Year: 1866

to recover the thread of some lost trair
of thought, he observed that if he ap
preached the mass of brickwork which
as mentioned before, divided the din
ing room from the library. a feeling O
unearthly chill would creep over him
and thrill of horror would shoot thro
him whenever he went near that partic
ular part of the room. Being, however
a man of strong nerve and unquestiona
BILE courage, and by no means Of a su
|perstitious turn of mind, in fact with
rather contempt for all that is called
Supernatural" he soon shook off the
feeling, and when it was over, laughed
at himself for having allowed his imag.
ination so to mislead him +; but notwith.
standing all his efforts, the sensation
returned again and again, and would
not be vanquished by the most sensible
and philosophic of reasouings that he
could use to account for it. He also OBJ
served that Alice would never remain
alone in the room.


"What is the matter, love 2" ex.
claimed Richard, starting from an un.
easy slumber about one o'clock on a
dark November night "What are you
listening tor


"Hush p said Alice, in frightened
whisper. care your pistols loaded,
Richard ?" Fl s


"Yes.'


"Then get up quickly for I am Ger.
tain l have heard some one walking
about the spare room this last half
hour"


Richard reached his pistols, which
lay on table by the side of the bed,
and they both listened attentively for
some moments, and they distinctly heard
footsteps pacing the adjoining room,
which had no access to it but by the
door opening from their own, which
Richard had himself carefully bolted be-
fore going to bed. and by a window
which was secured by spring bolts, that
could not be opened without good
deal of noise, and ,lso by the three
strong iron bars fixed across it. Un-
willing to disturb tile house, Richard
watched till daybreak, but after two
o'clock all was still, though the sound
of footsteps was plainly heard until that
hour had struck. Next morning he
carefully examined the room, but the
window fastenings were undisturbed aud
no signs appeared of anybody having
gained admission by it aud there was
no fireplace or chimney at all in the
chamber


Ridiculing Alice's remonstrances,
Richard determined tosleep in the mys-
terious apartment the following night,
and leaving her in her own chamber he
entered to rest little before eleven
O'Clock. He left his lamp burning, aud
after he had lain down a few moments,
his thoughts reverted to some important
business matters which had occupied
his attention during the day, to the en-
tire seclusion of any superstitious fancies
and he was soon wrapped in quiet
sleep, utterly forgetful of his purpose of
investigation.


He was aroused by clock in the hall
striking twelve, and directly afterwards
he felt the unpleasant sensation he had
experienced in the dining room, and to
his horror he saw the d.clothes thrown
off, and the curtains pushed aside, as if
by some one rising from the bed on
which he lay. and then he heard the
light but measured football again pacing
the floor as on the previous night. Be-
numbed with horror, he lay for few
moments unable to move, but by great
exertion again recovering his presence
Of mind, he looked carefully round the
room, but nothing was visible. Still he
heard those unearthly feet, pattering to
and fro, and the idea took possession of
him that the being that had seemed to
quit his side might again return and
unable to face this new horror he sprang
up aud rushed towards the door, and
with one last look around, but still see
ing nothing, though the sounds con-
tiuued, he closed the door after him,
and went to his own bed and to Alice,
right glad to be once more in human
company. His wife was lying awake,
anxious for his safety, and she closely
questioned him if he had heard or seen
but fearing to increase her
alarm. he made light of what had oc-
Cured. But being unable to quiet her
fears, he arranged that she should pass
a few days with a friend in the country,
and he would ask an old schoolfellow,
upon whose coolness and discretion he
could thoroughly rely, to watch another
night with him, and so endeavor to dis
cover the cause of these strange sounds
and sights. lfaSs


Henry Nicholson was clear. cool
headed man of about thirty, of a per-
fectly unimaginative temperament, and
with supreme contempt for all bit
what he was pleased to call .splain com
mon sense" and ridiculed allthat could
neither be explained nor accounted for
iu the ordinary course of nature, and
was the last man in the world to believe
in ghosts or aught supernatural He
tried to look grave while he listened to
his friends recital but when it was
ended he hinted at ''the strange effects
of nightmare" and was evidently skep-
tical, and thought Richard rather weak
minded to make 80 much of what was
''of course bad dream " He readily
q. ,.,. -sL< 80. =