CHAPTER II.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2209, 4 September 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER 11.

4 Good night, Cyril. Pennant drcauu, V said Agatha's sweet voice, as *xo p-irted for the night. I watched her pretty figure «joing np flip stairs till it disnppeitcd from Mirht, then, with A «iyh closed my own door I had laughed off my di»:ippointmerit nbout tho partnership whpn with Anatha, because I saw how deeply shf grieved over it, and I wished to divi rt her thought* from dwelling on the subject ; but I had mourned in very bitterly over my poverty, which Mr ill pi evented me from claiming her as my wife. Ir i< Is.- id to know tho one «wpet hop" of your life might bo mil nod but, for thp w,mt of a few blight bits of gold. Sol flunic myBrlr disconsolately info a ch.iir, :imt for i«omp minutes brooded over thp thoughta of th >t happiness whi< li \va« denied. Oh those de.>ires tinattain »Hle ! thoce fi uits we cannot reach — thosp fiowprd we nj iy not gather, how fair and sweet they lire ! how fascinating to lip and eye ! At last I roused myself fiom this depres-ion, i undresspd, and pot into bed. For some time my busy thought* kept me awake, nnlil they mingled confusedly, when I fell into a sonud sleep. Half the night must have pi^ed ere 1 woke suddenly with a vngue c-pnse. of terror upon me. For I was not alone ! The moon jihone brightly into thy room, its ray.s falling 1 directly on a female figure which stood before me. I thought j I must be dreaming, rubbed my eyes, und looked again. But no change had | taken place ; th« tall, gaunt figure of an old woman, with a severe expre*«ion of J countenance, still stood there, fixedly regarding mo. 'What, do you want here?' I cried. 1 Madam, you ranst hare made a mistake in the room,' for I thought she was possibly another guest in the house. No answer from my visitor. She looked f all in my face, held up her hand, sw though to attract my attention, then glided across the floor to the toilet table, where she remained motionless as any statue, pointing with a long, lean fingui c to some object upon its face. Eager to st>e what article nhe iudicated, I sprang up iv bed. Mv pyps fell on an old-fashioned pincushion only. ' Ould the old lady rp'iuire .some pins'r' I asked mentally, turniuir lound to regard my strmge vi-it,i>r once more. A Rudden .shudder rau throujrh my fume. She w, r ib g.)iip ! The moonlight still mn^ Hie floor in a bvoad path of silver y li^lit , every corner of t\\r> room wii di«iin( 1 1 ■> visible, but in the H ish of an ere, uifh out the .'•lijrhtest sound, .sli" h.id vunwvn 1 Leaping hastily to thr gionnii, I tumul on tho gas, and thoroughly «st».iich' > d the room. No eteahuv w.is to beb c seen. I examined the door ; it wi^ locked aa I had leh it. Then I l>rgtn to experience a, sensation ot f»ai, io< 1 understood that the thins; I had seen uai no being of tlesh and bloo I. oi it could not. have pissed through <i locked door I admitted with a s!nvei that mv visit mt must hive been a ghost' "Yet what could be thf meaning of a ghost pointing to a pincushion ?' I asked 1113 self. A chcit or bureau mii;ht lia\e held hidden treasure, whic 1 it benevolently desired to In in/: under my no ie» : but in a atnall tiling, a few in "lies siime, w a' possibly could thpr« be of any hid 'c 1 store ? Still, I took up the pincushion, and

narrowly examined the old- fashioned articlr, v» hiuh was r> idently of a bygone age, being covered with faded white silk, embroidered with flowers, whose once bright hues were dim with time. It opened like, a box, and was quilted inside with bine satin. Its contents consisted of a few hairpins and bits of ribbon. Very puzzled I felt as I ?et in down again on thu table, but 1 could s^e no elucidation of the mystery, so, after some pondering, I returned to my bed. No further spiritual manifestations occurring, I presrntly fell asleep, and remembered no rrore until th* 1 morning sunlight streaming into the room aM-oke me to another day.