The Greeley tribune., 1904-07-14
AN UNCANNY SECRET.
GRIM MYSTERY THAT Turks WITHIN
AN OLD ENGLISH CASTLE.
Ihree Men Oaly Know the Truth
About the Terrifying Curse which
Rests Upon the Ancient Hasitatio".
and Their Ltps Are sealed.


Rests Upon the Ancient Hasitatio".
and Their Lips Are sealed.
| Near the border of two Scottish coun-
ties, set in the middle of broad and
fertile strath and protected from the
northern blasts by range OF lofty
mountains. there stands and has stood
for generations an ancient feudal cas-
tie.
Although the oldest wing dates from
the thirteenth century. the greater part
Of IT was built in Jacobean days and
with its numerous turrets, battlements,
corbels and pinnacles recalls the glo-,
ries of Chantilly and other French
chateaux of the same period. 1t be-
longs. together with the surrounding
estate, to Il wealthy peer. whose grand
father married north of England
heiress with a dowry of over million
sterling During the greater part OF
the year the castle is untenanted save
by A few servants and caretakers. for
the owner spends his winters abroad
and his summers in the English seat
brought into the family by the above
mentioned heiress. But during the
autumn months it is full of life and
sayety. for its kindly lord and lady,
who have many children and grand
children and host of friends, keep
open house then in their old Scottish
home, and its halls and corridors. mar
row passages and winding staircases
echo with the sound of merry voices
and the tread of youthful feet from
morning till night.
Cheerful. however, as the invited
guest finds the old castle and warm as
is the welcome extended to him within
its walls, he must be possessed of little
curiosity and less imagination II he
does not feel his pulse somewhat quick
ened and his sleep somewhat broken
during the period of his residence
there. for he has probably heard al
ready something of the weird associa-
tions which cling 10 the house and its
owners and of the mysterious secret
said to be known only to the head OF
the family, to his heir and to one other
person, a secret so grim and terrible as
to affect the whole lives of those who
learn it and make them different from
other men,
No cIew to the mystery has ever been
given by any one of the three depOsita-
ries of it, but popular belief has long
connected it with a secret chamber in
the castle which rumor assigns as the
habitation of strange half human
creature Of terrifying aspect and fabu-
lous age, the incarnate embodiment Of
the curse which rests upon the house
In the gayest moments enjoyed by
those who during the bright days of
early autumn throng the guest cham
bers of the castle there Is always an
indefinable feeling of some weird pres
ence within its walls.
MY dear young lady" were the
words of the host to one who was pay
| ing him her first visit as he bade her
good night, lit is. know. the custom
of ladies to sit up late in one another's
rooms chatting and so on. Now, that Is
not allowed here. When you go to your
room tonight remain in it and lock the
door" Once on a wet summers after
noon some young people were enjoying
a noisy game of billiard fives in the
hall. While the merry din was at its
host was suddenly observed to be
standing in the midst of the party. u
want to ask you ALL" he said in his
| quiet courteous tones, Ito go up to
your rooms at once and to remain in
them until a bell rings, when you will
be quite at liberty to come down
again" Instantly, like the Arabs of
the poem, the players silently stole
away" to their respective chambers.
After lapse of some twenty minutes
bell did ring. Down they all came
and resumed their game where it had
been broken off No allusion was made
by any one to the mysterious behcst
they had received
In a quiet corner of the old castle
there is quaint little chapel, dating
from the restoration, decorated by a
Dutch artist of the time and fitted up
in recent days with rich altar and
other accessories by the present owner,
who spends much time there engaged
y
ago young officer whose visit had
been shortened by sudden summons
to rejoin his regiment, had arranged
to leave the castle at an early hour
in the morning. Quitting his chamber
about dawn, he took a wrong turning
in the uncertain light and. pushing
open swing door, found himself in
the chapel, which he had not before
entered At the far end he observed.
with great surprise, motionless fig
IRE kneefing near the altar and moved
noiselessly up to see who it was. lie
recognized his host, still in evening
dress, as he had parted from him some
seven hours previously.
A young medical man was not long
ago staying at the castle by invitation