The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-27

forced, and, secondly, they were to all
appearance unconscious.
They were not marked enough to
show relief and in Lucetta especially
did not serve to hide the underlying
melancholy of a disappointed girl, yet
it was not what I expected from my
supposed experiences of the night and
led me to answer a little War.ly when
with a. frank laugh, zLoreen exclaimed
so you have lost your character as
q practical woman, Miss Butterworth?
Hannah tells me you were the Wet m
of a ghOstly visit last night"
Hannah gossips numerically" was
my cautious and somewhat peeVish re-
ply. eff l chose to dream that | was
locked into my room by some very at
tentfve specter, l cannot see why she
should take the confession of my folly
out of my mouth. l was going to re-
late the fact myself, with all the &C
compartments of rushing steps and
wild and unearthly cries which are ex-
pected by the listeners to a veritable
ghost story But now I have simply
to defend myself from a charge of
credulity. It's too bad, Miss Knollys,
much too bad. I did not come to a
haunted house for this"
My manner rather than my words
seemed to completely deceive them.
Perhaps it deceived myself, for l be-
gan to feel loss of the depression
which had weighed upon me ever since
that scream had rung in my ears at
midnight. 1t disappeared still further
when Lucetta said:
IF your ramblings through the old
rooms on this floor were the occas :on
of this nightmare, you must be pre-
pared for a recurrence of the same to-
night, for [ am going to take you
through the upper rooms myself this
morning. Isn't that the programme.
Lcreen? Or have you changed your
mind and planned drive for Miss
Butterworth?'
She shall do both" said Loreen.
When she is tired of tramping throue h
dusty chambers and examining the de-
cayed remnants of old furniture which
il cumber them, William stands ready
TO drive her over the hills, where she
will find views well worth her atten-
ton
Thank you said T. TT is a pleas
ant prospect" But within 1 uttered
anything but thanks; rather asked
myself if was a fool, or was just being
made one. and decided almost without
an argument that the former SUPPOSE
ton would meet with least denial from
the world at large.
However,, beliefs die hard in a mind
like mine, and though l was ready to
consider that an inf1amed imagination
may often carry us. beyond the bounds
of fact and even into the realm of fancy
and miscOnception / yet was not ready
to give up my suspicious altogether or
to acknowledge that I had no founda-
ton for the fear that something uncan-
ny and awful had taken place under
this roof the night before The very
naturalness I observed in this hitherto
restrained trio might be the result of
some great dream removed, and if that
was the case All, WE'LL alertness is
the motto of the truly wise. 1t is when
vigilance sleeps that the enemy gains
the victory. I would not let myself be
deceived even at the cost of a little
ridicule. Amelia Butterworth was still
awake, even under a semblance of well
laid suspicion.
My footsteps We're not logged that
morning as they hitherto had been in
my movements about the house. l was
allowed to go and come and even to
stray into the second long corridor
without any other let than my own
discretion and good breeding. Lucetta
joined me, to be sure, after awhile. but
only as guide and companion. She took
me into rooms | forgot the next minute
and into others I remember to this day
as quaint memorials of a past ever and
always interesting to me. We ransack-
eG the house, yet after all was over and
/ sat down to rest in my own room
two formidable questions rose in my
mind that found 1t impossible to find
satisfactory answers for. Why, with s.
many more .or less attractive bed cham
bers at their command, had they ch Sc
to put me In this hole, where the very