St. Paul daily globe., 1895-12-25

kept himself rather to himself In his
own pantry He did not see that
Stephen was there; he was, moreover
fustered and less slow of speech than
was his wont. Master may get up his
own wine, if he likes, of an evening"
was his first remark. EITHER | do 1t
In the daytime or not at all, Mrs.
Bunch. 1 don't know what 1t may be;
very like it's the rats, or the wind got
into the cellars; but I'm not so young as
l was, and l can't go through with 1t
as l have DONE"
"Well. Mr.. Parkes, you know 1t is a
surprising place for the rats, is the
Hail."
I'm not denying that, Mrs. Bunch;
and to be sure, many time we hearu
the tale from the men in the snip
yards about the rats that could speak
| never laid no confidence In that pe-
fore: but tonight, if I'd demeaned my
self to lay my ear to the door OF the
further bin, l could pretty much nave
heard what they was saying"
..Oh. there, Mr.. Parkes, I've no pa
tienca with your fancies! Rats taik-
ing in the wine-cellar, indeed!
"Weu. Mrs. Bunch, I've no wish TO
argue with you; all 1 say Is, II you
choose to go to the far bin, ana lay
your ear to the door, you may prove
my words this minute.
"What nonsense you do talk, MI.
Parkes-not fit for children to listen 10.
Why. You'll be frightening Master
Stephen there out of his wits.
"Wbat, Master Stephen?' said
Parkes. awaking to the CONSCIOUSNESS
of hts presence Master stephen
knows we'll enough when I'm playing
q Joke with you, Mrs. Bunch.
In fact, Master Stephen knew much
too we'll to suppose that Mr.. Parkes
had in the first instance intended
Joke. He was interested, not altogeth-
er pleasantly, in the situation; put
oil bis Questions were unsuccessful
In inducing the butler to give any more
,oiled account of his experiences in
the wine cellar ..
We have now arrived at March a.
1912 It was a day of curious expert
ences for Stephen; VIM ~
noisy day, which tilled the houee
and the gardens with restless
impression. AS Stephen STOOD py lae
fence of the grounds, and looked ou'
into the park, he felt as II an enoiess
procession of unseen people "eie
sweeping past him on the Wlno' poriie
on resistlessly and aimlessly, Valhiy
striving to stop themselves, 10 catch
at something that might arrest tiieii
fight and bring them once again li'.o
contact with the living world OF which
thew had formed a part. After luil-h-
con that day Mr.. Abney said: ste
phen. my boy, do you think you couid
manage to come to me tonight as late
as II o'clock in my study: small De
busv until that time, and l wish 10
show YOU something connected with
vour future life which it is most I'M
nortant that you should know. 70"
are not to mention this matter 10 MIS-
Bunch nor to any one else in the house'
and YOU had better go to your roolii
at the usual time"
Here was new excitement adueu "
life: Stephen eagerly grasped at tne
onportunity of sitting up TIL Ii cloch'
He looked in at the library door on MS
wav I'D stairs that evening, ana saw
a hrazier. which he had often notlceo
in the corner of the room, moved GU.
before the fire; an old sllver-gllt cup
stood ON the table, filled with req WIFE,
and some written sheets OF paper lay
near If. Mr.. Abney was sprlnAing
some incense on the brazier from
round silver box as Stephen passed.
hut did not seem to notice his step.
The wind had fallen, and there was
still night and full moon. AT ABOUT
10 o'clock Stephen was standing at the
omen window of his bedroom looking
ont over the country. Still as the
night was. the mysterious population
of the distant moonlit woods was not
vet lulled to rest. From time to time
strange cries as of lost and despalrlnS
wanderers sounded from across the
we've They might be the notes OF
owls or water birds, yet they did not
o,ite resemble either sound. Were not
+hev coming nearer? Now they sound
cd from the nearer side Of the wafer
ond /, a few moments they seemed to
he floating about among the shrub
heries Then they ceased; but just as
Stenhen was thinking of shutting the
window and resuming ms reaalns vi
"Rohinson Crusoe,' he caught slgnt OF
two figures standing on the graVeiieo
terrace that ran along the garden sade
of the hall-Jwo figures OF poy ana
girl. as it seemed; they stocd slde py
side. looking up at the WINDOWS oo:he-
thing in the form of the girl fecaileu
irresistibly his dream of the hgure III
the bath. The boy inspired MN WIN
more acute fear. Whilst the girl stood
still, half smiling, with her hai'as
clasped over her heart, the boy, thln
shane. with black hair ara ragged
clothing. raised his arms IN ehe ar
with an appearance of menace anu OIL
unappeasable hunger and longing. Inc
moan shone upon his almost trans
narent hands, and Stephen saw that MS
nails were fearfully long and tnat the
light shone through them. AS ne
stood with his arms thus raised, ne
disclosed a terrifying spectacle. ol
+he left side of his chest there opened
a black and gaping rent; and there 1eli
unon Stephens brain, rather than upon
his ear, the impression OF one OF those
hungry and deso!ate cries that ne had
heard resounding over the Wcods OF
! Aswarby all that evening. In an
other moment this dreadful pair had
moved swiftly and noiselessly over the
dry gravel, and he saw them no more.
: JneXpressibly frightened as ne was ne
, determined to take his candle ana go
down to Mr. Abney's study; for the
hour appointed for their meeting was
near at hand. The study or library
opened out of the front hall on one
side; and Stephen, urged on by ms
terrors, did not take long in getting
there. To effect an ENTRANCE was not
so easy. 1t was not locked, he felt
sure, for the key was on the outside OF
! the door as usual. His repeated
knocks produced no answer. MI Alb
ney was engaged; he was speaking.
! What? why did he try to cry out? and
whv was the cry choked in his throat!
Had he. too, seen the mysterious chill
dren who were tracking their prey
round that house of terrors? But now
everything was quiet, and the door
yielded to Stephens terrified and fran
tic pushing He did not come to him
self for many hours after he had looked
! in.
On the table in Mr.. Abney's study
certain papers were found which ex-
plained the situation to Stephen Elliott
when he was of an age to understand
them. The most important sentences
| were as follows:
"It was a belief very strongly and
| hn ~on