The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-06-06

replied Dickson, leaning back In his
chair and looking fixedly at the por-
trait I'VE have never seen the APP
partition, but some Of the servants claim
to have seen It, 1t has so happened
that we have never been at the hall on
the 18th of March since our honeymoon.
recollect that we came downstairs
one morning on the 14th of March and
detected a strong odor Of white lilac.
AS the conservatory was empty of
plants and as there were no flowers of
any sort In the house, 1t was rather
a.
"a shockr interpolated Mrs. Dick
son, with decision. 1T was a positive
shock to smell the odor of white lilac
that morning, especially as old Hannah
had RECALLED US with the story the night
before"
"And so you have never waited up
to see the ghost walk?" queried Ran
dolph as he opened the door for his
hostess.
mo. To tell the truth, we always
run away" she laughed. Suppose you
come down on the 18th Of next month
and watch for Mistress Mowbray.
Hannah will take care of you, and then
you can report to us the result of your
| investigations"
Agreed" he said readily, and as she
left the room he returned to the table
and remarked to the others, ANY vol
unteers to keep me company?"
Not IT, returned Searles quickly. 81
shall be south about that time"
And We" said Dickson lightly, will
be in Egypt"
81 had forgotten that" said Ran
dolph. Nevertheless shall accept
Mrs. Dickson's invitation to run down
here and make the acquaintance of fair
Mistress Mowbray."
He was looking at the picture with
dreamy abstraction in his eyes.
You admire my beautiful ancestress,
! then, Mark?' Dickson shot a keen
glance at his friend.
YES" was the low response. "She
reminds me of another whom I once
knew"
| On the 18th Of March Randolph jour-
neyed down TO the sleepy old New
England village where the Dickson
homestead spread its comfortable wings
behind sheltering elms, now leahess
and soughing mournfully in the east
wind. Within doors all was eheeriness
and comfort, with soft lamplight and
blazing fires.
When Hannah had cleared the din
| fol ~Ix.A
threw himself into huge easy chair
before the fire in the dining room and
looked up at the pictured face of Mis-
tress Mowbray He compared her face
with that of another Elizabeth Now
bray, cousin of Harry Dickson and
also a descendant of the lady in the
picture. It was an old story now, ten
years old. He and Beth had quarreled,
and she had returned his ring and gone
back to her home in the south. They
had never met afterward, but he had
never forgotten.
/ Randolph placed not the slightest Gre
dence in the story of the apparition OF
Mistress Mowbray, but the idea of
spending an uninterrupted evening be-
fore the portrait appealed to him. I'm
able to longer withstand the glance of
the tender eyes, he buried his face in
the upturned palms of his hands and
gave himself up to unhappy musings.
Hour after hour was tolled by the
tall clock in the hall, and when the bell
chimed II Randolph reused himself
with slight start from the half doze
in which he had INDUCED.
Involuntarily he gazed at the por-
trait, and great wonder came into bis
eyes. He wheeled his chair away from
the fireplace and stared. He rubbed
his eyes, looked about the softly light
ed room and stared again.
There was the same youthful figure,
with its gray plumed hat gray gown
and rose pink cloak caught together by
one slender white hand. 1t was all as
1t had been before save that now
there was life in it-life in the soft
brown eyes and in certain tremulous
movement Of the pink bowed lips.
With white face and unbelieving
eyes he watched the figure step slowly
down from the frame, and he saw the
movement of the purple velvet dra-
peries that formed the background.
She stepped upon the wide mantel
piece, which was devoid Of ornament
and made an imperious gesture with
her hand, and as she did so he was
conscious of the heavy scent of white
lilac from the branch she carried.
my good sir, pray assist me to the
floor" she said in low, vibrant voice
AS in a dream, Randolph hastily
fetched q chair and supplemented its
height with q hassock. With grave
courtesy he extended hand to the
lady on the mantel, and as she gave
him the tips of her fingers he felt the
warmth of flesh and blood.
Lightly she stepped down, gathering
her skirts gracefully about her dainty