THE MIDNIGHT GUESTS.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 22, 1 June 1867, Page 3

THE MIDNIGHT GUESTS.

(Continued from our last.)

“At this moment something moved upon the stairs, and then the pale, white, but beautiful bice of the girl was thrust forward over the bannister.

“ 1 never saw a more lovely example of terror.

“ She made no noise, but stood as one fascinated. The knife was still in bis hand and as he stooped to take up the candle their eyes met. With a muttered curse he seized the candle and sprang towards fyke stairs.

“The girl’s head was, suddenly withdrawn, and a prolonged shriek rang through the house. It seemed as though

that scream, so long- and heartrending thawed my blood. My fetters, as it were, fell from me, and opening' the door, I rushed headlong' up the stairs to grapple with the old man.

“Another scream, more heartrending and more prolonged, thrilled my heart, the light was suddenly extinguished and a door was closed.

“ When I got upon the second landing, it was as silent as the grave—not a sound broke the stillness of the night. “ At, length, after groping about for some minutes, on approaching one of the doors, I fanced I could hear some one breathing behind it. Thinking it was the young lady, who had probably eluded the old man, and shut herself in, I spoke to her, telling her I was a friend, and that she might trust me. However, 1 obtained no answer, she, I imagined, thinking it only a trick to induce her to open the door. “What had become of the old man I could not make out; his disappearance seemed almost magical. So after trying all the doors, and waiting and searching about for more than half an hour, as I could neither see, nor could I hear anything but what appeared to me to T>e some one snoring, I went back to my room.

“ I thought, at any rate, the girl was thus far safe, for I was almost certain I heard her close and bolt the door, and if the old man attempted anything I was now awake, and ready to go to her succour. But what of her father ? I felt my way to his door ; but it was locked, and to ray repeated calls he made no answer. I next thought I would go down into the kitchen and get a light. All there was silent and dark; not a sign of the old couple could I see, and not a sound reached my ear.

“ I remembered whore I seen the old woman keep the tinder-box 5 but it was not in its place, and though I searched diligently I could not find the means of getting a light. Ending therefore, I could do nothing till daylight, I determined to get back to my room and there await its advent. “ After I had returned I heard the clock strike live, and I knew that I had at least two hours to wait before there would be sufficient light for me to do anything, so I lay down in my bed, determined, if possible, not to go to sleep. “ However, that proved useless, for though I tried hard to keep my eyes open, at last sleep overcame me, and I did not wake till it was broad daylight. “ I arose and dressed myselfj and when I got down stairs I found the old woman up, the fire lighted, and everything as usual. “ ‘ What was all that noise about last night? ’ I asked. “ ‘ Hey! ” she replied 5 ‘ what did vou sav ? ’

“ I repeated tlie question. “ ‘ Noise ! I didn’t hear any noised “ ‘ Who were the lady and gentleman you let in after I went to bed ? ’ “ ‘ Lady and gentleman! ’ she mumbled looking - at me askant; what are you talk§ ing- about ? That whisky was to strong for you—you must have been drunk ! ’ “ c No ; nothing- of the sort. Where’s your husband?’ “ 'Gone out to look after the horse.’

“ I questioned her a great deal more, but I could get nothing out of her, though she was evidently greatly perturbed, and kept on muttering and maundering to herself, “Shortly afterwards, the old man came in, and I went through the same series of questions with him. Ho stoutly denied the admittance of any guests after I had retired ; but, when I described their appearance, I noticed that lie trembled and was very pale.

“ Finding I could get noting satisfactory from these people, I ate my breakfast, and when I lead finished I sat down to think. Could it bo possible that all the incidents which occurred last night were not real, but were a dream ? I wont through them all again and again and I made up my mind that it was impossible. Still there was not a sign of anything that would indicate that anyone else was, or had been, in the house beside myself.

“ The whole thing- was so mysterious that I was fairly puzzled. At one time I made up my mind that I would start off aud get assistance to search tho house; hut the snow was so deep, and it continued to fall so thickly, that I felt certain that to attempt to cross the heath would he madness, so I was tain to rest where I was.

“ I never spent such a dull, uncomfortable day in all my life. I did not know what to think—whether 1 had been, as it were bewitched, and had seen all these things in a vision, or whether there was something- really wrong about these people. “ How the day passed I do not know; but I know that at last night came, and I retired to bed.

“I did not undress myself, hut putting out the candle, I lay down in my clothes “In about half an hour I rose, and opening the door softly, decended to the kitchen.

“As there was formerly in many houses, there was a large pane of glass in the door, through which I could sec, and before this I stationed mvsedf.

