Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-10-06
SIR GEOFFREY'S GHOST.
w the "That Mysterious by Mutual
"The Generals dod- Daughter Etc

~ nv ~ was nOL the DuCcner; /
know Mr.. Bull quite Welt" returned
fhylns lmpauently. THE man mean is
somebody quite different-he was the
most peculiar person ever saw, dressed
IN long, dark cloak and a SLOUGH hat,
and he glided along without making a
sound"
The description was certainly thrilling
thrilling enough to raise curiosity in
the most well regulated mind; but
James attention seemed to be entirely
occupied in adjusting the wick of a re-
fractory lamp, and his face wore the
blankest of looks as he answered brief
ly-
Nobody has been to the house at all
this afternoon. miss"
Nobody! Oh, but this is absurd!'' in
terposed Sir Ughtred quickly IF this
fellow whom Miss Yelverton has seen
has not been to the house, where is he !?
What was he doing about the place at
aHi''
yes, that is it I thought it strange
myself when / saw him wandering about
the grounds, returned Phyllis, relieved
to find that somebody would believe her
story. 1T struck me that most likely he
had mistaken his way, and was going to
the wrong door; but, if he has not been
| seen or heard of, what has become of
him ?"
"Yes, James, you had better have a
look round; but ask Mrs. Mathews first,
! and the two other women. One of them
may have noticed him." said Sir Ughtred
In quick, authoritative tones. Stay
you saw this fellow in the ground, you
| say, Miss Yelverton? Which door did he
try to enter?"
HE was in that old rose garden when
saw him first. He terrified me by creep
! ing out from the trees close to where |
was standing, and then"-Phyllis shiv-
cred, for the whole thing came back to
her now-"he went straight up those
stone steps, across the terrace. and to
that locked door in the north wing, when
he seemed suddenly to disappear!"
Here she paused, with another little
shudder at the recollection. Surely this
time she must have aroused even James
phlegmatic temperament He could not
possibly pretend to scorn her fears now.
What was her surprise to find that he
had deliberately turned his back and was
busily drawing the curtain across the en-
brasure of the deep oriel window, as
had been saying!
Thoroughly puzzled, she glanced ques-
tioningly towards Sir Ughtred; but he
was still standing with his hunting crop
swinging idly in one hand, whilst the
other arm was resting against the high
oak mantelpiece. How changed was his
whole appearance! He looked haggard
and old-ten years older, in fact-and
beneath the bronze the death like white
ness of his face was perceptible.
He seemd suddenly to recollect him
self, and giving Phyllis one swift, furtive
glance, he tossed his hunting crop and
gloves impatiently aside and then threw
himself back into the nearest chair, with
an air of utter WEAKNESS.
"You must have been dreaming, Miss
Yelverton," he murmured, accompanying
his reply with short, mirthless laugh.
"Your imagination has evidently been a
trifle too vivid this time, and no wonder
You have been shut up here for the past
fortnight, with not a soul to speak to but
one of those entertaining individuals
called companions The door of the
north wing has never been opened for
years. By-the-bye, James, dinner is at z,
SUPPOSED" he added, breaking off abb
ruptly. What wine have your
"Only claret, sir; that is all the ladies
drink"
"Claret!" Sir Ughtred gave an express
sive shudder. "Wretched stuff! Enough
to give you the blues of itself" he re-
marked ir an aside to Phyllis. you had
better let US have some champagne to-
night, James-some of that Perrier-
Jouet, IA"
And there the discussion ended But if
Wharf imagined that his attempt to
pooh-pooh his wards fears had been sue
cessful, he was very much mistaken.
The silence with which her information
had been received by James in the first
place, and the assumed nonchalance of
Sir Ughtred in the second, had been the
means of tanning the flames of her own
suspicious. 1t was no dream; they might
make what excuses they liked; the manor
was haunted! She had guessed the secret
Of that closed wing at last!