The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-06-04
Chapter IV-COntinued.

Finally she came to the closed door of a
chamber. She stretched her hand to the knob,
then let it fall; she could not open that room.
The ghost that lived therein she could not
face That ghost could speak, not of the
past, but of the future, every hope in which
was dead. Into it's face she could not look:
its words she could not bear. That was
Franks room Frank had been baby in her
arms, had been the pride of her old age,
the hope of the Ellery house, She strove to
shut him from her mind, as every day she
strove, but now the thought and the mood
were too strong for her. sheswent again to
the entrance hall and sat upon the settle.
Sorrow came upon her. ..-
The ghost from Frank S chamber came and
stood over her. Ann rocked back and forth:
her scbs sounded in the empty hall. AT last
she fell upon her knees, and stretched her
hands upward. .'oh, Cod she cried, take
me too or send Frank again. Hopeless, hope
less appeal. There could be no answer.
Yet she thought she heard voice: Frank
will return :.51 .
She gasped, then checked her breath and
in silence knelt and listened. Then came a
little sound of wood sliding upon wood
She looked quickly to the wall, but she could
not see; for her eyes were blurred with
tears. When she wiped them with her apron
and looked again, every panel of the wains-
cot stood in place sr.s-, s..
She listened--no more sounds. She rose
trembling to her feet. What was that?" she
said, her voice strained, ''speak again!'' 4 a
No answer. a @... .&s.. -, 2
She stole to the settle and took her candle
She went to the wall and listened again, her
ear to the wood. No sound. "Who was
that?" she cried loudly.
Silence ST H. ~,
Timorously now she went to the dining
room, looking all about her. There was no
one there the curtains of the windows all
were drawn. She went to the wainscot near
the fireplace and laid her candle on the man
tie piece. With both hands she touched the
woodwork, pressed here, pressed there. A
tiny panel slipped aside. n, y B
Z put her hand within the cavity and
fumbled. A whole section of the wainscot
moved-a door that no one would suspect
and swung away upon a hinge. A dark re-
cess was shown Ann took her candle and
slipped inside. She shut the door behind, and
looked about her fearfully. r. o..
The candle lit a narrow musty space,
strongly sheathed in rough-hswn oak. To her
right she saw brick wall, open in one
small place to show the back of the hall
Wainscot. To the left winding stair ran
up and down; beyond it was the chimney
masonry. She hardened. Was there sound
faint echoing from below? She was not sure
Trembling she looked at:the floor She had
swept it recently; there was no dust to
show footsteps, She crept to the end of the
chamber and examined the wainscot Had the
little panel been moved? She could not tell
She came back, knelt on the floor opposite
her place Of entrance, and laid the candle
down Again she pressed concealed springs
and hidden door in the solid planking
opened. She peered into cupboard. Eat ~
There lay heaps of silver vessels black from
neglect, and by them a brass-bo box They
were like the Ellery plate and Jewels Beside
them were six little leather bags-Ann's saw
ings of fifty years. -
Nothing has been touched" she whis-
pered. " ~ r. .
She shut the cupboard door and rose Had
any one been there? There was one way to
know. She held the candle over the stair
looking down. She never swept there except
the first few steps. little way down the
dust would show. Should she go?
The memory of the voice came to her. AS
on an owls wing fear swooped down Trern
bling violently she turned and opened the
door into the dining-room She stumbled
hastily out, and the living air came like a
blessing. When she had closed the door be-
hind her, and the wall seemed solid as before.
she tottered to the table and sat down in ona
OF the chairs. Upon the board she put her
arms. and laid her head upon them. There
she stayed until the opening Of the outer door
reused her
She heard Dickie's voice: But, uncle, you
were not able to- go into the room?,'
Mr., WARREN" snarled Mr.. Ellery, had
sealed up everything, and Nick would not let