The Washington herald., 1912-02-04
A Book of Ghost Stories.


moved with a graceful motion. His
tangled hair hung over the collar of
his coat and surrounded face which
evinced both breeding and refinement,
and, as my father looked intently at
him, he saw that the strangers oounte-
nance was white and drawn. His deep
set eyes had dark circles under them
and the expression within was that of
great sorrow.
Pray be seated said my father,
when he had led the way into the lib
rary., What can l do for you at this
"'You are the county magistrate, are
You not asked the fellow.
yes
am in desperate plight replied
the stranger. For years / have been en-
gagged to sweet and pure woman, but
my unprosperous condition, and the OBJ
jections of her parents, have made il
impossible for us 70 marry. Now she
lies at deaths door, and there are not
many hours before she will pass to an
other world. II is her wish that we
should be married before she dies, and
] need hardly say that il is also my own
desire. So have come here to ask you
II you will grant the last request Of her
whom | love above all others in this
world
at is needless to say that my father
was much surprised and agitated by
this sudden question.
"Where do you liveP he asked.
Only little way from here the
stranger replied. i have two horses
with me-both under the saddle. II you
will but come with me It will not be
long-not over an hour-before you are
again in bed
and he was impressed by the sincerity
and pathos in the strangers tone. He
thought for moment before he made
reply. :,
4 will go with you,' he answered.
"Seizing a soft hat and riding-coat
from the antlers in the hall, he slipped
a pair OF boots over his trousers and
was soon outside. The midnight visitor
had gone out before him and was stand
ing in frort of the doorway, holding
the two horses by the brides.
TAKE the near one,' he said II is
the quieter of the two
My father was soon in the saddle
and was joined by the stranger, who
vaulted into his seat as nimbly as a
cavalry officer. They rode silently out
into the muddy road and were soon
trotting along toward the west, while
the gusts of wind blew their cloaks
about them and caused them 70 take
fast hold of their hats. II was indeed
a wild night for ride.
They rode onward together, with
out speaking word, and finally turned
down bride path and were trotting by
an iron fence, which my father recog-
nized Immediately as that surrounding
the once beautiful garden of Essex
Manor. Suddenly the stranger leaped
from his horse and walked forward, and
my father saw that they were in front
of the gate in the rear OF the house.
1T was only natural thatJmy good
parents heart began to beat more rap
idly than usual. Here he was about
to enter the ground that to him had
always seemed most grewsome and in
hospitable. He was to penetrate place
which he had never been in before, and
which he had never had the slightest
wish TO enter The desire to turn back
was strong upon him, but he curbed this
craven passion, for he had always been
known as bold and fearless man, and
he did not intend to allow this nights
adventure to be too much for him.
"The cloaked figure bent for mo-
ment over the lock. There was the
clanking Of key, the grating of rusty
hinges, and one gate stood open be-
fore them, Without saying a word, the
stranger led his horse upon the gravel
path without thee enclosure, and my
father followed.
"'Get down, please remarked his
companion. There are persons here
who will take the horses
"As he spoke, from somewhere in the
deep shadow of the wall a figure ap-
peared and stood at his horses head.
My father was only too willing to dis
mount at once, and, as he did so, an
other hgure-grim, silent, hidden in a
black and sweeping cloak-stood at the
bride of the otner animal.
Come; follow mel said the
stranger walking rapidly toward the
uninhabited mansion, which now loomed
up, bleak and forbidding in the half
light, for the clouds had blown apart