Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-10-13
CHAPTER Iv.-(Continued.)

zrould have beeh just lhc oPPoslee
lost in my opinion a disused wing is far
- chastity as you call it. closed than
IN So that if you are inclined to be
,6Tvons about it you ought to feel quite
re1,re with the knowledge that it is safe
1,ndcr lock and key"
But that is just til do mott" she
,orsisted. with more vehemence than
len she herself was aware of. Il think
: ! horrible to know that all those
a,,,nty rooms are so near-to hear all
l-;r4s of strange sounds, and to be per-
sac+lv IGNORANT as to what is happening
l. i ali very well, but whole gang of
t-,rolars could conceal themselves there
Tor anv thing we knew-and what should
we do if they chose to come out some
nioht and murder the entire household"
smile of peculiar gTimness crossed
yibart's face. .
.sWell. if that is all you are afraid of
rou NAV rest assured your fears are
croundless. For that very reason the
,y;ndows have been so barred and
fostened as to thwart the most ingenious
house breaker, and that door which you
are so afraid Of" he went on, Struggling
his shoulders, "has been closed and
locked for the past ten years by my or
ders. as you are perhaps aware. So that
under the circumstances, you see, you are
as safe from burglars as if there were no
north wind at all"
You think so?'' said Phyllis. looking
decidedly dubious. The north wind might
he impregnable to burglars-no doubt it
was. if all these precautions had been
taken-but she realized with a pang that
al the bars and bolts and patent locks
in the world could not defy that ghostly
figure in the dark cloak. Yet instructive
" she refrained from reminding Sir Ugh
fred of her terror of that afternoon. The
look of pain which had crossed his face
was still wildly in her memory, and even
now she was beginning to regret that the
subject had been preached at all.
"Well. Miss Yelverton, | must be 60
inc, am afraid. Promise to tell me if
there is anything-anythin else that l
can do for you, to reconcile you to this
dismal hole If you can just manage to
exist for the present | will see whether
YOU would not be more comfortable in
another place of mine in DevonshiTe. 1t
has been in the hands of the workmen
for the last six months, and it is not even
habitable yet, but something will have to
he done. It is quite impossible" he con-
tinued taking her hand again, and then,
turning away with a sudden darkening of
his brow, Il cannot let you remain here"
The next moment the noisy closing of
the hall door sounded like a knell to
PHYLLIS ears Sir Ughtred had gone!
She shivered as she heard the horses
hoofs upon the gravel drive, and looked
fearfully round the room.
It was gloomy and desolate before, but
that gloom seemed to increase a hundred
fold as she heard the sound of hoofs
growing each instant fainter and fainter
in the distance, until it died away.
Come, Benedict" she said, with just
a suspicion of a sigh, eve had better go
and pay Miss Dare visit; she will be
wondering what we are doing" Such
prosaic surroundings as linseed tea and
mustard plasters she felt would divert
her thoughts. Remembering, however
that she had promised to find the second
volume of a book for her companion,
Phyllis hurried off in search of it.
As usual the corridor leading to her
room was in state of semi darkness,
for the household at the manor seemed to
have an idea that if economy was to be
practiced nowhere else, candles and
lamps were quite unnecessary in this
part Of the house. Consequently Phyllis
fastened to her room, found the desired
volume by the light of the newly kindled
fire, and was just closing the door behind
her when she started and the book
dropped at her feet.
How nervous she was growing! 1t was
only Mrs. Mathews-Mrs. Mathews with
out a cap, her black hair unreieved by
- =r1 x1bif 70 or
rather coming slowly towards the room
IN the noiseless felt slippers which she
always wore.
Oh, is that you, Mrs. Matthew'S" ejac-
uIated Philis, when she could find breath
to speak How you frightened met"
Yes It's me- miss" was the curt re-
ply You're easily frightened, it seems"
Wen, yes, l suppose l am. have
never been so frightened in my life as l
was this afternoon" admitted Phyllis,
ieeNng that some explanation was per
maps due to her. but most likely James
would tell your"
James? Oh, no, he told me nothing;
out can guess what it was if you were
cut after dusk!" she retorted, turning
sharply upon the girl. cts getting near
Inc anniversary of Sir Geoffry's murder,
ana he always seems to walk more about
that time"
Sir Geoffrey" gasped Phyllis, her
voice sinking TO a whisper.
SiF 6eoffrey-why, yes, miss; who
s's but him should we have about the
pace, ia ike to know? He's the only
ga9st we have, thank heaven!"
men It was really true, Phyllis
-7asht-her worst fears had been real
I .-eI Il had been no dream, no CHASTITY
-''.''s nation, as Sir Ughtred had sug-
s'.,-a-there was a ghost at the manor.
and do you mean to say that you
'Y1 often see him?" she asked, in low,
struck tones.
a;I 5, Matthews smiled aggressively.
III wen. no, miss, not being particularly
I'm q The society of folks as should be
s ~ peacefully in their collins, always
'als being out after dark; but l catch