The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-12-27
d. .Elf6lSteil' Mission
4 Remarkable Romance.
BY EMILY THORNTON.
CHAPTER VII.
THE HAUNTED TOWER.

CHAPTER VII. '-.
THE HAUNTED TOWER.
Leaving Sir Reginald to his wild ride
On that lovely May morning, we will go
back day or two in our story, and
again seek DR.. Elfenstein.
In many Of his visits, which we're all
professional, he had, by dropping some
leading word, striven to discover the
public mind in regard to the murder
committed in their midst twenty-five
years before.
To his surprise, he met everywhere a
decided reluctance to talk upon the sub
ject, as the law had acquitted the only
one suspected, but the gloomy looks and
wise shakes Of the head he so often met
told him we'll that the younger brother
Fitzroy was still held guilty in the opin-
Ions Of the general mass of the inhab-
itants.
Sorry to see that his friend was still 80
hardly thought of, Earle Elfenstein
dropped the sabject. Jumping into his
gig, he drove away to the village, re-
solved to 60 through the extensive
grounds OF the "Hall," ss strangers were
In the daily habit Of doing.
Glendenning Hall lay next to his own
cottage home, and stopping at the gate
lodge, he asked permission Of the keeper
to drive around the premises
This permission was easily gained, and
the son of the gatekeeper, an intelligent
boy Of fourteen, volunteered to ride with
him, to explain the places on the route.
So climbing to his side, Sandy began at
once to chatter Of all that come into his
young head.
~You are the new doctor, know that
well," he remarked; $50 it is all right for
you to know how to get to the Hall, in case
you are sent for in hurry. 1t is quite
0 ride, you see, before the mansion comes
oven in sight. This front part Of the
house is where the family live, and is of
stone, very handsome; but all that wing,
Or part, that runs back, very old, de-
serted, and almost falling to pieces"
Dying insensibly away
From human thoughts and purposes,
It seemed-wall, window, roof, and tower
DO bow to some Transforming power,
And blend with the surrounding trees.
These lines flashed into Earle Ellen
STEMS mind as he gazed on the almost
ruined portions of the old Hall. Then,
again, his thoughts returned to the boy,
and he said, quietly:
There was murder committed here
once, have been told, my boy. Which
part was that done IMP"
at is not on tho front, but on the
right-hand side, where, the blind is half
open. That was Sir Arthur's room, and
Is now occupied by Sir Reginald. 1t is
In the second story; but the balcony rail
Ing that surrounds it, you see, is not so
very far from the ground, as the house
sets so low at that end.
"The body was evidently swung from
that balcony to the ground by means Of
s/ope tied under the arms. The rope
vas dangling there, the next day, in the
wind.
"See! This path leads to beau
tiful lake; you can see the water
plainly through those parting tree
boughs. There the body was supposed
to have been flung, to hide it for time;
but it must have been carried away the
same night, for it never has been found. ("
THAT is very strange" qnoth the Doc
tor. "Where could the murderers have
hidden it?"
"No one can tell. People think his
brother did the deed. as they had quar-
relied the night before It happened; out
when he was tried it seemed TO be proved
that he did not"
"Yonder is curious-looking building, !"
remarked Earle, pointing to square
brick tower that stood beyond, yet at
tached to, the deserted wing. "What
may that be?"
ut is called The Haunted Tower.
Please drive fast past that, Doctor, for ]
SILVER whenever ! think Of it, even,
much less pass near it'll" returned Sandy.
~Why?"
because it is fearful place. 1t is
haunted" was the whispered reply.
"Who says SOP"
Everybody. No one likes to take this
path, even in daylight, such terrible
things appear at those windows at the
top OF the tower on dark, stormy nights. I"
.@Who, for one, has seen these things?"
~ have. And so has every person who
lives in q house with windows facing this
way, or who is out much nights. You
see, that tower is very tall, and scars
way above the trees. saw 1t myself
the last time we had terrible storm. !
was staying with Jim Colgrove all night.
Jim lives tuss below you. IN the village.
E was about ten O'clock, and we were In
his roo4, undressing.
AWhen We were ready for bed, Jim
put out the light and ran to the win
dow to see if it still stormed, when sud-
denly q bright light caught my eyes, in
the top Of the tower. and. looking up, !