Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-04

which occur IN this house." said after
a pause. How many did you say there
were?"
THAT is nothing to you" he answered
I'VE never wanted you here; you can 80
when you please"
II shall go tomorrow morning, but
wish TO say something now"
And what may that be?'
II don't believe In that story about the
place being haunted
''Oh. you don't: don't your He dropped
his pipe. and his glittering eyes gazed at
me with a mixture OF anger and iil-con-
cealed alarm.
mo" | paused; then 7 said slowly and
emphatcally. II went back TO the mill
even after your warning. and"=--
"Whatg' he cried starting to his feet.
Nothing" l answered, only 1 don't
believe In the ghost"
His face turned not only white. but
livd. left him without another word. |
saw that his suspicious had been much
strengthened by rpy words. This intend
ed. To induce the ruffian TO do his worst
was the only way 20 wiring his secret
from him.
Ny hideous room looked exactly as 1t
had done on the previous evening. The
grotesque pattern on the walls seemed
TO start out In bold relief Some OF the
ugly lines seemed at that moment. to my
imagination. almost to take human shape.
to convert themselves into ogre-like faces,
and TO grin at me. Was 1 too daring?
Was Ii wrong of me to risk my l:fe in
this manner? / was terribly tired, and,
curious as il may seem, my greatest fear
at that crucial moment was the dread
that ! might fail asleep. 1 had spent
two nights with scarcely any repose and
felt tina, at any moment, notwithstanding
all my efforts, slumber might visit me.
In order TO give Bindloss full opportunity
for carrying out his scheme Ii was neces-
sary for me to get into bed, and even to
feign sleep In my present exhausted
condition, the pretence OF slumber would
easily lapse into the reality. This risk,
however, which really was a very grave
one, must be run. without undressing.
| got into bed pulling the bed-clothes well
over me. In my hand l held my revolver.
| deliberately put out the candles. and
then lay motionless, waiting for events.
the house was quiet as the grave-there
was not a STIR and gradually my nerves.
excited as they were. began to calm down.
As i had fully expected overpowering
sleepiness seized me. and. notwithstanding
every effort, found myself drifting away
into the land OF dreams. | began 70 Wish
that whatever apparition was TO appear
would do so at once and get IL ovN.
Gradually but surely / seemed to pass
from all memory of my present world, and
TO live in strange and terrible phantas-
magoria. In this state I slept, in that
state also l dreamed, and dreamed hor
ribly.
| thought that / was dancing a waltz
with an enormously tall woman. She
lowered above me, clasping me in her
arms. and began to wkirl me round and
round at a giddy speed. / could hear
the crashing music of a distant band.
Faster and faster, round and round
some great empty hall was l whirled l
knew that l was losing my senses, and
screamed 20 her to stop and let me go.
Suddenly there was terrible crash
close TO me. Good God! / found myself
awake. butt was stlll moving. Where
was ]? Where was / going? l leaped
upon the bed. only TO reel and fall heay-
lily backwards upon the floor. What
was the matter? Why was L sliding,
sliding? Had / suddenly gone mad, or
was l still suffering from some hideous
nightmare? l tried to move, to stag
ger to my feet. Then by slow degrees
my senses began TO return, and L knew
where | was. l was In the circular
room, the room where Wentworth had
died; but what was happening to me /
could rot divine. | only knew that /
was being whirled round and round at
a velocity that was every moment in
creasing. BY the moonlight that strug
gled In through the window / saw that
the floor and the bed upon II was re-
volving. but the table was lying on It's
fan ban .I
me.
could not see any other furniture In
the room. BY what mysterious manner
had It been removed? Making great
effort. / crawled to the centre of this
awful chamber, and Selling the foot of
the bed, struggled to my feet Here l
knew there would be less motion, and
could Just manage TO see the outline OF
the door, had taken the precaution TO
slip the revolver into my pocket, and
still felt that If human agency appeared
[ had a chance OF selling my life dear
": but surely the horror l was pass
ing through WAS invented by no living
man, AS the floor of the room reyolved
I'm the direction of the door. | made
a dash for il, but was carried swiftly
past. and again fell heavily. When L
came round again I made frantic ef-
fort to cling TO one of the steps, but
in vain; the head Of the bedstead caught
me as il flew round and tore my arms
away In another moment / believe
should have gone raving mad with ter
ror. Ny head felt as II 1t would burst;
I found IL impossible to think consecu-
lively The only idea which really pos
sessed me was a mad wish to escape
from this hideous place. struggled to
the bedstead and dragging the legs from
their sockets, pulled Ii into the middle
of the room away from the wall with
this out Of the way, | managed at last
to reach the door In safety The mo-
ment my hand grasped the handle
leaped upon the little step and tried TO
wrench the door open. IL was locked,
locked from without; 1t defed my every
effort. / had only just standing-room
for my feet. Below me the floor or the
room was still racing round with ter
rlble speed. I dared scarcely look at II,
for the giddiness In my head Increased
each moment The next instant soft
footstep was distinctly audible, and
saw CLEAN of light through chink OF
the door, / heard hand fumbling at
the lock, the door was slowly opened
outwards, and / saw the face OF old
Blndloss
For moment he did not perceive me,
for / was crouching down on the step,
and the next instant. with all my force,
I flung myself upon him. lie uttered
veil OF terror. The lantern he carried
dropped and went out, but / gripped him
round the neck with my fingers, driving
them deep down into his lean. sinewy
throat. With frantic speed I pulled him
along the passage up to window,
through which the moonlight was shin
ing. Here / released my hold OF his
throat, but Immediately covered him
with my revolver
.rnoup IN v0ur knees or Won are "A dead