CHAPTER II.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 431, 25 December 1889, Page 6

CHAPTER 11.

The nexfc two or three clays passed plea santly enough. Ib was only when night fell that Maras gho«t obtruded her unwelcome presence. 1 lay in wait in all sorts of likely places to catch and lay that wraith of the dead woman, who .vas sleeping in the boHy quietly enough in that lonely Waikomiti crave. Why did her spirit haunt poor Rufus? and how did it know so much about me V For in the darkness I would hear questions which brought back memories of the happy hours I enjoyed in Mara'rt society, before her dreadful temper and her love for Rufus had separated u». A? f"r me a certain Linda Stint, a fellow passenger of mine, had stolen my do mant affections, and two days before Christmas I asked Rufus where Avondnle was-, and rode over to see her. She and her relations, the Leslie?, were charming and cordial, until I mentioned that I was staying with Itufus Reed. Then Mr Leslie tried to back out of the hearty invitation l»e had pfiven me for Chri&bmas Eve. But Linda, with admirable tact, kept him to it, and I squeezed her hand ao partins 1 , whispering, 'To morrow.' Whilst Mrs Fdnr was removing the soup, at dinner that evening 1 to:d Kufus that I was going to sleep in Avondale on Christmas Eve, ami should not be baclt till one o'c'ock on Christinas Day. He was evidently exceedingly annoyed with me, though he did not say much before his housekeeper. But as we saun'ered down the large padd ck through which the drive — a wel'-planted one — wandeied on it? way to the main road, he entreated me nob to forsAe him on that night of a 1 others. I asked him if he would help me to lay the gh st, but he simp!}' shuddered and declined. However, 1 got him to promise he i would nob hinder, even though he did nob care to help. The ne*t afternoon I rode off, ostentatiously displaying the valise I had borrowed from Kufus to hold my evening suit and night garments. Lindn was fascinating, and more than made up tor the very cold welcome I received from the Leslies. But as I was deep'y in loNe. I put my pride in my pocket, and paitook cheerfully of their gruJgine hospitality. Evidently, they thought no friend of Air Reed's could be safe ot plea&anb company. Just before ten o'clock. I tore myself away, grently to the re l iff of my host, and I was delighted to perceive, much to Linda's chagiin. I rode fast until I approached Riverston, then 1 drew rein, and selected the softest spots by the roadside for my nag's too noisy feet. At the gate leading into the paddock. I dismounted, went through, and fastened it. Then I un.=addled my horse, and turned him loose to hunt for the lonely blades of grass, which some bettersupped steed had over-looked. I opened -ny valise, and exchanged my boots for evening shoes, and armed with a revolver and a stout coil of rope, which I had borrowed without leave from Mr Leslie's stable, I walked up the drive, keeping well under the tall hedgp of over-grown hawthorn. Noiselessly, I unfastened the handsome gate which led into the drive proper, and here, I had no difficulty in hiding myself amonsf'fc the thick trees which bordered each aide. There was a gravel path un er the window of the room occupied by Rufus, and some close shrubs ofiered a good place o? concealment exactly opposite. Here I en<-con?ed myself, and awa'ted events, the revolver in my rier'-t hand, and in the left the rope arranged in 'he form of a Uif«o. Dead silence and s>tillne?3 all around me ; I fancied my hearo had never mare such a noise before. Surely the ghost, who would have preternaturally sharp ears must have heard my light fool steps, and, recognising the presence of an antagonistic force, have gone back to bed, I mean to its restiny-place — the cold, cold ground. Something at last! Hist ! it is. Oh ! shades of my noble ancestors : ibis really and truly the ghost! Clad in long, white, flowing cerements, there glided into view an apparition, whi^h remained motionless before the window of the unhappy husband. I must confess that the actual sight of that ghostly, silent figure, rather staggered me. It had something so horribly uncanny about ib. that involuntarily I thought of Saul when Samuel appeared to him creeping out of ihe earth. He must have ex- j periencpd the same sudden shock that I did. Then, just a« I was gaininsr a little more couraye, and wondering if I had better shoot or lasso it, the ghost laughed. I listened, spell-bound. Could anyone else laugh exactly 'ike dead and buried Mara? Then there came a fre?h shock ! It «poke, and t^e voice bore undoubtedly an' extraordinary resemblance to Maras rather peculiar tones. 'I've come, Rufus,' it said, 'are you not glad to see me 1 Why don't you open fche window, and wish me "A Merry Christmas ?" ' and then again there came that horrid mocking laugh. 'Open the window, Rufus. Slowly, as though constrained by some overmastering will, the window was raised a few inches, when a thin white hand was stretched oub bv the grhosb, and the sash pushed up higher. I could .see my friend's face, deadly white, framed by the passionfruit which grew all over the side of the house. •I am going to remove ray veil, Kufus, said the cutting voice, 'and then yon shall see my face, the tace of the woman you murdered ' Ruhiß uttered a little cry. ' for Heaven s sake, Mira, go back to Waikomiti ! I will build you a marble monument, anything! only leave me in peace,'

