THE MIDNIGHT GUESTS.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 23, 8 June 1867, Page 3

THE MIDNIGHT GUESTS.

(Continued from our last.) “ ‘ What do you want here ? ’ she exclaimed. ‘What do you mean by sneaking- about the house in this fashion ! ’ “ ‘ Well,’ I replied, ‘ I don’t want anything- in particular, it was a mere bit of curiosity. ’ “ ‘ Curiosity is a dangerous thing. I should advise you not to indulge in it here,’ she said, significantly. “ ‘ Dangerous! yes,’ I said, laughing. ‘ So Mrs Bluebeard found.’ “ Finding that I could not with safety continue my search, without rousing suspicion as to my motives, I retired to the kitchen, and sat down to cogitate. “ The conclusion I arrived at was, that to remain in the house another night after all I had heard and seen, was not safe, for I thought of what the old man had said, as to the hue and cry about mo if I should be missed, perhaps might not hold good, now that his wife’s fears were aroused. But then, I thought, to make a precipitate retreat would also arouse their suspicions; and if the girl was, as I expected, really confined in the house, what might not they be prompted to do? Besides, was it not cowardly to make off, and leave her to their mercy. “But if I wanted to go, I began to perceive it would not be so easily accomplished, for I found that every step of mine was watched, and when I went out to look for my horse, the old man came with me, having in his pocket very much like a long horse-pistol. This was a sort armed neutrality, which did not with my feelings, and I determineif to bring on a crisis. “ 1 commenced action by knocking the old man down and disarming him. “ ‘ What’s that for ?’ he asked, when I had tied him up to a manger. “‘Well,’ I replied, ‘in the first place I don’t like people to follow me about with pistols in their pockets; and secondly, I have a fancy to go over your house. So now, my advice to vou is to remain quite still till I come back and if I find all things right, I’ll release tmu.’ “ At this moment his wife made her appearance at the door of the house, and leaving the old man to recover from bis surprise, before she was aware of it, I had her securely tied in a chair. “ At first she was silent; but if looks could have killed me, I should have been.

annihilated at once, Then, suddenly, in an utter abandonment of frantic, but impotent rage, she raved at and cursed me.

“ Leaving her to vent her passion as she could, I proceeded at once to search the house. I paid little respect to locks and bolts, and at last my perseverance was rewarded. In one of the garrets, crouching in a corner, was a human form.

“I cannot tell you my feelings, but notwithstanding that the features were shrunken and pale, I at once recognized them as those of the young girl I had seen in my vision, I raised her, and spoke kindly to her, but she seemed either stupified, or else to weak to reply to my questions.

“ What to do I could not tell; but I thought a stimulant was the most likely thing to aid in her restoration, and went down and ransacked the place till I found a bottle containing some brandy. “ The old woman looked at me as though she would have eaten me; every now and then writhing in her chair, and uttering imprecations of the most hideous kind.

“ However I thought nothing of her curses, I thought only of the girl up stairs, and of how to restore her to her senses.

“ A little brandy-and-water, with a small quantity of tread, worked wonders, and as the afternoon was fine, and the snow had by this time hardened, I got out my horse, for the purpose of riding over to the nearest village, and fetching assistance; for it appeared there was something more the matter with the girl than mere weakness. “To resolve on a thing was with me to do it, and I started at once. “As I rode along, I began to remember the stories I had heard with regard to the house; and when I had nearly reached the village an idea suddenly occurred to me. Suppose these people had accomplices. Suppose they should arrive while I w r as absent, and release them, what then would be the fate of that poor girl ? “These, and many other strange fancies, clustered continually around my brain, till I got quite nervous. “At last I reached the village, went to the doctor, and told my tale. “ 1 Good heavens! ’ he said; 1 why, that clears up the mysterv! But wait a minute—l’ll have my buggy got ready, and we’ll go back at once.’ “ When his horse was put to, and I, the doctor, and his man had taken our seats, he commenced—

“‘ I dare say you remember old Mr, Wanstall, who lived at the Grange Farm; well, about five or six weeks since he sold off, for the purpose of joining his son in Australia. When all was arranged, he started off one afternoon with his daughter, to cross the heath, so as to reach Berkstone before nightfall, as he had some few debts in the town which he wanted to settle previous to starting the next day to London. Shortly after he started it came on a thick fog, and, feeling anxious about him, I went over to Berkstone the next day to see if he was all right, and to take another and a final farewell of him. But when I reached the place were he put up, he was not there ; nothing had been seen or heard of him or his daughter I subsequently ascertained that he° did not go to London, and that the shin sailed without him,’ n ° r never W 'M) I fear,’ said I; these wretches have no doubt, murdered him lor his money.’

lam much of your opinion,’ he replied.

For the remainder of the journey nothing was said; for the doctor was sad, as well as anxious on account of the girl, and I could not get the notion out of my head, that by some means the old women would get free, and wreak her passion upon the poor helpless creature. J D

At last the house came in sight, and I watched anxiously for any signs of a confirmation of niv fears'; I looked forward with that indistinct hut intense volition, which we are apt to exercise under such circumstances, as if a strong and earnest wish might suffice to carry us onward and show us what we desired to know.

“ The doctor, perceiving l my anxiety, applied the whip, and we moved forward at a brisker pace, and at last we stopped at the door. I could see no one; I heard no sound; the door was closed as I had left it. I leaped out hastily, and opening the door, I entered, and made for the kitchen. I started hack with horror for there lay the old woman, stark and dead.

(tt She’s been dead sometime,’ said the doctor, feeling her pulse. ‘ She died of apoplexy, brought on by fear and excitement. Come, let us go up and see the girl.’ - “As soon as had taken the doctor upstairs, I left him to' see after the old man; but on going into the stable he was nowhere to be seen. We shut up the house, and took the girl back to the village; where under the kind treatment of the good old doctor, she speedily recovered.

“ In conclusion, I may say the old man was captured a few days afterwards, some miles distant, with a quantity of money, on him; among which were the very notes that were known to have been in the possession of 3lr. Wanstall,

when he started on that fatal journey across the heath.

“ It appeared thattempted by the sight of the money, which he inadvertently let them see, they murdered him in his sleep, and huried him in the garden. After this, I need not say that tne old fellow suffered for his crime, being hanged, three months afterwards, in front of the county gaol.” “And what became of the girl?” asked the lieutenant.

“ ‘ Well,” Wid the old gentleman, “there she sits,” pomting to his wife. “ After she got well, she took a fancy to me, and married me; and now you know why I object to travel on a Christmaseve.” CONCLUDED.