The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1906-12-27

In she net sdd-looking?" I said. Il
really feel little afraid Of ler-shs is
20 stiff and - silsat-aHd YET 80 o.
servant all the time"
AS II she were watching for some
thing, and afraid" added my eompan-
ion They do say that Deume is real
" haunted" .y5
"Oh, what fun!" cried. I've never
been in haunted housed"
II can't see where the fun comes
in" she replied. IF saw anything
should simply lie down and die"
And what is there to see here?" 1
questioned. eagerly
Nothing" she answered, with a
shrug; mo one knows. People are
found dead in their beds without any
marks of violence-and you know
dead men, and women, tell no tales!"
But how hideously mysterious!"
Yes; and there is IL o'clock strik-
ing, and l must ask you to see me to
my door, and safe inside it."
The next week went like lightning
what with drives, rides, acting, dan
cling and games the moments flew.
Lurline had the knack of keeping
things going, and Mr.. Rainsford was
an accomplished host, and entered in
to every scheme with zest The one
drawback was his mother, who re-
NAMED reserved and sternly unap-
proachable. She was by no means
an agreeable old dame, and l said as
much to Maud Anstruther There
is something peculiar about her, l am
convinced"
"And about the CASTLE" she added;
Capt. Forde says so. His brothers
place is within few miles, and he
declares that he knows for a fact,
that within the last five years three
people have died here quite sudden
ly. He firmly believes in the ghost.
They say it comes only when the
moon is full-a tall figure, that stoops
over people, and strangies them. A
man he knows, assured him that he
awCke one night smothering-and
struggled and shouted, and the thing
disappeared. 1t always comes by
moonlight
person, who kept us all in order),
was anxious that we should bring our
stay to conclusion.
Miss Dolly" she said as she held
my hair firmly in her hand, will you
make some excuse, and go? There's
something not right in this house; a
lady was found dead in this wing
years back-a young footman came
to a queer end once-and it's not
IL months since housemaid met
her death. They are all alike in one
particular-not a mark or sign upon
the corpse-it's just the work of the
dead"
Il have no intention of leaving this,
Bennett, simply because you choose
to listen to stories." l answered. IF
people have died in the castle-peo-
pie must die somewhere!"
But not as they die here" she re-
sponded, in hollow voice-"without
sickness or warning" And she tug
ged at my hair till I could have
screamed.
Two nights later-when it was full
moon-I pulled aside the curtains, and
suffered the searching white light to
flood my room. For some moments
gazed out of the window on the great
park, with its somber woods, and up
lands bathed in silver. Then, as l
was very tired. / got into bed, and
slept soundly. But what was this
which awoke me-this horrible SEN
sation of suffocation was it a so
called nightmare? No; somebody was
steadily pressing, with pitiless dead
weight, the pillow over my face. I
struggled, at first uselessly and wild
ly-for the thing, whatever it was,
leaned over me with redoubled force.
But I was a muscular girl. Not in
vain have I rowed and swan: my
strength was often the subject of Mr..
Rainsford's jokes, and now / put 1t
forth to save my very life. With an
extraordinary effort wrenched aside
the hands that pressed the pillow-an-
other frantic struggle, and l tore tho
pillow from the thing whether ghost
or fend. l must breathe. or die!
1 breathed; uttered faint exc1a-
mation-for in the apparition, tho
would-be murderer, recognised my
kind host-Mr. Rainsford. Mr.. Rains
ford-wearing . long gray dressing
gown-his face distorted with an e4-
precision Of diabolical fury-iA hs
eyes the wild glare Of . maniac!