Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-07-07
MERSDALE'S GHOST.

A strange sense of disquietude took pos
session of Ralf Segwell the moment he
heard that she was of the house party He
did not know that Lady Wallace had asked
her, and felt angry with his fair young
hostess for the indiscretion.
whats the fascination in Segwell?"
murmured guest irrelevantly. "Look at
him and Miss Clifford" "He deceives us
all, " answered a pretty American. Giles
enigmatic and melancholy. He's
the only concrete specimen of evil I know.
We talk a great deal about bad things and
real bad books, but on the whole moder-
nifty is very good. Don't you think SOP"
"Some of you have q ferocious bark,
Miss Swift"
Most persons bark is worse than their
bite. Ralf Segwell's bite is much worse
than his bark. guess that's why he's so
uncanny. In fact, he never barks at all.
He just walks up to one in a friendly sort
of way and bites hope they have con-
signed him to the haunted room!'
"They have, believe, but he doesn't
know. They never tell their guests. Then
nothing ever happens. There's nothing to
happen, for they haven't ghost, you
know Only door that leads nowhere
an obtrusive thing that forces it's person
ality, or doorality, on you. 1t has not been
opened for hundreds of years. No human
power can force it,"
IT asked Mary Clifford to please you,"
said Lady Wallace. They were sitting TO-
gether in the great hall "You were such
friends. am sorry. It's hostess duty
to know these things. apologize" She
noticed weary expression settle on his
face. Her sylnpathies were touched. When
their eyes met, she flushed and smiled with
winning intimate grace that was daring
without being bold. "How shall atone?"
"You witch!' he said in very low
voice. Then suddenly he stood up as a lit
tie white figure passed at the end Of the
hall.
sit was Miss Clifford" she said.
"Was it?' he answered indifferently.
''Let us talk about you"
That night as Ralf Segwell shut himself
in his room the feeling Of depression he ex-
perienced ON arriving at Mersdale returned.
His thoughts wandered to the house party
nineteenth century men and women,
effervescing with spontaneous epigram,
locked up in these vast gloomy rooms.
How strangely the place dominated the
people The old house seemed the signifi-
can't fact, the infesting butterflies but
shadowy things inhabiting for u brief hour
this great somber pile. He looked up and
noticed door that had escaped his observa-
ton in the afternoon. He tried the handle,
then a cold shudder went through him as
he turned from it and crossed the immense
room only dimly lit by candles that splut-
tered at intervals. He glanced again at
the locked door. What a miserable hole
they had consigned him to! A wild desire
to sneak elsewhere became almost irresist-
ible. 1t was an odd experience to feel the
coward. He undressed with slow delibera-
ton, but every other moment he found
himself looking at the door that led no.
where. It fascinated his attention, alb
sorbed his senses and by degrees filled him
with an inexplicable dread.
Unable to rest, he flung himself out of
bed, stirred up the fire to blaze and lit
every candle in the room. AS he held the
match to each one he looked with renewed
fear over his shoulder. Then he placed
chair near the fire, yet facing the dreaded
till daylight. But with inactivity and the
dead silence and the blaze of light the
strange, incomprehensible terror returned
doublefold. The sound Of his own breath
ing became painful. He thought Of Mary
Clifford Then something moved. He sat
still as one paralyzed. His blood romped
through his veins and icy hands seemed to
grip his heart. The handle before him
turned, and the door that had not opened
for 100 years swung back and man
walked slowly into the room. He was
dressed in evening clothes and seemed to
all appearance like other men but for q
startled expression in his gray eyes.
Ralf rose to his feet tongue tied, while his
visitor walked to the fireplace and sat
down. i can give you an hour, he muir
INJURED. There was q silence.
"What for?'' said Ralf at last.
"To live, he answered indifferently.
1t leaped to Ralf Segwells mind that he
was entertaining o mailman. The house
was full, which necessitated the using of
this room. The mysterious door was un-
doubtedly the entrance to the apartments
of some insane relative. His own previous
apprehension must have been caused by
latent consciousness of human presence
a stones throw from him. The thought
Of his solitude in the dead Of night with
holnicidal maniac was sufficiently unman-
ming. He turned pale, but questioned
with assumed airiness, "Whyp"
"Justice," answered the stranger,
slightly raising his brows.
How do you propose to take my lifep"
Through your Imagination. shall
look at you" He glanced up. Ralf shrank
from the gaze, then said, with CHASTITY at
tempt at smile: well, hope my light
still burns. / cling to life, you know,
here and hereafter. shall fight for that
second hour" The smile withered on his
lips as his visitor again turned his terrible
gaze from the fire 10 him.
Mary Clifford has saved your SOUL
profigate, The voice reverberated
through the room. The walls echoed back
ssproiigate'' and his own lips moved to
utter the word, but he said under his
breath, MARY Clifford and the sound
WAS aa water to thirsty man. 1.-THE pure