The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1893-01-19


be settled about the lease, repairs, and
other matters, and | stipulated that |
should be allowed to make some alter
ations, such as removing the staring
plate glass with which the late owner
had "modernized" the windows of the
lower rooms.
Six weeks later was installed in
my new residence. The alterations
were not nearly completed. but declin-
ing the Ridgways' pressing invitation
to take up my quarters with them, l
occupied two rooms in the old house
and engaged woman in the village to
come daily and attend to my simple
wants.
On the third evening after my az
rival l was smoking my favorite pipe
by wood fire in the oakroom, which
had made my bedroom. 1t was
nearly 12 o'clock, but being accus-
toned to late hours l did not feel in
cllned for bed-far from it. de-
cided to have one more pipe, and
hastily taking up my pouch began to
refill my pipe. Suddenly l stopped
shot, and with my little finger still
rammed into the bowl of the pipe,
left my chair and walked to the oppo-
site side Of the room, for could have
sworn saw the panelling move ever
so slightly upward. Nor was mis-
taken; for very slowly the whole
panel disappeared and in the opening
stood the figure Of a woman.
The room was dark, for the wood
fire had begun to shoulder, SO l could
not see what she was like young or
old, ugly or beautiful.
l was not nervOus-I had q pro-
found dish elief in the pernatural-
so simply waited to see what the in
truder proposed 10 do. She advanced
into the room and came close to my
elbow, then raised her hand and beck
oned me to follow her. OF course l
went, and she led me through the
aperture and down steep wooden
staircase. 1t was pitch dark, but l
struck matches at intervals. My COM
panion went OH quickly, never looking
behind her, but l smiled as she raised
her skirts gingerly from the dusty
stairs, and once l saw the woman
shudder as rat scuttled by.
ono ghost this" thought l.
On we went down tho wooden
stairs ill at last we came to some
stone ones all green and humid,
owing to neglect. We continued our
course, going down flight after flight
of damp slippery stairs, till at length.
to my relief, my companion paused
before heavy oaken door, then
opened it and entered. Following her,
found myself in low, vaultlike
chamber, more like cell than any
thing else. The floor was stone, the
walls were bare, but it was apparent
ly inhabited, for there were few
articles of furniture-a rickety,
spindle-legged table, n couple of high
Lacked, worm -eaten chairs and bat
tered horsehar sofa. In the CRATE,
too, burned small fire and couple
of tall, white candles in furnished
sconces were on the narrow mante-
shelf.
In the dim light afforded by these
candles and the fire | closely scrutln-
lzed the woman who had brought me
there.
She was tall and slender, and wore
long russet gown of an old fashioned
cut, but her face was pale and sad,
with sharp, clear-cut features, ana
mass Of rough, reddish hair was care
lessly twisted into long knot at the
nape of her neck.
She motioned me to one of the
chairs, taking the other herself, ana
she now sat bending over the fire. APP
parent.y too deep in her own bitter re-
flections to be conscious of my pres
cnce. The expression on her thih'
worn face was very sorrowful, and
her hands were tightly clinched III her
lap But. though thin and worh' her
face was still lovely, and as gazed
thought how lovely, it would be were
the hollows filled out and the deep
lines smoothed away.
Suddenly, with little resolute ges-
turc, she turned towards me ana pe-
gan to speak in low rapid tones
sT hrouVht Won here because