The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1907-03-02

really feel a little afraid of her-she is
so stiff and SO silent-and yet SO OBJ
servant all the time" d. 81, -
CAS- if she were watching for some
thing, and afraid added my compan-
ion: They do say that Doume is real.
ly haunted"
"Oh, what fun!" cried. 1--WE never
been in haunted housed" .
Il can't see where the fun comes
in,' she replied. IF saw anything I
should simply lie down and die"
And what is there to see here?" I
questioned, eagerly. =.
Nothing" sne 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 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.
manned reserved and sternly unap.
proachable. She was by no means
an agreeable old dame, and I said as
much to Maud Anstruther. sThere
is something peculiar about her, am
convinced"
and about the CASTLE" she added;
Capt. Forde says so. His brothers
place is within a 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 strangles them. A
man he knows, assured him that he
awoke one night smothering
struggled and shouted, and the thing
disappeared. 1t always comes by
moonlight"
Bennett, my maid Ga severe elderly
person, who kept us all in order)
was anxious that we should bring oul
stay to a conclusion.
Miss Dolly" she said as she held
my hair firmly in her hand, Twill 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 queer end once-and it's not
- months since housemaid met
her death. They are all alike in one
particular-not mark or sign upon
the corpse-it's just the work of the
Dead
II have no intention of leaving this
Bennett, simply because you choose
to listen to stories," I answered. Ell
people have died in the castle-peo
pie must die somewhere"
But not as they die here" she re
sponded, in a hollow "withou
sickness or warning" And she tug
ged at my hair till I could have
screamed.
Two nighes later-when it was full
moon-1 pulled aside the curtains, and
suffered the searching white light tc
flood my room. For some moments
gazed out of the window on the great
park, with it's somber woods, and up
lands bathed in silver. Then, as
was very tired, l got into bed, anG
slept soundly. But what was this
which awoke me-this horrible sen
sation of suffocation?-was it SO
called nightmare? No; somebody was
steadily pressing, with pitiless deaG
weight, the pillow over my face.
struggled, at first uselessly and wild
ly-for the thing, whatever it was
leaned over me with redoubled force
But I was muscular girl. Not il
vain have l rowed and swan; my
strength was often the subject of Mr.
Rainsford's jokes, and now I put i
forth to save my very life. With al
extraordinary effort l wrenched aside
the hands that pressed the pillow-an
other frantic struggle, and I tore the
pillow from the thing-whether ghos'
or fiend, I must breathe, or die!
+ breathed; uttered a faint exc1a
mation-ior in the appariIion, thu
would-be murderer, I recognized my
kind host-Mr. Rainsford. Mr.. Rains
ford-wearing long gray dressing
gown-his face distorted with an ex
preston of diabolical fury-in his
eyes the wild glare Of maniac!
AS sat up painting and staring, hi
vanished, and there was nothing what
ever to recall the recent scene, bu
!. my labored breath, and the dis
placed pillow. AS lifted it, signe1
ring fell on the floor. This I carried
to the window, and recognized the
Rainsford crest my hosts own prop
erty.
Now I understood Lurline's gray
hairs, the old lady's repugnance tt
strangers unhappy women! they
we're both in the secret; they were
aware of the strain of insanity in the
. fanlily-the curse of homicidal mania
But if his mother half-suspected, his