Year: 1869

II HE was portly old gentleman, with grey mar
prominent eyes, and rather weak, undecided ex


preston of countenance, and he was dressed like
one of Seymours caricatures, in q short-waisteo
namely, cut Very high in the collar-a table
coth rolled round his neck fora tie pantaoons ano
!, pumps


"When was left alone, inspected the room
1.-The furniture of which would have set up curios
lity shop. It was panneled with oak and the heavy


high backed chairs, the table, tall wardrobe, were
all of the same dark material. There was queer


mirror composed of three pieces, set asant at the


further end of the room so to reflect everything


in it in distorted fashion, and pair Of duelline


swords we're crossed over the high, carved chin


neypiece But the bed, my dear fellow, the bed
Why, it filled half the room, and must have beer
originally intended for an entire family; the hang


ngs were thick and heavy, and the top like that OF
hearse Just the bed to lie in state in.


1T was not altogethera cheerful apartment, but
! could hear the grouse Growing through the open


window, and that sound was lively enough to sub


due any amount of upholstering gloom.


was sufficiently up in history to know that my


host was dressed for dinner, so 1 put on evening


things, and went down stairs


1.-THE table was laid in the hall, and as had to
pass through it to reach the drawing room door,


was received by charming girl of twenty or thir'
ty-I never can guess at the beardless dears ages


while they have figures and smooth eye-corners-
and Mr.. Bantyen intimated that he was widow
er and that this young lady, his only child, kept
house for him.


"And very well she kept it too, nice little din


ner she gave US. A capital manager she must


have been, for everything had to be fetched from


tremendous distance, and triAing slip Of mem


ory might have left the household without oil OF
Worcester sauce for week.


'She was little bit shy at first, but quite self:
possessed, and evidently ruled the household, hel
father included. She was well educated; read the


papers and magazines played the harp, sang, and


was rather glad, think, to have civilized being


to talk to.


"I have shot over the moors in Scotland, where


the grouse were more plentiful, certainly; but still


the sport was very fair, quite good enough for my


purpose The old gentleman went out with me


every day. and shot very fairly, too, with an an
tique Manton, which had flint locks; he could dc
nothing with percussion gun. In the evenings
played at piquet with him, or at chess with his


daughter; and after pretty heavy surfeit Of balls


and dinners that little bit of domestic quiet came
in most acceptaby. We soon got very friendly


together, and in fortnight was quite like one Of


the family, and Mr.. Bantyen told me all his pri


vate affairs
THE family property had once been very good


but succession of extravagant possessors hao


mortgaged all that part upon which money coulc


be raised, and the barren heath with its old towel


was about all that was left. However, the old gen


tleman had not always been quite so much straight


ened as he was at present, but misfortunes had be-


fallen him during the last few years, the principa
being a scampish nephew of his dead wife, who


had got his unfortunate uncle-n-aw to be security
for him in some affair or another, and had thcr
been guilty of dishonest trick, which that unof
Tending relative had to pay for


"You may we'll understand that did not ask


for any details upon SO unpleasant subject; so
whether this black sheep had done anything which
was absolutely felonious did not learn. At any
rate it had cost Mr. Bantyen so dearly to get hin


out of the scrape, and then start him off to Amer
lea, where he was supposed to be at present, thai
he had determined to try and raise little money
, by letting his shooting


ut was an evident relief to the old gentleman
to tell ME all this, for he was hospitabe SOUL ane


felt uncomfortable at taking my money. So, tt
relieve him, told him anecdotes OF rich men wht
let their shootings and sold their game.
September came and the birds got wild, but
liked my quarters so we'll that l stopped on.


Zone evening, as we came towards the tower
after hard days walking, we met Miss Bantyen
who was in State of great agitation. U papa
Raymond is here 7 she CRIED Raymond was th'
troublesome nephew who ought to have been OF
t the other side of the Atlantic.


"Poor Mr.. Bantyen was very much perturbet


by the news, and began spologizing to me; but
assured him, with perfect truth, that | was font
of studying different samples of my fellow crca


lures, and counted several scamps amongst my in
innate acquaintances. In truth, have enjoyed
the society of many man who, from his you'll
t up, has been source of anxiety to his friends
+ but never met a cooler card than this Reymont
4 Fletcher.


'I did not much like the look of him !; [ missed


the rollicking reckless look of the genuine mauvi
sujet. His expression was crafty, greedy, and ma
E icious, as well az impudent, and he impressed
3 one as being bad rather than mad.


HE spoke Of his unexpected appearance as
good joke, and compared himself to bad shilling
5 He did the honors of the house, and attempted t.
! patronize me- He tried likewise to impose upo1


me in the matter of the society he had mixed with
asking if knew this man of the Rife Brigade
g At last he mentioned one Of my own regiment
a and then had to shut him up.


"'There must be some mistake, said l. L vii
not deny that you are the bosom friend of ever.
e man of my position in every other corps in tn
service, if you say so, but none Of the-know you
: I am certain.


/ That cooled him bit, and minute or two at
. terwards, l intercepted look which told me tina
r he honored me with his particular hatred. Never
theless, he rather courted me, and tried his YER
: best to make himself agreeable.


S "Have you seen the ghost?" he asked me il
e the course of the evening.


II had thought something wanting in Deadmoo
: tower, and the question reminded me what it was
r 1t ought to be haunted it was absurd that
I should not be haunted and | at once demande
i her ghost of Miss Bantyen. She told me tina


there certainly was the usual spiritual legend con
J. nected with the old place.


h A Jesuit conspirator, priest and soldier ha
been taken and killed. after desperate resistance
a in my bedroom; and witnesses, credible upon othe
e matters, had declared that, they had seen hi
l. spccter. enveloped in cloak, pistol in hand, il