Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-09-22


fastened it securely, and reached her own
room in safety.
The task required of her had been n
singularly unpleasant one. She was
brave young girl, and had endured but
few feelings of fear, but she had trenr-
bled, because the thing required so much
secrecy. She disliked mysteries Of all
kinds, and her honest, open nature ne
volted from the whole work
One thing she decided 10 do, she
should take some morning hour to ea
plore the ruins, and that Haunted Tower,
50 that she might become accustomed to
all the dangers and peculiarities of the
place before other Offices were required
at her hands.
With this resolution still In her mind,
she sought the luxurious bed that await
ed her, and there fell at once into
pleasant sleep, from which she never
aroused until the bright rays of another
morning sun stole into her room.
Springing up, she dressed as soon as
possible, and opening her door, found
by questioning a maid, that the family
did not rise until late, as their breakfast
hour was from ten to eleven.
All being quiet in the room of the in
valid, she returned to her own apart
ment, and fastening the door securely,
resolved at once to start upon her explor-
ing expedition, as she felt that she would
be for at least an hour and half unob-
served, and mistress of her own time and
motions.
With a little of the trembling nerv-
BUSINESS of the night before, the brave
girl opened the intervening doors and
stepped into the corridor. All was fold
ed in the same solemn stiffness that made
the place oppressive on the previous
night.
She resolved to explore the ruined
parts before she sought the tower there
fore unlocked the door, and stepped out.
AS she did so, she noticed that the COW
cred basket was still there
The door opened directly into small
rickety hall that led into several large
rooms, all dusty. mouldy and more or less
dilapidated. Broken windows, torn wall
papers bare rafters, seen through inn
mense places where ceilings had fallen,
were everywhere visible. Some rooms
were filled with broken furniture, pieces
of old china and fragments of time-worn,
castoff clothing.
Ethel looked at these dilapidated OBJ
| jects, and found herself wondering why
] Sir Reginald had not had the whole pull
/ ed down and removed? Its destruction
certainly would heighten the value of the
property, while its presence only spoke
of neglect and uEtidlness.
! One thing she observed in her ramble
! there was an easy mode of egress and in
/ gress to this part INFO the hall, and
marks of recent footsteps on the floor
| told that this formed the entrance place
to the person who prepared and brought
| the food she was nightly to place on the
| iron shelves.
Another thing struck her; in all the
premises there was not the slightest ap-
pearance of the concealed room. Only a
bare, blank wall appeared upon the side
| where she knew it must be.
Retracing her steps after all lad been
examined, she refastened the door, and
then sought the Haunted Tower The
| door leading to this was closed, but not
! bolted, so she opened it, and crossing
| quite a large square place, she began as
cending long fight of stairs. The steps
were steep, and not at all easy, and she
| became very tired before she reached
the top, but pressing on, she did reach it,
but not before she paused to rest upon a
broad fat landing; paused, too, with hor-
ror, at an unexpected sight that there
presented itself.
1t was the stuffed image of a man.
fixed upon wires, that worked upon the
same principle as the jumping jacks often
bought to amuse children.
This, however, was nearly as large as
life; its head was hollow, with red glass
in place where the eyes would be, so that
lighted glass lamp, placed within,
would give flaming appearance to those
eyes.
From each side horns projected, and
she could easily imagine what the whole
terrific effect must be to an outside be-
holder. This figure she saw could be
elevated and put in motion by winding
I'D crank to which it was attached. Ar
| rangements for different colored lights
were also on every hand
After carefully examining all the ma
chinery until she perfectly understood its
workings and the whole wicked plan to
give supernatural appearance to the tow
err. Ethel passed upward until she could
gaze without hindrance from the tall win
dows of this lofty place.
Then ordinations of delight escaped
her. for there she could catch an unob-
structed view of the grand panorama that
stretched for miles and miles away on
every side. But she did not linger, fear
ing she would be seen by some of the
villagers, and her presence reported to
Sir Reginald.
This visit she knew would be displeas-
ing to him, if he wished it TO be place
that should FIJI every heart with fear,
in order to keep from it visitors by day
as we'll as by night.