The morning call., 1892-10-11
TIE HAUNTED ROOM.
TcoNCLUDED.1

Of ME. Well, and what have you discov-
ered?" returned lightly.
This, my lady. "she replied quietly, draw
ing aside curtain as she spoke. and dis
closing behind it small panelled door.
us il cupboaTd?" inquired.
"Na my lady," she replied. opening the
door and revealing a small. narrow, ex-
tremely steep, winding flight of stairs. Il
don't know where 1t leads to-" she contin-
ued, solemnly, "but don't like the looks
of IT,"
As matter of fact no more did l.
I'VE will lock this door. MaIsden." re-
turned with decision.
There is neither key nor bolt. your lady
ship" she exclaimed, professionally.
And, seeing that she was right in this, l
was forced to hide my fears, and, feigning
indifference, 10 put an end to the matter by
dismissiHg her. But no sooner had she left
me than ! seized candlestick and hurried
into Moly's room. | had given up all idea
Of sleeping alone in the Warneford Abbey
haunted room.
Molly already was sleeping soundly, but
without 8 moments consideration woke
what is It. dearP" she inquired drOw-
silly.
TepneQ QtAeklSy Sitl4us UoMA Ou AAo 1uos
Of her bed. Can l sleep in here with
'Mv daar Florence, just look at the bed ~
she exclaimed, sitting up as she spoke, and
bestowing an indignant glance upon me.
at is certainly rather small, l replied
dolefully.
Small! Indeed 1t is. assure you il is
nearly half yard too short. and as to turn
ing over in il, it is a sheer impOsslblllty,"
she returned testify.
"Ob, / an SO glad" l exclaimed, and
meant what l said.
VERY glad; because l have a huge dou-
Die bed in my room and want you to
share ii with me-"
But, MY dear, I am so sleepy, and /
know you win talk all night"
Ne indeed. Will r nc "a aHi ~ NJ assured
IS haunted.
Haunted"
"Yes, haunted. Mary has given me the
haunted room, and l assure you l don't
ike IT,"
81 will come, Florence" she agreed at
once. Il call this too bad of Mary. We
cannot both sleep IN here, and Of course you
cannot sleep alone there"
And without further delay she put on her
dressiBg-gown and followed me into my
room. II soon became evident to me that
she looked upon the forthcoming night as a
rather exciting adventure, and that upon
the whole she was prepared TO smile upon
re for having sought her protection.
just as she was getting into bed her at
tention was attracted by my friend. the
bedstead. and she peered curously at il for
several minutes in her neaF-sighted way
Il call that distinctly nasty" she re-
marked with would be gayety. Il wonder
L one can sleep comfortably in that bed ?''
Shall We tTy?" | returned, suiting my
tone 10 hers, and before long we both had
mr. hoods ~ fha rafIlnryE sflov al a
IA the haunted room.
So complete Uas the silence that | be-
Eeved Molly 20 nave gone to sleep almost
immediately. l was rather listless myself,
bat was just doing off at last, when Molly
turned over so violently two or three times
that she left NE absolutely without bed
clothes l WAS obliged to remOnstrate.
although reluctant 10 do so because OF her
coed nature IN coming into my haunted
room with me.
YOU turned over the last time, dear" [ pro.
tested gently. Il really should not have
disturbed you about II If you had left the
sheet, but"
Pray take them ALL" she replied shortly.
8Glly's temper was rather short sometimes
This is most uncomfortable arrange
1sent-"
DO not be cross" suggested calmly.
let Us 90 10 Sleep" she agreed.
This time nothing happened to disturb
ne, and We both did so TO sleep, and slept
for several hours
When nexI awoke did so with a start.
and trembling ali over sat bolt upright in
Oed. Ny breath came in quick, spasmodic
gaSps, my heaIt DeasrwildlY. aud my eyes
bscame fixed 10 h0rrid stare upon the cur
tain which covered the secret door.
Undeniably there we're footsteps coming
slowly aud sIeal.hily down the hidden stair
case!
The FIRE burnt dimly in the crate, casting
an uDnatural, gnoStly light over the scene,
aud horribly weird did that large Oak-psn-
eled room look by that feeble, Pickering
light. Utterly poweTless TO move or speak
sat there in waking nightmare as those
footsteps came nearer and nearer, until at
last Trey stoppe1 just outside the door.
J tried to close my eyes; but no. some
strange uncauDy influence seemed 10 hold
them Tiveted upon the curtain, which pres
emily was slowly drawn aside
Very stealthily the emaclated figure OF a
very tall woman entered the room. Slowly
and noiselessly this blaek-robed figure
crossed over to one of the windows, pulled
back the curtains with a long blue-white
hand and stood gazing outward in the soft
brilliant light Of the full moon.
Sill unable TO stir finger or utter even q
single word / seemed to live a lifetime
while that sbTouded figure stood there In
that weird light with its back toward NE.
NHGdeslT il moved, turned toward me and
began 10 RAPIDLY mUFo aCross the room
toward the bed in which | lay. Murder
and insanity were plainly visible upon the
face Of the woman who approached me.
Her long cloak WAS thrown back and in her
right hand she held large and extremely
awkward looking knife. But ah, heaven
the relief of It'll 1t was a living woman
with whom | had TO deal.
Another second and / had reused Molly
and was out Of bed struggling with my
friend, whom / so much surprised by the
GuiekBess Of my movements that with only
tba ma;ter of two unpleasant gashes, one
on my hand and another on hers. / sue
ceeded liz Wrestling the knife from her and
throwing 1t FAR away cut of the open
window.
Then il merely became case OF physical
strength, and as was luckily strong built
woman l held my own very satisfactorily
against her until Molly brought every one
IN the house iuto the haunted room by her
screams in the corridor outside Ii.
1t proved 10 be the housekeeper, who had
lived at Warneford for nearly fifty years
- whom one had ever connected with
ghost In the haunted room, although the
wants declared that they bad always
own that she suffered from fits OF in
Aiiy, but that they had never cared 70
a'ion it, knowing that she was favorite
7aluable old servant. They had be-
er to be quite harmless, little mis-
F--4cs ~ TIE way, which might have been
AWKWARD for me.