The Bessemer indicator., 1893-05-13

council which the Englishman limited
that Trelease had attended. and an
other that he had proved his title to
an English earlship and was intending
to offer it all to Mary-this was one
OF the girls suggestions and Isabel
Brown said 1t frightened her to think
OF IT, no matter what was In 1t.
Mr.. Walton took from the cabinet
an old-fashioned silver candlestick
and lit the taper, saying: Here Is
the very candlestick with which Mary
Walton proposed to light the English
man into the dark corners OF the
house more than u hundred years
ago
Zone has only to go up the center
stairs along the upper hall and up a
few steps to the left and enter the
west room. where Stephen Trelease
is waiting" He lifted the candle-
stick and glanced inquiringly at
Fife Blaisdell. She simply squealel.
"WinlockP' He didn't feel that 1t
was in his limo. "Carter?" The doc
tor laughed genially-a materialistic
laugh. miss BROWNE" Miss Webb"
arthur" "Sanbornp" "What!' he
exclaimed, "will no one meet this
man and set his spirit at rcst?"
Just then Louise Thurston rose.
"Give me the light, she said. She
came forward to take it. She was
paler than usual and her eyes had
blank, far-away gaze.
Mr. Walton looked at her dubious
ly, but with latent smile, and slowly
placed the old silver piece in her fin
gers, She held it up for moment
as If waiting for some signal. The
taper's light fell full on her face,
with the parted lips and wide, ab-
stracted gaze.
She had on velvet dress that fell
in heavy folds to the floor and tho
soft lace on the corsage was draped
in some old-fashioned way. One
thought with curious thrill that she
looked as Mary Walton might have
looked on the night that Trelease
disappeared. Ned laid his hand on
her arm. Don't go, Louise" he
begged.
Her answer was a swift movement
toward the door, and we watched her
ascend the stairs and the glimmer Of
her light disappear. Then wo waited
and waited. l think we all felt u
little queer, for some reason or other.
and wo learned how long minutes
can be.
Don't take the ghost so seriously,
Ned, said his father finally, "or /
shall think Louise the braver OF the
two"
"And there's chance, after all, f"
smiled tho doctor, that Trelease
may not put in an appearance
But Walton did not respond to rail-
lery. "She might be badly frightened. ~
he said, "off there by herself after
such an uncanny story% He had slip
ped his hands into his pockets in
frank forgetfulness OF his Surround
ings and was pacing up and down
the hall.
"Father," said Ned, appearing in
the doorway with open watch in hand,
~ am going up there, Louise has
been gone fifteen minutes"
"Let's all CO." said Winlock. al
think that with such support might
find courage myself to peep into q
haunted chamber.
He and l followed Ned closely as
the latter sprang up the stairs and
hurried down an unlighted passage
way, where an occasional cobweb
hung from the uncovered beams to n
low door. 1t opened at touch and
admitted us to 4 room full OF strange
shapes of old furniture and with
dusky corners shrinking away from
the square OF moonlight on the floor,
Ned sprang forward, for there lay
Louise senseless with her head on
her arm, and the other outstretched
hand white in the moonbeams.
We carried her out and laid her on
a broad lounge in the upper hall.
When she came to, her first question
was:
(Which OF you was the ghost?"
"Miss Thurston. you do us too much
honor" said Dr. Carter. "You sus-
pect us at once of great dramatic
ability and an ETHEREAL typo of char
acter which we do not possess!"
"You are all charmingly modest
smiled Louise. "Was no one of you
absent from the parlor from the time
| left it until you all came up to tho
west roomp" She looked at Ned for
IN answer.
"No one, Louise" said he. al am
sure of it."
She turned little pale.
Then it was-what was it that |
sawp'
THAT is what we all want to
know" said Mr.. Walton.
"Who was it whom / felt-whom /
saw standing there at the edge OF the
patch of moonlight? When l onco
saw him couldn't look away, and
then he caught my wrist and held it
until tainted. Who was in the west
room?"
at was your fancy. Louise" said
Ned
Louise pushed back her sleeve and
looked at her wrist. my fancy has
strong fingers" said she. She held
out her wrist, and there was red
mark on it not unlike finger prints!
Well, as Louise sat there it was
evident that she was struggling to
recall some vague memory. Sudden
ly she rose and laid her hand on
Ned's sleeve. ~ remember now," she
said; ~ know where the missing
paper is hidden"
She led the way back to tho parlor
and we all followed. The room had
u fine old fireplace. wide and deep,
with a finely carved mantel. Tho
fireplace had metallic back bearing
the Walton coat of arms, and the
heraldry was glowing scarlet under
the heat OF the burning logs. Louise
knelt down at the hearthstone. Car
ter stood over her and Ned Walton
was on the other side.
She laid her fingers on line OF the