Evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1907-1913, 1908-01-03

in Barscheit did not usually live in
this. slovenly fashion. What sort, Of
place was this?
Suddenly / grew erect, every fiber
in my body tense and expectant.
A voice, lifted in song! A great
penetrating yet silkily mellow voice; a
soprano; heavenly, not to say ghostly,
coming as it did from the heart of this
gloomy ruin of stone and iron. The
jewel song from Faust, too, How the
voice rose, fell, scared again with in
toxicating waves of sound! What per-
meating sweetnessi | stood there. a
solitary listener, as far as ! knew, be-
wildered, my heart beating hard and
fast. forgot my hunger.
Had | stumbled upon one of my
dreams at last? Had Romance sud-
denly relented, as coquette some
times relents? For space / knew
not what to do. Then, with a shrug-
| have never been accused of lacking
courage II tried once more, by the
aid Of match, to locate bell There
was absolutely nothing; and the beat
ing of my riding crop on the panels of
that huge door would have been as
noisy as feather. / grasped the
knob and turned it impatiently. Be-
hold! the door opened without sound,
and I stepped into the hallway, which
was velvet black
The wonderful voice went on.
paused, with hands outstretched. Sup
posing | bumped into something! I
took a step forward, another and an
other; swung my crop in half cir
Gle; all was vacancy took another
step, this time In the direction of the
ored curse. Bang-ang! ] had run into
suit of old arn1or, the shield of which
had clattered to the stone floor. As ]
have observed, am not a coward. but
| had all ! could do to keep my legs
which were stirrup-weary, anyhow
from knocking under me.
Silence!
The song died. All over that great
rambling structure not even the reas-
surfing chirp of q cricket / stood per-
fectly still. What the deuce should
do? Turn back? AS I formed this
question in my mind draft of wind
slammed the door shut. / was in for
it, sure enough; / was positive that
could never find that door again.
There was nothing to do but wait, and
wait with straining ears. Here were
mysterious nhabitants-they might be
revolutionists. conspirators, counter
feiters.
Heaven knows how long I waited.
Soon heard laugh, light. infec-
tious, fearless! Then heard voice,
soft and pleading:
Don't go; in mercy's name, don't
go, Gretchen! You may be killed."
English! l had actually heard
voice speak my native tongue.
Nonsense, Betty! I am not afraid
of any ghost that ever walked, rode
or fioated"
Ghost? 1t may be a burglar!"
"Or Steinbock! We shall find moth
ing
Indeed!
Nothing but rat, bugling about in
the armor' The laughter came again.
You are not afraid, Betty?"
only cautious. But how can you
laugh? A rat?" cried voice rather
anxiously. Why, they are as big as
dogs!"
But arrant towards"
So. one of these voices spoke Eng
fish as its birthright; the other spoke
with an accent, that is to say, by adop-
ton. Into what had l fallen? Whittier
had my hunger brought me? / was
soon to learn.
There came a faint thread of light
on one side of the hall, such as may be
likened to that which filters under
door-sill. Presently this was followed
by the sound Of iangling brass rings.
A heavy velvet portiere-w which /, be-
ing in darkness. had not discovered
slipped back. My glance. rather blind
ed, was first directed toward the flame
Of the candle. Then / lowered it,
and surrendered for ever and for ever!
| beheld two faces in profile, as it
were, one side in darkness, the other
tinted and glowing like ancient ivory.
! honestly confess TO you that in all
my wanderings-and they have been
frequent and many never saw such
an enchanting picture or'two more ex.
quisite faces. One peered forth with
hesltant bravery; the othor--she who
held the candle-with cold, tranquil
inquiry.
All my fears, such as they were, left
me instantly. Besides. | was not with
out certain amount of gallantry and
humor | stepped squarely into the
light and bowed.
Ladies, | am indeed not a ghost,
but | promise you that shall be If
am not offered something to eat at
oncei"
Tableaul
What are you doing here?" asked
she with the candle, her midnight
eyes drawing down her brows into
frown Of displeasure.
bowed ITO begin with, | find
gate unlocked, and being curious, /
open it; then I find door unattached,
and enter Under these unusual cir.
cumstances l am. forced to ask the
same question 81 YOU; what are YOU
doing here In this rufnnd ra&t1a2 II