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

''Foois come 10 this mousse, Said snes
'and you are one"
Pray let me have my supper, and don't
| talk" replied. II am tired and hun
cry. and want TO go TO bed"
Liz stood perfectly still for a moment.
"'Tain't worth IT," she said: then In a
medtative voice, mo. faint worth IL.
But I'll say no more. Folks Will never
/ be warnedp'
Her grandmother's voice calling her
caused her to bound from the room
NV supper proved better than had ex-
pected. and, having finished II. / stroiled
into the kitchen. anxious to have further
talk with the old man. He was seated
alone by the fire, a great mastiff lying al
his feet.
.Can you tell me why the house Is
supposed to be haunted?" ] asked sudden
| ly. STOPPING down TO speak to him.
How should known NJ cried hoarse-
! ". 1.-THE wife and me have been here
| twenty years, and never seen nor heard
ANYTHING. but for certain folks do die In
the house It's mortal unpleasant for
me. for the doctors come alons. and the
coroner. and there's an inquest. and no
| end of fuss The folks die, although no
one has ever laid a finger on EN-; the
doctors can't prove why they are dead.
but dead they be. Well, there amt no
use saying more. You are here. ana
maybe you'll pass the one night all
right
Il shall go to bed at once said. but
I should like some candles. Can you
supply me-"
The man turned and looked at his wife.
who at that moment entered the Kitchen.
| She went to the dresser. opened wooden
| box. and taking out three or four tallow
candles. put them into my hand.
/ rose, Stimulating yawn.
Good might. sir" said the old man;
good Knight, / wish you we'll"
".
moment later had entered my bed
room. and having shut the door, proceed
| ed 10 give 1t a careful examination. AS
| far as | could make out, there was no
| entrance to the room except by the
door, which was shaped TO mt the CIR
| cular walls noticed. however. that
| there was an unaccountable draught. and
| this. I at last discovered, came from be-
low the oak wainscoating of the wall.
7 could not in any way account for the
draught. but IL existed. to an unpleasant
| extent The bed, / further saw. was
somewhat peculiar; It had no casters on
| the four legs, which were let down about
| half an inch into sockets provided for
! tbern I'm the wooden floor. This discovery
evci.ed my suspicion still further. IL
was evident that the bed was intended
! 10 remain I'm a particular position. L
| cav that IL directly faced the little win
! dow sunk deep into the thick wall SO
/ that any one in bed would look directly
] at the window. / examined my watch,
l found that IT was past IL, and placing
/ botb tho candles on tiny table near the
|
vas on the alert to catch the slightest
! roise hut the hours dragged on and no
! thing occurred In the house all was
silence. and outside the splashing and
| cburning OF the water falling over the
wheel came distinctly TO my ears.
Law awake all night. out as morn
ing dawned fell into An uneasy sleep. l
ao,oke 10 see the broad daylight stream
! ing in at the small window.
Making a hasty toilet, | went out for
q walk. and presently came In 20 break
fest. II had been laid for me in the big
kitchen. and the old man was seated by
the hearth.
well" said the woman. II hope you
slept comfortable, sir"
I answered in the affirmative. and now
perceived that old Bindloss and his wire
were In the humor TO be agreeable Ihey
said that II / was satisfied with the room
I might spend another night at the inn. 1
told Them that had a great many photo
eraphs TO take, and would be much
obliged for the permission. AS l spoke l
looked round for the girl, Liz. She was
nowhere to be seen.
where Is your granddaughter
asked of the old woman.
"She has gone away for the day' was
the reply. Its too much for LIZ 10 see
strangers. She gets excited, and then the
fits come on"
what sort of fits?'
81 can't tell what they are called, but
they're bad. and weaken her, poor thlhg'
liz ought never 20 be excited" Here
RindIoss gave his wife a warning glance;
she lowered her eyes. and going across
10 the range. began TO stir the contents
of something in saucepan
Thar afternoon | borrowed some lines
from Bindloss, and, taking an old boat
which was moored TO the bank or the
miIl-pord. set off under the pretence OF
dshinz for pike The weather was per-
feet for the time of year.
Waiting my opportunity, brought the
boat up to land on the bank that dam
med up the stream, and getting out walk
ed along il in the direction of the mill
wheel. over which the water was now
rushing.
AS observed Il from this side Of the
bank. l saw that the tower in which my
room was placed must at one time have
been part Of the mill itself, and L further
noticed that the masonry was compare
lively new. showing that alterations
must have taken place when the house
was abandoned as a mill and was turned
into an inn. 1 clambered down the side
of the wheel, holding on to the beams,
which were green and slippery. and
peered through the paddles.
As / was making my examination,
voice suddenly startled me.
"What are you doing down there?
looked up-old Bndloss was standing
on the bank looking down at me. He
was alone. and his face was comfort
ed with a queer mixture OF fear and
passion. hastily hoisted myself up, and
stood beside him.
what are you poking about down there
for" he said, pushing his ugly old face
into mine as he spoke. you fool! II you
had fallen you would have been drowned
No one could swim stroke I'm that mill
race. And then here would have been an
other death and all the old fuss over
again! Look here, sir; Will you have the
goodness to get out OF the place? don't
want you here any more"
II intend 10 leave tomorrow morning."
/ answered in a pacfying voice. land
am really very much obliged to you for
warning me about the mill"
You had best not go near IL again."
he said in a menacing voice, and then
he turned hastily away. / watched him
as ne climbed up steep bank and dlsap-
peared from view. He was going in the
opposite direction from the house. Selling
the opportunity of his absence. 1 once
more approached the mill. Was it pos
sible that wentworth had been hurled