Year: 1869

Screw after screw came out, and yet
there were more. All at once
fancied ] heard sound above, and
my heart stopped beating, and ]
stood still as the dead around me.
grasping the hammer in my hand. II,
came again, and L knew it this time
for the screech Of the nightowl in
the church tower. Ii / could have
but wrung its neck for the fright it
had given mel To work again !;
more screws and now the last was
out, and could move the heavy lid


81 threw back the lace covering
from the body, and the glimmer OF
the lantern fell on the dead face, as
unchanged as on that first day that
| had gone up 10 the Hall / could
not bear to look at it; knew i
should see it forever in my dreams
if did, and yet, somehow, / had
noticed everything; how the dark
ewes seemed to give blue shade to
the eyolids closed over them; and
how the lcng lashes lay on the white
check, before forced myself back to
my work. Even then, the still, white
face was before me, close to mine
| would have hidden it under the
lace again, but then must cover the
hands as well. / thought ofmy own
spotted handkerchief; but something
II don't know what--Kept ME from
laying that there. Best get the ring
off, and be away from the place. 1t
was on the left hand, the one that
lay underneath, and the clammy
touch ofthe fingers made me shudder;
but | held them fast, for | saw the
diamond glittering in the dim light.
| tried to draw il off; but slender as
the finger was, the ring would not
slide along it. 1t seemed fixed there
as though no power on earth could
move it. / wrenched at it with my
own big fingers, and got it as far as
the first ioint-but further it would
not come. What should do? Ola
sudden | stopped down, and took it
firmly between my teeth. 1t was
coming now / felt it slip. 1t was
of-in my mouth-ln my hand. Just
for one instant, l saw it lying in my
palm, and then-saw something else
A goblin? No; but stain of blood
on the white, slender hand, and q
pair of brown ewes looking fixedly
at me.


81 could not move; / could not
even breathe; / was like one turned
to stone. Slowly the head lying in
the coffin turned, and the pale lips
moved, and the hand-the stained
hand--where the ring had been, grasp
ed the edge of the coffin. and then
then the whole figure stirred, and
tried to get up / turned at that,
and with fri@htful cry, dashed the
ring to the floor, and iled, mall with
terror, up the stone steps. On, on :
never stopping, never looking round;
breathless, gasping, across the church
yard, over the wall, and now had
broken through the rotten park rail
ing, and was tearing through the fern
and long grass on towards the Hall
There was a light in the Hall window,
and l made for it. / fancied | SAW
her gaining on me | seemed TO hear
the rustling of the grave clothes at
my ear; but | struggled on-up the
broad flight OF steps, and rang the
great bell, rs though | wOnld have
pulled it down. Before they opened
| it, | had fallen half unconscious on
the stones ; but could just see some
figures bending over me, and could
just pant out: The vault, my lady y
before j tainted dead away -


The old man paused for moment.
took deep breath, and passed his
wrinkled hand through his hair.


THAT'S my story, Miss Hester


When they got to the vault, they
found the lady sitting upright in her
coilin--alive. though trembling. and
sorely scared-aDd the diamond ring
lay on the floor. The lady had been
in some strange deathlike fit, till my
rough usage brought a flow of blood,
and so revived her. When | came
out of my long swoon, it was the
squire who stood alone by my bed
side, and first heard my story. lie
forgave me then and there. For
once an i'll deed had brought about y
good end, and he was too happy To
be hard. Bat after that night OF
horror, | would not have stolen
farthing's worth to save my life. No
one but the squire andmy own father
ever heard the whole history from
me, and they gave it out that there
had been good reasons for opening
the vault that night. But there were
some shrewd guesses made when the
wOndrOus news got abroad, and the
squire contrived To- send me away
from home on some business OF his
own for year or two. When came
back, it was the dear lady herself
who set me going in my fathers bus
mess, and helped ne on 10 my mar
riagc with Margaret. She had a
baby girl then, your mother, Miss
Hester, and she lived on for fifteen
years" He stopped, took the ring
again IN his hand, and turned it over,
signing wearily. Ills sixty years
hack, and it seems but yesterday
he repeated, as he gave it TO me
'tAn i'll conscience is fearful thing,
| Miss Hester