The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1897-12-14
CHAPTER XIV.

~ [T3 ARGARET did not
I'm IAN mention what she
WMN had seen to any
III rs one. 1t kept her
III awake for the
. eI16O Pm greater part of the
# night; but, when
II IlHIM the morning dawn
In lfIllV ed, she felt ashamed
S}osgs7f of the great alarm
which she had ex-
perienced.
Ruthven had laughed at her when she
had alluded to the ghost, and Sir Fred
eric and Carmen had evidently been an
noyed. She would not risk repetition
of the scene that had taken place at the
dinner table the night before. Her
brain was full of this thought as she
ilton and Carmen were there before her,
flirting in an open boy-and-girl man
ner. Hamilton looked rather shy as
Margaret appeared, and he could not
help comparing her innocent loneliness
with Garments flashing charms. But
guardian now, and it was comical to
note Hamilton Shores look of dismay
as she passed him by with careless
nod, to place her hand with bright
smile in that of Ruthven. The young
people were planning country excur-
sion as she entered, and asked her to
accompany them, but she refused. She
had not quite arrived at the point of
watching her faithless admirer making
love to his new flame. She heard Sir
Frederic ask Mr.. Ruthven to join him
in the library after breakfast on bust
ness, and she was glad to think they
would all be safely disposed of, as she
was DESTROYS of carrying out design
Of her own which she could not accom-
plish unless the house were clear.
Carmen had told her that the rooms
next her own were occupied by Sir
Frederic Flower, but Margaret knew
they were not the same into which the
baronet had introduced Ruthven and
herself. She concluded, therefore, that
they were sitting rooms, and she
thought that if she could summon up
courage to enter them by daylight, and
examine them for herself, she would
lose the supernatural terror they in
vested her with now, and be able to
realize how foolish her fancy of the
night before had been. So that when
Hamilton and Carmen had wandered
away into the wood together, and Ruth
ven, with a farewell smile at her, had
followed Sir Frederic to the library,
Margaret sought her own room, and,
waiting until the corridor seemed clear
of servants, sailed forth upon her tour
of inspection. There were three doors
upon the other side of the corridor be-
yond that which opened into Garments
room. Pearl timidly tried the handle
of one after the other; but they were all
locked. At the further end of the long
passage, however, was what appeared to
be screen placed across the window.
She advanced and peered round it. It
concealed nothing more than a baize-
door. AS she stood there, however the
sound of an approaching footstep made
her start, and, in her fear and dismay
at being discovered, she opened a door
just behind her and darted in. It was
a servants bedroom, but she could see
nothing but what occurred in front of
her. Some one pushed open the baize-
door, and stood with it ajar, while he
fumbled with a jangling bunch of keys;
a voice behind him said, Never mind
the keys, you won't be long"
mot five minutes was the answer:
"and you'll be here?"
"Of course l SHALL" said the other
voice, which was evidently that of a.
woman.
Then the keys were left in the door.
and the man came out into the corridor.
Pearl recognized him at once as the
person whom Carmen had called "Mr.
Brown in the days gone by, but the
woman, who was stout and elderly, she
had never seen before. She longed to
escape from her hiding place, but after
the man had walked away the servant
kept her position at the baize-door as
though she were looking out for friend
to speak to. At last one appeared in the
person of Mrs. Webb-who emerged
from sleeping chamber with her arms
full of clean linen.
Good morning, Mrs Bryantr' she
exclaimed. All quiet to-day?"