Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-09-03
AT HEYTON GRANGE.

1t was at a railway station and he had be-
side him his gun case and fishing rods.
Knowing that he was not man to spend
great deal of money on his own pleasure,
l guessed at once that he had been lucky
enough to receive an invitation from some
one who possessed fishing and shooting
rights. "Hello, Gascoyne," I said as
came up with him. whats the game
now? This looks something like business.
"Ah, my boy, says he, II should think
1t is too. Old Jefferson has been looking
out for country place for some time, you
know, and he has managed to find one up
In the north at a marvelously cheap rent.
He's taken it for IL months, and If he
likes it he has the chance of buying 1t at
ridiculous figure"
"Why, what's the matter with it9" l
said.
'Oh, nothing" he replied, "that
know of, but it doesn't suit the owner for
some reason, and he has had 1t on his
hands for very long time and could not
let it, and suppose he got tired Of it and
thought he would get rid of 1t at any
price.
Jefferson writes me that it Is really q
grand place, with some glorious shooting
and fishing and a really magnificent house,
and he's asked me to go and have o
months sport. thought it was too good
chance to be missed, and SO packed up
my traps at once, and I'm off"
At that the train came UP, and after
seeing him comfortably settled in corner
seat and wishing him good sport and a
high old time strobe away.
What was my surprise, in little more
than a week afterward, to meet him one
evening in the High street as was re-
turning from business.
"Why, Gascoyne, said, "whatever has
brought you back again SO soonp l thought
you were going to stay MONTH"
"Never a month would stay at that
place for any price" he replied, "but
come, let us walk up to the Ring of Bells,
at the end Of the village. We shall DO
quiet there, and I'll tell you all about it.
1t makes me feel so queer every time l
think Of it that really can t tell you with.
out glass Of something"
We went up to the old inn, and before q
comfortable glass and blazing fire we lit
our pipes, and he commenced
Jefferson was right when he said he
had splendid place. It's fallen into dis
repair little through being untenanted so
long, but Heyton Grange, as 1t Is called,
is u regular country mansion, with mag
nificent hall, fine, large entertaining rooms,
and don't know how many bedrooms and
offices up stairs. found he'd invited
quite number Of fellows anti intended
haying regular shooting party staying in
the house, but he had asked me up day
or two in advance SO that we could have q
quiet time together before the rest came
"We had three most enjoyable days. The
country round was magnificent. We had
a few idle shots, and cast a fly or two for
trout as we sauntered along, talking Of old
times, and these lazy trials were sufficient
10 show us that we should have fine sport
when we commenced in earnest. We spent
these days alone and Jefferson and slept
together during that time, for we are old
friends, as you know, and liked better to
be with him than to be in the room allot-
ted to me in the faroff west wing until
that part Of the house was occupied by
some Of the other visitors. On the fourth
day they came. We had glorious time Of
it, and went to bed tired out. dropped
to sleep at once, but after some two hours
woke up, bathed in a cold perspiration
and with terrible feeling that could not
account for. Whether had been dream
ing or no could not tell, but raised my
self on one arm and looked around the
room, and there right by the foot of the
bed saw--the bust Of a woman as though
the body had been cut through at the
waist!
"The face was as white as marble, and
the eyes seemed to look beseechingly upon
me. Terrified, was unable to stir, and
the figure gradually floated away and dis
appeared through the panels Of the wall,
heaving as it did SO a low, deep sigh.
"Of course sleep was impossible after
that. I lay in state of terror until morn
ing, but I managed to drop into trou-
and slept on uneasily until was startled
by knock at the door and the announce
ment that the first breakfast bell had
rung. went down to breakfast with the
effects Of the nights apparition still upon
me, though wearing away and growing
fainter every moment, and before I had
finished my second cup Of coffee what
had supposed to be the usual query in such
cases arose to my mind-could I, after all,
have fancied that the apparition appeared?
"Was it possible that it could be the re-
suit of disordered Imagination? In the
night I had made up my mind to tell my
friend what had occurred and leave the
house at once but now feared the ridi-
Guile Of the company and was indeed likely
soon to laugh at myself and wonder how I
could have been SO superstitious raised
my head and began to join in the CONVEX
sation and to talk over the arrangements
for another good days sport, when at the
far end of the table noticed a gentleman
who laughed with the loudest yesterday
and whose sallies had amused us all, but
who was now silent and taciturn.
"He seemed quite unable to do justice
to the good things provided by our host
and only answered In monosyllables when
spoken to. 1t was evident that his mind
was i'll at ease, and that he was laboring
under some strong excitement. As soon
az breakfast was over sought him out
and said to him: 4 am afraid something
has happened to disturb you. You were in
such excellent spirits when we parted last
night and seemed SO very different at the
table this morning that feel sure some
thing must be the matter"
emo he replied. I'm all right,
thanks; certainly don't feel very lively
Just now, but 1t will wear of presently
Perhaps you didn't have good
nights rests' / rejoined, and spoke slow
ly and pointedly.
We'll, he said, I cannot say that
did, but do not wish to speak Of 1t. It
would only nut Jefferson about
Tell me, I said, did anything disturb
your Did you see anythingf' And In my
eagerness laid my hand upon his shout
dor.
"'I did, he said why do you aski'
Because / saw something myself.
What did you seeS'
81 saw, he said, and shuddered n he