The Jennings daily record., 1902-05-22
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BY MARC AREr BLoVNr.
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CHAPTER xV.-(Continued)
What? Are the village tales really
true, then?" asked his nephew, with a
look OF the greatest interest.
What did they tell you?"
That you were in q haunted house |
with not one or two, but perfect
legion Of ghosts around you!" s
Mr.. Cowley groaned.
They are in the right. I have been
introduced to four since my arrival;
and il you had not come tonight.
should have struck my tent and run |
away in sheer terror and desperation"
-Four ghosts! You must be Joking,
uncle. You never used to believe In
such things, you know"
"Ah, but / do now! It is no joke,
can assure you, to see three such
horrors as / have seen. And there is
. beast of a cradle that will go on
rocking in the buffers pantry. You
can't see it, but you hear it directly
under your feet
'.Ah! the girls were telling me some
thing Of that. But confess thought
It was only some Of their nonsense"
II wish it was!' However, now that
you have come, 1 don't care so much
for anything of the kind as l did be-
fore. You'll see me through it, won't
you, my boy?"
Through what?"
''Why, I'll dig the old place up by
the roots but what I'll come to the
bottom of that cradle business. I fancy
that all the other disturbances arise
from that
And am very willing to help you"
"I knew you would be. And now
just look around this chamber,
Charles
We'll, it is very pretty room"
I'VE must sound these walls and
take up this floor. There's something
wrong here, too"
Indeed
"Why, l was sitting over my cigar
the other night, as innocent as a lamb.
when the door opened, and a great
hulking niger came in, leading a
bleeding nun by the hand You
young villain, what are you laughing
at?"
my dear uncle, it is too absurd to
think of such things happening in
this matter-of-fact century,"
why, you puppy. do you mean to
say / am inventing the story?"
"Oh, no; but you might have fallen
asleep
"A likely thing for me to do! l tell
you ! saw them as plainly as I see
you now. And the nuns hands were
tied; and, by George! they came SO
close to me that l could have touched
them if l liked"
why didn't you?"
''Well, if you must know, they tried
to touch me, and l bolted."
Charles nodded his head and showed
his teeth.
THE wisest thing you could possibly
do, under the circumstances"
II see you don't half believe the
story. But / swear 1 was not asleep
And that was not the end of it-fol
last night / saw another"
"GhoSt?"
"Yes, sir; and in this very room.
His nephew looked incredulous.
I'm this room, sir-a woman dressed
in red, with a black mask. And sh
held a confounded lock of hair in he
hand that l had seen before; and he
face You are laughing again, yo,
unfeeling wretch! I'll say no more
I'll give no orders to have your room
changed, You shall sleep here to
night; and l hope with all my hear
she will appear to you, and make yo
sing out of the other side of you
mouth. Laughing, indeed, at such
story! / am quite ashamed of you!
And the worthy gentleman trott.
Indignantly back to the drawing-roon
and never spoke to his nephew agai
that evening-not even when he too
his candle and bade them good-nig.
CHAPTER XVI.
a day or two passed before Mr.. Cow
ley and his nephew could put thei
valiant project into execution. Near
while the ladies found the house ea
.ceedingly dull. The two gentleme
We're always closeted together. Th
weather was inclement; the box
books from Nudes failed to come
and, to crown the whole. Christine
was fast approaching, and they kne
well that they ought to be in town.
On the evening of the second da
they were sitting together after te
in Marjorie's little turret-room. NJ
Cowley and Charles were in the parlo
Matching some plot against the ghos
together, and Mrs Cowley gave a trt
mendous yawn.
80 dull!" she exclaimed. 'tRos
child, do read something"
Very well, mamma; here is tt
new book papa brought the 9TH
night" and the girls eyes twinkle