The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-07-25
Part one-lContinuedl


% this room" she said, but fancy,
ESTHER that events have spoken
for you, and there is little left to
De told. I understand that all these
new troubles have begun since Har-
a last went away about a fortnight
ago. There was nothing Of the sort
before then-nothing?"
NO." said Esther, but a little
doubtfully, nothing, at any rate,
mat can define. Harold was only
mere for about three days after hav-
ing been long time absent. l re-
member that he arrived at night
and went straight up to his rooms. l
cont know how he came, for none
az our carriages were ordered out,
and there Is no train at that time
Of night-I heard him from my room,
which, as told you, is next to one
Of his, moving about, and there was
q sound like furniture being shifted
from place to place. I-could hear
him talking, too, but that would be
to his valet, that wickedlooking
foreigner, Paul The next day l
saw Harold, and I was struck by
the horrible change in his face. He
was in the dining hall, and, curious
y enough, he was looking at that
picture Of himself at isn't like me
now. Is III? and he turned to me
with curious smile upon those
bloodless lips of his. The picture
was all right then; I'm positive Of
that
Lillian, I took Harold by the arm
and cried out in very agony, cried
As I had not cried for months. I
begged him to spare himself and to
tell me, his wife, how l could help
him But he put me away from
him roughly, and never answered a
word He did not come out OF his
rooms again till the day he left, and
then Il was TO see Mr.. Graves, who
was absolutely obliged to get his
signature to some documents in con-
neetion with the estate. The poor
little manager was in deadly fear
of Harold, and never asked to see
him unless he could not help him
self. On this occasion Mr.. Graves
seems to have put his foot into 1t
somehow. He told me afterward
that he had expressed sorrow at
seeing Harold looking so i'll. and
the consequence was an outburst OF
wild rage that literally frightened
him out OF the house. Harold left
that afternoon. He drove to the sta
fion in the ordinary way. That
night the curious noises in his spe-
cial rooms began l heard them be-
fore anybody else, though / kept
my own counsel
at was in the middle OF the
night that I woke up, conscious
of a curious grooming sound, like
somebody singing in a foreign
language, or humming meaning
less words Then ! heard the
shuffloing Of feet, not like Har-
old footsteps, to which ] was ac-
customed, not a heavy tread, but
rather a step that might have been
a woman's l thought, in spite OF
the REGULARITY OF the sounds. that
Paul must be in the rooms, and
1 took no more notice: but the next
day 1 heard them repeated when L
Knew that Paul was downstairs.
Then the servants began to
complain. At FIRST it was only Of
curious noises in Harold's rooms
and of PauTs peculiar behavior.
Paul- IL appeared, had elected to
mount guard outside the door that
led 70 Harold's wing, and would
not allow anybody TO loiter there.
I spoke to him on the subject, but
he only grinned, spread out his
hands and muttered something
about "de masters orders he
talks only q little English. and is
almost uniteIligible. What could
say? He is only engaged as
Harold's servant, and is not sup
posed to have any other duties IN
the house, SO he would take no or
ders from me ! have no control,
over him Whatsoever
ut seems to me- interrupted
FG a
bottm Of much OF the mischief,
whatever II is"
Estber nodded. ct believe he is.
Es,It we can do nthing with him.
n is useless to question him. 1
en- afraid of the man. for ! think
he has gypsy blood in him, and
zould be dangerous II angered. We
can only wait"
$50 you heard these noises
aid Lillian. Ibid you see anything
unusual yourself?'
ssNJo- I don't believe anyone has
zen the ghost" as the servants
cali it Jane. the maid who left
me in q fright. vowed that she saw
\ woman on the stairs, but l be
ieye IL was only her Imagination.
she said Il was Mrs. Borradale. but
- she has never seen Mrs. Bora
dale ana OGbEElbGu NAAAo oPRNa
80 very tall woman, l feel GER
tain IT was fear that prompted the
story. Mrs. Borradale was not
Sery tall woman, as you know.
81 have seen nothing, Lillian, but
must admit that have heard
footsteps like that girl has just de-
acrfbed to us. ! have not been able
~ sleep lately-can you be sur
Drised and have heard them
mass my door at night ] have never
dared get up. but have always
buried myself under the clothes in
n most cowardly fashion. My room,
Won see. is close to that part Of the
house which Harold has approprt-
1ted. and so, besides hearing any
aound from that side, ! could hear
a. the intervening door was opened
or closed. am certain. Lillian, that
during the night il had been both
opened and closed"
aAnd you have not attempted to
penetrate beyond that door,
Esther shuddered. 81 dare not"
she said.
A little tinklinE clock on the
r. rnantelpieco struck eleven. Esther
stared at IL for a few seconds as II
her thoughts were far away. You
don't know how have feared these
nights" she said. Il feel worn out
Tor want Of sleep. There is always
that curious sensation that some
fhinr-something indefnable. but
awful-is near me. I have the SEN