The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-02-08

own senses. How very beautiful she
was, her mouth with the just parted
scarlet lips showing the pearls within,
one exquisite arm under her head, and
the long eyelashes curving upward
from the glowing cheek. Ralph touched
her hand and she awoke.
''Imogene!" he said sternly, will you
explain this problem to me? Here have
been searching for you these four
and-twenty hours and more, and now |
find you calmly asleep, without single
word to me to relieve my anxiety.
Where have you been?"
81 have been away. l was called away
on business
con business? Very we'll. What was
the nature of that business!'
cit was a private matter which con-
Germs no one but myself" she replied,
little haughtily.
Private business! Imogene, a wife
should have no secrets from her hus-
band! l do not wish to pry into your az
fairs, but it will be better to contide this
thing to me at once"
nave IudC Cdu CO1l1uS'
"This is very singular, Imogene. l
warn you that the like of this must not
occur again. If it does, shall be severe
ly displeased Mark you that! My wife
must not subject herself to vulgar re-
mark"
1--WE will pass the subject if you
please she said, in such manner that
he did not resume it.
AS the time passed Ralph Trenholme
grew cold and reticent. All his old gen
iality seemed to have died out of him.
He was never cross, but he was not af-
fectionate. He did not kiss his mother
and Agnes IS he was wont, and though
he treated his wife with the most pune
tilious respect, she was to him no dear
er than any other woman.
Strange stories were afloat among the
servants and at last they reached the
ears of the master. At first they excited
only his indignation. He regarded them
merely as silly inventions of the elder
ly butler. who was of Celtic origin, and
most ridiculously superstitious. They
said that at nights the doors of the
chamber where Marina had died were
heard to open and shut; that ghostly
feet paced back and forth across the
floor, and that sometimes late at night
pale, spectral lights cleaned from the
dusky windows, far out through the
gloom.
Mrs Trenholme was greatly dis
tressed by these tales, and Ralph posi-
lively forbade the discussion of the sub
ject at any time in the house. He would
not encourage such foolish supersti-
ton, he said, Indignantly. But soon he
was forced to acknowledge that there
was something at work beside imagln-
alton. He was detained until late one
night in his study, which was in the
east wing of the house, and only little
distance from the chamber of blood.
Through the dead silence came dis
tinctly to his ear the sound of door
being opened, a door which creaked
upon it's hinges, like one long disused.
He remembered, with a half-suppress-
ed shudder. that the door of that cham
Der creaked
He sprang up, seized the lamp and
hurried to the place. The door, which
had always been kept locked since the
tragedy, was ajar. He entered the
chamber and stood appalled, by what he
saw In the center of the room, stand
ing just where the dark spot on the
carpet showed that there the crime had
been done, was a tall, white figure, it's
head enveloped in something misty and
white, it's right arm extended toward
the empty chair where she last sat-
For moment Ralph stood still with
amazement, but only for q moment. He
was a man of nerve, and he reached
forward to seize upon the apparition-
to determine whether it belonged to
the world of shadows or of flesh and
blood But at the first step a rush of
air, cold as that from an inclOsed tomb,
swept over him, eXtinguishing his
light.
The place was dark as Erebus. He
heard faint, shivering sigh at his very
elbow, then the soft closing of a dis
tant door, and all was still. He CROPPED
his way out of the dreadful place, got
another light, and went up to his wife's
chamber She was sleeping soundly,
and he did not disturb her, but sat
down to think over the strange thing
he had witnessed. But the more he
thought the more clouded his mind be-
came. He could find no reasonable solu-
ton of the mystery, and by-and-by he
fell asleep. When he awoke Imogene
was gone. He knew at once that she
had loft tho hnucn for a nnto dirnptpd