Again the laugh. ' Look !' said tho ghost. 1 saw the wrappings moving, and in nay intonse anxiety to see tho wraith's faco, I moved forward. Tho branohes rustled, and the ghost turned quickly in my direction. And then, ior the first time in my life.l saw a spirit. It was Mara ; but ah, how changed ! In place of the ropy, rounded cheek-, which we laughingly had been wont to rub, to • get the paint off,' were deep hollows, set in ghastly white frames. There were dark lines under the lovely eyee, which seemed to shine with aomethmgof unnatural brilliancy ; the crimson lips I wore that dreadful purple hue, only sfen on the dead ; down each side of her face hung the long black hair, no more in graceful waves, but limp and dishevelled. It was indeed tho gho»t of Mani ! I stared , in blank dismay, at this awful thing, and it stared back at me ; then it made a move rnent as of intended flight. 1 sprang forward, dropping my revolver, and flung the rope around the ghost. Stooping to secure it under the arms, I felt the ghost begin to laugh. I raised my head, and encountered warm breath on my cheek. •Mara!' I cried, 'Rufus, come here, quick, I've caught your ghost.' He got through the window slowly, (he was fully dressed) and stood close to us, and tor the first time, saw his wife's ghost face to face. He gave one ah rick of terror and agony, and sank in a dead Ininb to the ground. ♦ Oh, I have killed him,' cried my prisoner," I never meant to do that.' 1 For mercy sake,' I exclaimed, ' tell me who you are.' 'I am Mrs Reed — Mara, don't you know me, Pnillip?" ' Then what does all thia senseless folly mean?' and I tried to drag off the cere ment-like wrappings. • And why aro you not lying quie'ly in your grave? And if j you are not dead, who is'; And why do you torment Rufus in this fashion ?' I poured forth thi-* string of incoherent questions, at which Mara only laughed, and said : ' Help Rufus up. ynd undo this rope. The farce is played vut, my revenue is ac complisihed, and I am quite satisfied.' Wondering greatly, I loosed the cord, and between us we carried Ruins into the houte. Mara called Mrs Flint, who came in, asking no questions ; grave and inscrutable a& ever. We were a long time in reviving poor Rufns., and when he ab length showed signs ol returning consciousness, I sent his wite away, telling her to wash her face and put on some gown that Rufus 1 ked. W hen she returned I gave a little cry of pleasuic. -It was really Mara, looking hardly a flay older than when I had last seen her in the flesh. Rufus gazed at h«-r, and held out) h'"s hands. ' I havo had a bad dream, dear,' he eaid I heard a little sob from the wife as she sprang towards him, and, gently drawing Mrs Flint away, I closed the door and Jeft them together Then I said sfcern'y, ' Now, Mrs Flint, what dopa all this mean, for of course, you . are in the >ecret.' Very quietly, sitting in the dimly-lighted dining-room, Mr* Flint told me that Mara had bejn frightfully iea'ousof her husband, and had often wit-bed she was dead, and had the pow er of watching him, and seeing what he would immediately do. Her illnesp, coinciding with that of the housemaid, had suggested the dreidful idea of substituting the nvtid, who was dying, for her-elf, who was rapidly recovering. To do this, she had to dismiss the other servants, who would, of course, have found out what was going on. With Mrs Flint's aid, sho removed the housemaid to her own room, and arrayed her in the fine linen she had worn herself. Then Mara a?sumetl the dress and demeanour of a servant, and when her husband returned from Auckland, bringing a new cook with him, honcier imagined that a wig, plenty ot paint and powder, could so alter hi* wife, that he mistook her for the housemaid, who wis to arrive from tho counti"3 T in place of the sick girl, whoso friends were ?aid to have taken her away. The new doctor had not, of course, the slightest suspicion, as he made out the certificate of death of Mara Reed, that he »va=« the unconscious instrument of a cruel i trick. I Ie was late before we retired, or rather, it was nearly morning ; but I was glad to learn that Mrs Flint was to be banished from the house, and that Mara was quite saristied her jeilous fears had been entirely groundless I entered the breaktast-room that Christmas morning in time for an eleven o'clock breakfast, and had the pleasure of wishing Mr and Mrs Reed, a ' Merry Christmas and freedom from ghosts in the New