LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 576, 24 April 1876, Page 3

LITERATURE.

THE HAUNTED LIGHTHOUSE. ( Continued.) Five or six men were standing together near one of the cabins, and within were as many more who had ventured up to see what was to be seen, or to hear with their own ears the wonderful sounds which were to be heard, always supposing their courage was lasting enough to restain them from rushing down the island in a body directly the manifestations commenced. A young fellow, very unlike the islanders both in dress and demeanour, advanced to meet us with the light-haired Scotsman of stolid countenance and almost unintelligible accent. Mr Denham asked a few questions about the truth of the stories we had heard. The young man did not volunteer a reply, and the light-keeper was evidently unwilling to say much about it. But the men standing round were voluble in their answers, explanations, and theories; and the light keeper’s wife begged us with many tears not to go into the lighthouse at all, for that in sober truth the sounds which had been heard there for the past three night could only forebode death or disaster to any one foolhardy enough to put themselves in the way of the demon which she supposed must cause them. ‘ I wish we had never, never come to this terrible country, ’ said the poor woman, sobbing. ‘Wo were happy and safe enough at Ardrcssan, although he was not a masterman there. ’Twas better to have a bit of oatcake, Sundays and Mondays alike, than to feast on flesh-meat within hearing of such screams as I hoard last night.’ My beautiful ‘ Mary ’ drew the weeping woman aside and .tried to comfort her; and she met with very good success, to judge from the different tones in which I heard the woman talking presently of the children whom the lady asked to see. They were sleeping in a truck'e-bed, little curlyheaded things, sandy-haired like their father, but evidently in their mother’s eyes both lovely and precious. ‘ All this is sure to be explained somehow,’ said ‘ Mary ’ gently. ‘ Don’t be so unhappy about it; your husband and every one else are quite safe as yet, you see, in spite of the screams; depend upon it you will laugh at it all soon, and be happier here than ever you were at Ardrossan ’ Charley proposed we should ascend the lighthouse, which we accordingly did, attended by the young man I had noticed before, who informed ns that he was a painter from Belfast, who was employed with his two comrades in finishing some work before the winter should set in. A winding stone staircase led. up the narrow pillar-like building to the hot place with its unpleasant smell of oil where the lamps were burning ; from there a low door led out on to the gallery of ironwork which ran round the exterior of the edifice. Halfsuffocated by the rancid smell of the oil, ‘ Mary ’ stepped out here, and though I fain would have followed her, I hesitated, for I did not dare risk offending her by seeming an ever-present nuisance. Charley was explaining the mechanism of the lantern to Lily, and I and Wilmott were standing by, when sure enough a piercing unearthly shriek ran up the staircase we had just mounted, followed by a groan and curious whispering sound, as if some inhuman fiendish nature were rejoicing over another’s sorrow and pain. We stood as if paralysed. Lily clung to Charley’s arm with both her hands. Recovering himself, Wilmott rushed down the stairway, almost knocking down the Belfast painter, who had stood close to the door. I ran out on the balcony ; ‘ Marj ’ was there, her watch in her hand. She looked very white in the dim light, but her voice was firm and brave.

‘ Scream the first, Mr Leigh; and it ia just twelve o’clock.’ I answered something, I did not know what. The strange sounds we had heard, the extraordinary scene, the presence of the woman whom I adored, all contributed to scatter my senses. I grasped the iron balustrade to steady myself, so that my emotions should not be apparent. What a fool I was ! With a powerful effort I shook off the feelings which were overwhelming me, and spoke as coolly and collectedly as if my heart were not beating like a sledge-hammer against my side : ‘We must search the place. Wilmott has gone below; Charley, will you remain here, and I will stand half-way up the stairs ? No living creature can escape us then. ’ Even while I spoke low groans came from the lantern behind me : I turned suddenly, to see Charley leading Lily through the open door. ‘lt is only the heat and the smell,’she said faintly. ‘ Indeed, indeed lam not afraid; this fresh air will soon set me right.’ Mrs Bevel joined us from below with Wilmott, who declared he had found nothing except the knot of islanders and the light-keeper, and they had also heard the sin ieks, but much more faintly than we had done ; in fact, they thought the sounds came from the lantern where we were. Leaving Charley aud the ladies on the balcony, Wilmott and I prepared to descend. We had not reached the top of the steps when a loud noise and clatter as of a falling chain rang through the building. The Belfast man mot ns at the second door, that leading from the lantern chamber on to the staircase ; his manner was fluttered, aud he stammered as he spoke ; his stock of courage had evidently given out. ‘ Where are you going, sir ? ’ he said, < Down to see what made that row,’ sahl Wilmott; did you see anything, my man ? Have you just come up ? ’ ‘ No, sir, I’ve been standing here all the time,’ was the reply. Down we went, and found the lightkeeper only had stood his ground : that clatter had sent the other men flying. I suppose they sought their homes incontinently—certainly we saw them no more that night. ‘See here!’ exclaimed Wilmott. ‘The demon has flung real chains. If we find his playthings, we may reasonably expect to find himself -.’ and he lifted a long and heavy chain from the bottom of the stairs as he spoke. j sort of smothered cry rang down the ! bmlding, and I thought I could d stinguish : Mary's voice calling for help. I ;prang up \ the steps, but our friends wei e whore we hae left them : they too had heard the j call fo; help, and they thought thas we had i uttered it. j (To be continued )