The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-05-11

concern covered with a thick roof of thatch
Two little windows on either side OF the
narrow door had their shutters up, and
through the jagged chinks the rays of a
strong illumination within shone brightly.
SEQ right in and make yourself at home
while take nv horse to stable " said our
mysterious guide as he turned off to the
rear of the hut.
We pushed open the door. The apart
larger than the outside of the hut would
have led us to believe, but what astonished
us the most was the luxurious manner in
which it was furnished. Heavy tapestries
covered the four walls. thick Turkish
carpet was spread upon the floor, four
chairs of solid mahogany. two lounges of
the same material, all upholstered in the
richest velvet. huge bureau of polished
pine and a mahogany table were situated
in various parts of the room, the lounges
standing temptinglv before the wood fire
that cracked up the chimney unrestrained
by any CRATE. A hand lamp suspended
from the cross beam. whose shade seemed
studded, if not with actual jewels, with
wonderful limitations thereof, cast a
brilliant, almost dazzling, light over all
'Well," said Hugh as soon as he could
realize the situation. "This seems like a
fairy tale, but then in fairy tale this
would he an enchanted castle and not an
enchanted hut. All. but those lounges
some great mans shooting box, though it
looked very unlike one from the outside as
well as could see That man you took
for ghost must be the owner. His
invitation for us to make ourselves at home
sounded as if he was. Well, | would not
mind meeting such a ghost again under
like circumstances, from which circum-
stances, however, may heaven defendn'
We were so tired and wet, and this
apartment being evidently the only one in
the house, we proceeded to undress and
hang up our garments to dry. Under
one of the sofas Hugh had discovered two
dressing gowns of superb finish. which we
calmly appropriated, and our host delayed
so long about rejoining us we lay down on
the lounges and were soon sleeping as
worn and weary wayfares alone can sleep.
What sounded like the clash of mighty
cymbal brought me erect on my feet and
wide awake after enjoying a much needed
and refreshing sleep. | looked about. The
lamp had gone out So, too, had the fire.
But in the center of the room pillar of
light seemed to descend from the roof to
the floor. In the midst of the pillar was
the form of venerable old man. His
head was thrown back, his long, white hair
falling in mass over his shoulders. His
great beared covered his entire chest He
was clad in an ox's skim fastened by an
hempen girdle. His bare arms, powerful
and sinewy, were bound behind him to
shadowy stake, and his naked feet-merci
ful heavens.-were resting upon live Goals
of fire On looking closer at the face |
saw look of hopeless, unspeakable anguish
theron, but not moan escaped from the
writing lips. As | stood borrow. stricken,
sweet female voice rose and swelled in a
weird wild chant of heart piercing sadness.
The words were Gallo, but the tones in
which they foated through the silence Of
the room were the tones of soul to whom
hope is lost forever. As it ended, mock
ing laugh rang loud outside. the window
and was followed by a horses neigh. We
knew from the cold blast that rushed in
that some one had opened the door.
simultaneously the spectre had disappeared
felt an awesome presence not of earth
approaching.
Hugh's voice gasped in my ear, "For
mercy sake let us fly"
Dressed only in the gowns we had dis
covered, we rushed madly to the door. As
we passed its threshold, We heard behind
us yell of disappointed rage that made
the blood run cold in our veins.
We dashed on blindly, panic stricken.
At length toward morning we met party
of hunters, who at first very naturally took
us for pair of escaped lunatics roaming
aimlessly on the moor and clad in two old
tattered, mildewed dressing gowns that
had seemed such handsome dresses when
we first saw them in the hut On our
relating our adventures their voices rose in
mutual cry of establishment.
''Aweel Awcel' exclaimed the eldest
of the hunters, a griz2led veteran, with
the SHOWS OF 60 winters on his head. eye
air tn first men that ever slep' in the lairds
hut and lived to tell the story
We begged him to explain, for sick and
scared as we were we were anxious to
know what we had escaped from.
"The hut" said the old hunter, twas
occupied ore so years agone by the laird
of Knockeraine, the eighth of the name.
On his young wife dying he betook himself
and his infant daugter to it. He furnished
it from the castle. Then he shut himself
out from the world. No one ever saw him
but when his daughter got to be guild