The Queen of Ik Isle OR SIBYL CAMPBELL'S LOVE

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1056, 2 August 1904, Page 4

The Queen of Ik Isle OR SIBYL CAMPBELL'S LOVE

Author of" The Heiress of Glon (lower,

CHAP'J'EK IV (Continued.) " Haunted ? By Jove, that's capital, 1 havo been wishing all my life to seo a bona fido ghost, awl lo< the timo Ims eomo at last. But what manner of ghost is it, saith the legond-fair or foul, old or young, haudsoine or hideous ?" 11 Oo that point I am distressingly short of information. Lena's description is rather vague. He describes is as king higher than anything at all, with lire coming out of its eyes, long hair reaching to the ground, and drcß«edvin while." "Of course I" said Dniimuond. " Who over heard of a ghost that was not dressed in white? Ton my honour, I am quite enchanted at tta opportunity of nuking the acquafntituce of its ghostship." During this conversation Sybil had left the room " on hospitable thoughts intent," and now returned to announce that supper was already progressing mpidly—most welconio news to our hungry gentlemen. Sybil had tukon off her hat,' and now her raven curls fell in heavy tresses to her waist. In the shadow those glittering ringlets looked intensely black, but whore the firolipht fell upon them a sort of rod light shone through. As she moved through the high, shadowy room, with the graceful, airy motion that lent a charm to her commonest action, Willard Drmnmond, iblWing her with his eyos, felt a secret sense of exultation, as he thought this magnificent creature was his, and his alone, This bright impassioned sea nymph; this beautiful, radiaut daughter of a noble race; this royal, though dowcrlcss, island queen, loved Mm above all created bemgs. Had she not told him, as he whispered words of love, that he was clearer to her that all the world beside ? borne day he would make her his wife, and take her with hiin to his princely home in Virginia ; and he thought, with new exaltation, of the sensation this glorious planet would make among the lesser stars of his native State. So thought and argued Willarcl Drummond in the first blush and delirium of love.

He did not stop to think that he had loved with evcu more intensity once before; that he had raved even in like manner of another far less bright than this .uteenly Sybil. He did not stop to think that even so he might love again, No. Everything was forgotten but the intoxicating girl before him, wiJi her glorious eyos of jet, hei Hashing, sunbrigbt hair,

From tho rhapsody of passion—from tho sevetith heaven of his daydreams, ho was at last rocalled by tho voice of Sybil hersolf summoning him to supper. He looked up with a start, half incliucd to bo provoked at this sudden summons from his ideal world to tho vulgar reality of supper of'hot cakes, tea and prcsorves, But there sat Sybil at the head of the table, bright and smiling—beautifying oven the dull routine ot the tea table with tho charm of her presence, And then, too —now that his airy vision wob goue—Mr, Willard Drutumond began to recollect that ho was hungry, and that " drcaras and visions" were, after all, very unsubstantial things, couipured with tlio bread and butter of cvoryday life, degrading as the confession was,

Guy had already taken his place, so Willard took the seat tho young hostess pointed out to him, and the business of tho teatable commenrod. When the inoal was over. Aunt Moll cleared tiio table, and tho two gathered round tho lire—for though tho weather was warm, the great unaired room was ohili enough to rentier the fire pleasant,

By degrees—perhaps it was owing to the straugo, dreary loneliness of the place —tho conversation turned upon deserted houses, bold robberies, murders, and, by natural consequence, upon ghosts. Willard and Captain Campboll seemed striving to outvie each other in telling the most frightful tales, the latter taxing his imagination to iuvent them when the original failed to produco the necessary degree of horror, Every one knows what a strange fascination such ghostly legends hare; the hours passed almost uunoticed, and it was only wheu the lire burned low on tho hearth, and the solitary candle sputtered in the socket before going out, that our party becamo aware of the lateness of tho hour. " Well, we have been profitably spend" ing tho evening, I must say," said Captain Campbell, rising with a laugh. " You should havo been in bed an hour age, Sybil, Hero! Aunt Moll," ho cried, going to tho door. " Bring us lights, and show Mr Drummond to his room." Ho waited for a response, nono came; only tho ooho of his own voice sounded dolefully through the hall. "Hello! Annt Moll, I say—Lem, bring candles," once more called Captain Campbell, Again ho waited for ait answer, and again none came. ', Confound it I"" the sleepy headed pair have doubtless been in bed for the last thrco hours, and are doubtless as sound asloop as the Sovon Sleepers by this time." " Never mind, Guy," said Sybil, " I'll go. Aunt Moll and Lem aro tired, doubt* less, with thoir extraordinary exertions this evening, and it would ,bc a pity io wake them.

She quitted tho room as she spoke, in the direction of the kitchen, in search of lights. And presently she reappeared, and, niw nouncing that Aunt Mull was stretched out on hor pallet before the kitchon fire asleep, she took her light, and bidding them a smiling goodnight, left them to seek het own room.

And Captain Campbell, taking a candlo preceded his guest in the dirctioir of the " haunted chamber," "Willnrd Drurnmoud emoted mid lookod round, It was a high spacious chamber, as were all in the house, with lluors, doors and casements of dark polished oak, black now with time and use In tho wide fireplaco at ono end a five had been burning all tho ovening but only tho red, smouldering embers remained now. At tho end opposite the lire was life bed. The room looked choorfui anil pleasunt, and throwing hirrself into an easy, oldfashioned armchair beforo the tiro he ox* (iloimcd: " Well in spito of all tho ghosts and >ii ■ hobgoblins that ever walked, I ahull .• •'P hero as Hound us a lop until morning. Your ghost will Imvo to givo mo a pretty vigorous shnkin- before I awake

BY MAY AGNES FLEMING

" "The Unseen Bridegroom," etc, clo. when onec I closo my oyes on ihis mortal lite." " Peril. j.s tho ghost, if in the. least timorous, will not appear to so undaunted an individual as yourself 1 Goodnight! A,id, placing tho light on tho tablo. Captain Campbell left the room, Willavd's first care was to lock the door securely, and then carefully examine tho room, Thore was no other means of ingress but the one by which ho had entered, nnd the room die' not seem to eomiuuuicatc with any other, The window was high above tho ground and firmly nailed down, nearly, then, if the ghost entored at all, it must assume its ghostly prerogative of coming through tho keyhole. Satisfied with this V/illard Drumraond wont to bed, bat, in spito of all his'efforts, sleep would not eomo. Vain wo all his altciilpts to woo the drowsy god; ho could 6nly toss restlessly from side to side, with that feeling of irritation which want of sleep produces. To be continued,)