The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-01-20

He just walks up IN one In friendly sort
Of way and bites hope they have con-
signed him to the haunted roomp
"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 q ghost, you
know. Only door that leads nowhere
an obtrusive thing that forces it's person.
| atty, or doorality, on you. 1t has not been
opened for hundreds Of years. No human
power can force it,"
II asked Mary Clifford to please you,"
said Lady Wallace. They were sitting to-
gether in the great hall. "You were such
friends. l am sorry. It's hostess duty
to know these things. Iapologize." She
noticed a weary expression settle on his
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 a very low
voice. Then suddenly he stood up as lit
tie white figure passed at the end of the
hall.
"It was Miss Cliffordl" she said.
"Was it?' he answered indifferently.
Leu us tuik apout you.
That night as Ralf Segwell shut himself
in his room the feeling of depression heex
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 signif-
cant fact the infesting butterflies but
shadowy things inhabiting for 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 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 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. 1t fascinated his attention, alb
sorbed his senses and by degrees filled him
with an inezplicable dread.
Unable to rest, he flung himself out Of
bed, stirred up tho 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
quarter, and sat down determined to watch
till daylight But with inactivity and the
dead silence and the blaze of light the
strnrpn inppnD1 rnh II b1p town
doublefold. Tho sound of his own breath
ing became painful. He thought of Mary
Clifford Then something moved. He sat
still as one paralyzed. His blood ro1nped
through his veins and icy hands seemed to
grip his heart Tho 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.
Rnlf rose to his feet tongue tied, while his
visitor walked to the fireplace and sat
down. 81 can give you an hour" he muir
INJURED. There was silence.
What forf' said Ralf at last
"To live, he answered indifferently.
1t leaped to Ralf Segwell's mind that he
was entertaining a mailman. The house
was full, which necessitated the using Of
this room. The mysterious door was I'M
doubleday the entrance to the apartments
of some insane relative. His own previous
apprehension must have been caused by a
latent consciousness of a human presence
stones throw from him. The thought
of his solitude in the dead of night with u
honicidal maniac was sufficiently unman-
ming. He turned pale, but questioned
with assumed airiness, "Why?"
Justice" answered the stranger,
slightly raising his brows.
How do you propose to take my life?"
Through your imagination. shall
look at you" He glanced up. Ralf shrank
from the gaze, then said, with CHASTITY at
tempt at Il smile: well, hope my light
still burns. l cling to life, you know,
here and hereafter. l shall fight for that
second hour" The smile withered on his
lips us his visitor again turned his terrible
gaze from the fire to him.
MARY Clifford has saved your soul,
proiligate." The voice reverbcrated
through the room, The walls echoed back
"proligate!' and his own lips moved to
utter the word but he said under his
breath, MARY Clifford" and the sound
was ae water to u thirsty ma, 1.-THE pure
love that she alone was able to wake In
you, and that still lives in your heart,
though you stifl8 1t under the clogging
weeds of gross passions, has kept burning
the fame of your spiritual lifer' He
leaned forward Another woman here
would stife it this time forever and would
kill her you have wronged. But, he end
ed, with Il shrug, you will die tonight"
Ralf sat still Il long time, trying to guess
how knowledge Of tho details Of his own
life had reached his companion. Was this
mad philosopher friend of hers? And
even so, how had he OWNED that she still
held the greater place in his heart, though
no had been wantonly faithless to herr
Would she mind were he, in truth, to die?
Had he any right to hope even that She
would? Would she care? he said
your hour is passed."
Ralf started and turned pale to the lips
He saw his visitors aspect had changed
He had become phantom creature with
a living face. A terrible, awful human
physiognomy stared at him with prcpos.
ferrous, hdcous tixity. He writhed and
wrcstlcd, but the eyes defied his move
ments. He could not look away. All the
nerves of his body, the consciousness of
his mind, the very vitality of his system,
were absorbed by paralyzing fear Time
brought no relaxation Every moment
seemed an eternity. PITY, pity" he cried,
but the gray eyes watched him. Help,
help, help" The impotent words echoed
back on his hearing. His voice was q
whisper. He tried to listen for the sound
of footsteps he knew would not come