A SENSATION NOVEL CONDENSED.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 537, 29 September 1871, Page 2

A SENSATION NOVEL CONDENSED.

[btjbeet haete.] The Lady Selia Sedilia sat gazing on the gilded xuausohia which contained the remains of tlie ( ady Felicie Sedilia, whose spirit haunted:hat portion of the manor of Slnperton Ginge known as " Stiffuns Acre." An artocratic young man falls on his knees iefore her, "And, oh! Edgardo, can yu stil! loye me? Would you still marr me in spite of the dark mystery whichmrrounds me? In spite of the fatal liist-j of my race ? In spite of the ominous-prediction of my aged nurse ? ' " I ould, Selina," and the young: man pasd his arm round her yielding waist. The two lovers gazed on each other with liss unspeakable. Suddenly the Lady!elina started. "Leave me, leave me, dgardo, l;?ave me! A mysterious sonsaing—a fatal misgiving —a dark ambigcfr— an equivocal mistrust oppresses me. ;" would be alone." Ihe young man aros and cast a loving glance on the lady. Then we will be married on the seventeen." " The seventeenth," repeated Selina, ith a mysterious shud- • der. They embced and parted. As the j clatter of hoofsn the courtyard died away the. Lady Sna sank into"the chair she had just quitd " The seventeenth she repeated slowly, with the same fatshudder. "Ah 'what if he should kuo that I have another husband living ? Dare I reveal to him that I have two Htimate and three natural children ? Ire I repeat to him the history of my yjth ? Dave I confess that at the age iseven I poisoned my sister, by puttin^erdigris in her creiim- . tarts—that 1 thw mv cousin froth a swing at the agdf twelve? That the lady's-maid whojcurred the displeisure of my girlhood w lies at the bottom of the horsepond ? jo .' no ! he is too pure, too good, too indent, to hear such imj proper conversau I" and her whole | body writhed ase rocked to and fro in a paroxysm of lit. But she was soon . calm. Uising tosr feet, she opened a secivt pauel in wall, and revealed a slow-match readfor lighting. "This match," said thejady tfeliua, "is connected with a mi beneath the western tower, where myiree children are confined ; another buh of it lies under the j parish church, wre the record of my first marriage isspt. I have only to light this match a the whole cf my past life is swept away iShe approached the match with a lighj candle. But a hand was laid upon hem. She is threatened by the spectre |Sir Guy that if she murders her ciiilch. they will haunt her. " I fear them no; said Selina, drawing her superb persi to its full height. "But what place | they to hatnt?") asks the ghost plaintivi. " The ruin is skcred to your uncle's sjt. Your aunt nWopoiises the park|i, I must be allowed to state,not unfr4?ntlj trespasses''^ the ground of ot|s. The horseponi p frequented by t|spirit of your maid, and your niurd| sister walks these corridors. To bijain, there is no room at Sloperton G* c for. another ghost. I caunofc have th in my room—for you know I dou't lichildrcn. Think of this, rash girl, a| O rbear ! Would you, Seliua," said tlfchantom mournfully, " would you f< your great-grand-father's spirit to ti lodgings else where?" Lady Selina's hairembied ; the lighted candle fell froittjr uerreless fingers. " JSTo," she oriedfesionately, " never !" and fell fainting ie floor. .. . Edgitrdo soliloquises and arts. " If-she knew all; if she knew t t L were, a disgrfteed and ruined man e lon and an outcast! If she knew that the age of fourteen, I murdered my ;i n tutor, and forged

my uncle's will—if she knew that I hue! three wives already, aud that the fourth victim of misplaced confidence mid bit unfortunate peculiarity is expected to bo at Sloperton by to-night's train with her |)aby. But do ! she must not know it." I. . Thereupon lie consults the murAerous Burke the Slogger, who agrees Jfflb smash the expected express. The Vuffiau is, however, killed himself, find removes a lead of cave from Lady Selina's breast. He was her first husband ! The bridegroom ther makes other arrange ments for the death of his fourth wife. The happy pair are about to be united, when Lady Selina's youngest girl, wander- ■ ing "in play, touches the fatal spring, and the whole dram. pers. are literally " blown up." At exactly 2 o'clock on the 17tli, Bupcrt Sedilia," who had just returned from India, was thoughtfully descending the hill towards Sloperton Manor. "If J can prove that my aunt Lady Selina was married before my father died, I can establish my cl«m to Sloperton Grange," he uttered, half aloud. He paused, for a sudden trembling of the earth benealh hi< feet, and a terrific explosion, as of a park of artillery, arrested his progress. At the same moment he beheld a dense cloud of jjmoke envelope the church-yard of Sloperton, and the western tower of tj c Grange seemed to be lifted bodily from its foundation. The air seemed filled with falling fragments, and two dark objects struck the earth close to his feet. Eupert picked them up. One seemed to be a heavy volume bound in brass. A cry burst from his lips—" The Parish Eecords." He opened the volume hastily. ]t contained the marriage of Lady Selina to " Burke |the Slogger." The second object proved to be a piece of parchment He tore it open with trembling fingers. It was the missing will of Sir James Sedilia.