.
| For several minutes, | heard moth.
ing. Then, the dismal bowling of a
| dog came to me as if from the adjoin-
ing room-and yet, it had smothered
sound as if, although near me, its howls
were being stifled. Suddenly, this
sound ceased and then came a stealthy,
creeping sound, and | saw a crouching
figure against my wall-the same fig
straight toward me-the same murder
Gus expression-all-as it had, just a,
suddenly, appeared in the hall.
And my room was in perfect dark
ness.
But though the man continued to
gaze straight into my eyes, he moved
from, not toward me, slowly and
stealthily, until he reached the door
leading into the dressing-room and
through this he disappeared.
With one bound, l followed him.
forgot 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 |
endeavored to move hand or limb-in
vain | attempted to cry aloud when l
found myself incapable of motion-I
stood as if chained -gagged-helples
-speechless. 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 a pale ribbon wound about it,
thereof, my Godl stood Mavis
Kneeling beside her, was an old wait
ing woman; even in my speechless
agony, L knew 1 paused, trying to
place her, but she was some one l
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 l saw Ter lips move,-
as l would l could hear no sounds.
l struggled frantically for the power
% cry aloud, but my tongue was held |
by some terrible force and | could |
neither save nor warn my darling of |
that ghastly shadow that is creeping |
nearer, ever nearer!
Merciful God
Without sound-noiseless as Fate
merciless - death-giving the figure |
rose from its crouching posture and
stood behind the two women. With |
some hideous, cleaning weapon up
lifted to strike, with his evil face dis
torted by the passion and intent to kill
reflected in all its ghastly horror in the
long, dim glass, into which my poor,
lost Marvis stared as if already strick-
en-, the man stood for an instant
enjoying in anticipation this dark and
bloody deed. Then there was sud
den flash, as the thing he carried de-
scended-s dull, crushing blow, and at
last-too late-my voice came to me.
One shrek that should have rallied
Lsirds to the defense
and then-unconsciousne
When 1 opened my eyes, my Marvis,
my own Marvis, stood beside me.
Then l saw the kindly face of the
Laird.
After awhile, l told my story. TheI
he told his
Many years ago, there was Lairo
at Ghsirlee who had cruel, wicked
brother. This brother plotted to over
throw all who stood in his way, but
the Laird was too strong for him and
found him out for wicked, murder
Gus dog; so the gates of Ghairlee were
closed upon him. But though he said
he waited until the Lizard was
away, and then he stole into the little
leading to the Tower rooms
and hid there and that NIGHT he mur-