Year: 1863




the gloom and desolation more apparent
We went on in silence until we reached
the foot of narrow, winding staircase.
My conductors had begun to mount it,
when | touched door on my right, and
said "Surely we have not been in here?"
The man, half way up, stopped and look
ed down at me. No." he said, :" it's
only lumber room the key has been
lost this long while if you wish to get
in, you must have fresh key made be-
fore you come again !" and he went on.
1t was a large rambling house, where
you came suddenly upon cupboards and
corners, and bits Of winding stairs, or a
step up here and down there, and passa-
ges with such queer turns and twists that
one wondered whittier they would lead /;
still there was something quaint about it
that took my fancy greatly. When at
last we got back to the kitchen man sat
by the fire unlacing his boots, and with
bis back toward the door. He turned as
l entered, and displayed q muscular form
and heavy face, like enough to old Pear
ce's TO mark him as a son. He returned
my greeting with a silent stare, resumed
his seat, and pulling at bis fathers sleeve,
muttered angrily: " And who on earth
may you be p / did not catch the an
swer, but the gruf snort that followed
was sufficiently expressive.


The woman set about preparing sup
per, and presently a repast of bacon,
eggs and beer was put before me and
while / was engaged upon it, she and
her husband went away together. The
son sat on watching me in silence for a
while, then followed them, leaving me
alone for the first time since / had come
into the house. He and his father soon
cume back, but a change had come upon
them; their sullenness was gone, and
they seemed most eager to hear my in
ientions about the place. 1t was evident
how much they feared that might take
/ it, and so deprive them of their home
and in this fear they caught at every
doubt of mine and tried TO foster it,
From their account, the place was hot
in summer, cold 10 winter,--it was even
tumbling to pieces and it almost touch
ed me when, turning to the son. | said
'And yet you seem to like 10 live in it :
to hear his curt answer: 4 have been
bred up here, and that makes deal of
difference When the woman at last
returned / saw that she had been crying
very bitterly, and with halfremorseful
feeling took a candle from her trem-
bling hand and followed her up stairs
They had chosen for me one of the old
state bedrooms, on the first floor, and a
long way from the kitchen and hall, at
the end of wide gallery. She paused
at the door to say that she hoped might
find all / wanted, but tina. if not, there
was a bell, and giving me no time to an
swer hurried of, | sat long, noting down
in my pocket book all had observed
and pondering on various things, unit
the dull tones of the far-oA stable clock
striking twelve aroused me, and began
to prepare for bed. Before lying dowr
l went instinctiyely across the room tC
secure the door, and found to my sur
prise that | was without the means O
doing so, for there was no bolt, and thu
key was not In the lock. For momen
l was startled then l remembered tha
the keys of all the rooms had been il
one large bunch, and no doubt the wo
man had forgotten to take this one off,
Should l ring for it 4? l paused unde-
cided, but the hour was late, the people
must long since have been in bed, and
was strangely unwilling to encounter
those surly looks again tonight. After
all, it mattered little. Travelling as
did without luggage or money, and ii
simple, almost shabby dress, | had no
thing to lose, and with good health ant
strength in my favor, none would choose
lightly to encounter me and so, without
disquietude, blew out my light and lay
down in bed. Still / was not in dark
ness, for the moon shone full in my
room, only obscured from time to tim'
as heavy cloud swept across, and pas
sing, seemed to leave it more clear anC
beautiful than ever. But gradually m,
thoughts turned into dreamy fancies, m,
fancies faded, and l slept soundly-fo
how long, whether for minutes or hour
l cannot tell, but l woke in an instant
and with sudden start and thrill. Al
was quiet-a cloud had veiled the moon
and the room was dark and still a
death. No, not so still-what was tha
which, as | held my breath, came faintl,
on my ear? A rustling-so slight tha