The morning times., 1896-07-05

and went down stairs bitterly disappointed,
and l sat hour after hour in the drawing
room. going tbroughlast nights scene again
trying to recall the lady's movements as
she passed her hand along II all in vain-the
kno wledge had gone from Inc, and it was
useless. / could see, too, Lord and Lady
Glencoine were terribly disappointed, though
they did their best not to let me see IL,
and talked OF having the panelling broken
open the next day.
In the afternoon several of the party
went for walk, but Lady Glencoine and
remained by the fire, carrying on Spas-
niodic conversation. Suddenly thought
came to HE, andI rose hastily and hurried to
MY room.
When there, took the crystal from the
dra wer, and sitting down with it in
my hand, gazed into IL, breathIess with ex-
element Should 1, or should ! not, see
what wished? 1 watched the usual mist
rising in it, and then yes-thc lady again
appeared; this time, though, her hand
was not upraised; she was standing
there. 1 Onged, almost prayed, that she
might open the panel to me; and then, TO my
intense delight, saw her hand slo WY move
toward the wall behind her, and, placing
the back of her hand on the panel, she let
neE llnYcT UdilS Iust Pass Auuei VIC
work, and it sprang open.
L waited for a moment till the picture
| faded away, and then, throwing down the
crystal, / ran downstairs. almost falling
/ down the steps in my haste. Into the draw
| ing-room new, where my hostess was still
sitting dreaming idly before the fire in the
fading light.
Come, come" cried, Il have found
how TO open it, and startled, and I
Imagine rather thinking / had gone mad,
| Lady GiencOine followed me, calling to
| her husband, as she saw him passing
| through the hall, to come to us. l again
went into the gallery and approached
| the panel. Trembling with excitement,
my knees shaking beneath me, / placed
| the back of my hand on il, passing my
| finger nails under the framework. and i'm
| mediately 1T flew open Almost faint with
| my discovery, leaned against the wall,
and Lord and Lady Glencoine and their
| son remained staring at the open door
way.
| / was the first to recover myself.
| A light ligbtr' / cried and ran to
my room. returning with candle and
| box OF matches.
| Lady Glencone, said, lighting them,
| either you or your son must wait here,
| as we cannot risk the door being shut upon
| us. Come. who will stay?'
| II had better do So" she answered,
| las ] shall he of no use. and / am not
quite sure ] should like to venture into
| it,
But first ] said $50 certain was
| that we should discover the jewelsl
| first me must get a crowbar or sOrne-
| thing which will remove the stone; be-
| cause. although it is loose. il is a large
| one. and would be too heav Tor our hands,
| think"
We touched the gallery hei; and the
h"tl"r wh" had lived many yrars in the
family, answered it, and think he was
nearly overcome when lie saw the open
uoor. but he. too;- was filled with excite
ment. and hurried off for an Implement.
Then we started. ] have often wondered
| SINCE that we had the courage. led the
way. followed by Lord Gieuccne, his son
and the butler.
How very extraordinary We should have
never found this passage,'' exclaimed my
host; land no steps too-so curous-hIst
level passage"
In moment. when we got int o he room,
we gazed in silence and awe. Lord Glen
coine took the candle from Inc. and kneeI-
ing down on the floor examined it, There,
scattered about, were bits OF old ST Iff-rags
they might he called and amongst them was
skull and some bones
1t Is what ] suspected he said. in a
low, hushed tone; bones human bones.
II means that that poor lady must have
come here to hide the ewels. and the door
must have been shut upon her. and she
died an awful death Even after these
hundreds OF years, how terrible it seenis!''
The horror Of what he said was upon us,
and for moment we stood solemnly gazing
at the human tragedy OF many years ago
Then. recovering himself, he turned 10 the
butler
Come he Said-"the GRO wbar"
1pointedto the stone. andin moment they
had lifted it,. and there, lying in scattered
and careless profusion, were the celebrated
jewels of Eleanor, Lady Glencoine for the
sake OF which she had gone to meet this
terrible death
In silence we lifted them out diamonds,
rubies, and pea rls. the girtle OF the picture
none were missing: together with heaps
OF smaller necklaces and other ornaments.
! We carried them into the daylight and the
| gallery. where Lady GlenCoine was anx.
iously a waiting US
Far beyond our widest hopes" said her
husband. in low voice. "Tavemdale is
saved. and to YOU" turning TO me. we are
indebted for this
/ shook my head. 1t WAS not l. I was
, only the inStrument-the medium. But it
was no use saying this now and had had
enough. Mind and body alike both craved
| for rest, and ] left them and went to my
room. That night l slept without a wax
ing thought. II the Phantom Lady came to