“The tire was still burning, and hv its light. I could se ray host and hostess crouching over it, and both of them were

smoking

“ I wonder if he's asleep!” the old man said after a time.

“ ( Asleep! who / ’ asked the old woman, who seemed only to have caught the last word. “ Why the higgler.’ “ ‘ lie ! yes. I put a little of my snuff in his nightcap, and by this time he’s as sound as a church.’

“ ‘ Your snuff/ the old man exclaimed; ‘ I hope you didn.t give him to much. I should not like him to drop off the hooks!

“ ‘ Why not V asked she; ‘what makes you concern yourself about him '■ ’ “ ‘ What makes me consarn myself about him,’ reiterated the old man; ‘why, in the first place, because if he was gone, we should have some trouble to get rid of our things ; and in the second place, because, if he was missed, there would be such a hue and cry, and such a search after him, as would be rather unpleasant to us.’

“ ‘ Well,’ I thought, ‘ this is very mysterious. Snuff! night-cap! what does the old crone mean ? ’ “ ‘ I wish he hadn’t come,’ grunted the old woman.

“ ‘ So do I,’responded her husband, ‘ for I fancv he smells a rat.’

“ Well, if he doesn’t, it’s very strange; and if I had my way, search or no search, he shouldn’t go back to tell tales.’ “ I don’t know if anyone can fancy my feelings as I stood and heard this, but I can tell you it was not a pleasant thing.to hear. However I did not’quail at my position, for I now saw that there was a mystery, that there was something wrong, and 1 determined to find it out. How this was to be done I did not rightly see, but I could perceive that groat caution was requh’ed ; and as a man who is forewarned is also forearmed, I determined to wait with patience, leaving the issue to Him who guides the stars in their course, and who was able to keep me in safety if it was His good pleasure. “ Just as these thoughts passed through my brain, the old woman rose from her seat, and fancying it was no longer safe for me to stop, I made my way back to my room, slipped off my things, and lay down in my bed. “ Without a thought of what I had heard, I put on the night-cap that lay on my pillow, and then listened for the old people to come up stairs. I had hardly done so, when I felt a most unaccountable tickling in my nose, followed bv a desire to sleep, which I could not control. I immediately remembered what the old woman had said about the snuff and the night-cap: but the mischief was done, and almost before I had time to offer up a prayer for protection, I was asleep.

“ 3ly dreams that night were again confused, and again Iwas awakened by a loud knocking. I felt an inclination to get up an boldly face these midnight visitors, but I seemed chained to the bed.

“ ‘ What can all this be ? ’ I thought. ‘ lias the old woman given me an over dose of her confounded snuff, and have I lost the power of motion ? ’

“It was evident that I was suffering from some powerftil narcotic, for even while this thought was passing through my mind, I fell asleep again. “ And now comes another, and, perhaps, the strangest part of my story Ko sooner had I fallen asleep than I had another dream; I fancied I was in a distant part of the house, and that all of a sudden I heard the sound of a feeble moan.

“ I stopped and listened, and, after a time, I heard the same lon', feeble sound. ‘•'Then, as if by magic, I was transported to a room, in one corner of which was a low couch, and upon it lay a young girl sleeping. I gazed at her, anti to my astonishment, I saw that her features were the same as those of the beautiful young creature I had seen the previous evening, but oh ! how altered ! She was pule and emaciated, but still very lovely. “ Then everything seemed to vanish from my sight, and I awoke to find it was daylight. I lay for some time thinking, but there was a considerable amount of confit don in my brain, and I could not fdlow out a train of thought; but at last, by an effort, I threw off my drowsiness, and the import of my dreams began to be apparent. I had always been sceptical as to the significance of dreams and visions; but, putting the two dreams together—for I now saw very plainly that the incidents 1 had thoughtoccurred last night was not realities, hut a mysterious revelation of events which had been previously enacted —I made up my mind that I was about to he instrumental in the discovery of a great crime. “ How I was to set about it, I could not tell; hut 1 trusted for guidance to a higher power. “ I went down to my breakfast, but 1 could not eat—the pale but beautiful face of the girl, as she lay sleeping, haunted me. After breakfast, I watched an opportunity to slip away unobserved, and commenced a survey of the house. 11 1 tried to enter the room next to mine, but it was locked, and on looking through the whole it was perfectly dark. I next proceeded cautiously up the next fliu-ht of stairs, and had just turned a corner. when I came plump upon my hostess. For a moment she stood and glared at me like a tigress. xo be co.mi.m m.