The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-18
copyrighted. 1898. by Fergus Hume.)

fatal. If, in the unhealthy atmosphere Of
an old house. the inmates got talking of
ghosts and COLLINS, it might be that the
consequences would be dangerous to SO
highly strung and delicate man as Percy
Ringan.
For this reason. joined to a sneaking de-
sire to see the ghost, / found myself a
guest at Ringshaw Grange In one way 1
regret the visit yet l was on the spot Had
l been absent the catastrophe might have
been greater, although it could scarcely have
been more terrible
Ringshaw Grange was a quaint Elizabeth
an house, all gables and diamond easements,
and oriel windows, and quaint terraces, look
ing like an illustration out of an old Christ
mas number. 1t was embowered in large
park, the trees of which came up almost
to the doors, and when saw it first in the
moonlight-for it was by a late train that
l came from London-it struck me as the
very place for a ghost.
Here was a haunted house of the right
quality if ever there was one, and only
hoped when crossed the threshold that the
local specter would be worthy Of it's envir-
onment. In such an interesting house 1 did
not think to pass dull Christmas but-God
help mel did not anticipate so tragic
Yule-tide as I spent.
AS our host was bachelor and had no
female relative to do the honors of his
house the guests were all of the masculine
gender. 1t is true that there was a house
keeper-a distant cousin / understood-who
was rather elderly but very juvenile as to
dress and manner. She went by the name
OF Miss Laura, but no one saw much of her
as, otherwise than attending to her duties,
she remained mostly in her own rooms.
So our party was composed of young men
none save myself being over the age of
thirty, and few being gifted with much in
telligence The talk was mostly of sport, of
horse racing, big game shooting and yacht
sailing; so that I grew tired at times of
these subjects and retired to the library to
read and write. The day after 1 arrived
Frank showed me over the house.
1t was wonderful old barrack of place,
with broad passages. twisting unfortunately
like the labyrinth of Daedalus; small bed
rooms furnished in an old-fashioned man.
ner. and vast reception apartments with pol
ished floors and painted ceilings. Also there
were the customary number of family por-
traits frowning from the walls; suits of
furnished armor and ancient tapestries en-
broidered with grim and CHASTITY legends Of
the past.
The old house was crammed with treas
ures, rare enough to drive an antiquarian
crazy, and filled with the flotsam and jet
sam of many countries, mellowed by time
into one soft hue, which put them all in
keeping with one another. I must say that
was charmed with Ringshaw Grange, and
no longer wondered at the pride taken by
| Percy Ringan in his family and past glories.
That's all very WELL" said Frank, to
whom remarked as much; Percy is rich,
and had he this place could keep it up in
| proper style; but l am as poor as a rat and
unless can make rich marriage or inherit
comfortable legacy, house and furniture,
| park and timber may all come to the ham
mer.''
He looked gloomy as he spoke; and, feel
| ing that 1 had touched on a somewhat deli
cate matter, 1 FASTENED to change the SUBJ
| ject, by asking to be shown the famous
blue chamber, which was said to be
haunted. This was the true Mecca of my
| pilgrimage into Hants.
| ut is along this passage" said Frank,
leading the way, land not very far from
| your own quarters. There is nothing in its
| looks likely to hint at the ghost-at all
events by day-but it is haunted for all
| that"
Thus speaking he led me into a large room
with a low ceiling, and a broad easement
looking out on the untrimmed park, where
the woodland was most sylvan. The walls
were hung with blue cloth embroidered with
grotesque figures in black braid or thread,
know not which. There was a large, old
| fashioned bed with tester and figured cur
tains and quantity of cumbersome furni-
ture of the early Georgian epoch. Not hav-
| ing been inhabited for many years the room
had a desolate and silent look-if one may
use such an expression-and, to my mind,
looked gruesome enough to conjure up a
battalion of ghosts. let alone one.
II don't agree with your said I, in reply
to my hosts remark. ITO my mind this is
the very model of a haunted chamber. What
is the legend?"
'In tell it to you on Christmas eve,' re-
piled Ringan, as we left the ROOM 1t is
rather blood-curdling tale
do you believe it?" said 1, struck by the
solemn air of the speaker.
Il have had evidence to make credu-
| lous," he replied dryly, and closed the sub
| ject for the time being.
1t was renewed on Christmas eve when all
our company were gathered round huge
wood fire in the library. Outside, the snow
lay thick on the ground, and the gaunt
trees stood up black and leafless out of the
white expanse. The sky was of a frosty
blue with sharply twinkling stars, and a
hard-looking moon On the snow the shad-
ows of interlacing boughs were traced
blackly as in Indian ink, and the cold was
of Arctic severity.
But seated in the holly-decked apartment
before a noble fire which roared bravely
up the wide chimney we cared nothing for
the frozen world out of doors. We laughed
and talked, sang songs and recalled adj
ventures, until somewhere about 10 o'clock
we fell into a ghostly vein quite in keeping
with the goblin-haunted season. 1t was then
that Frank Ringan was called upon to chill
our blood with his local legend. This he Gid
without much pressing.
I'm the reign OF good Queen Anne said
he, with gravity BETTING the subject, my
ancestor, Hugh Ringan, was the owner of
this house. He was a silent misanthropic
man, having been soured early in life by
the treachery of woman. Mstrusting the
sex, he refused to marry for many years,
and IL was not until he was fifty years CT
age that he was beguied by the arts of a
pretty girl into the tolls of matrimony. The
lady was Joan Challoner, the daughter of
the Earl of Dranscourt, and she was es-
teemed one of the beauties of Queen Anne's
court.