HAUNTED GROUND

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20740, 25 February 1939, Page 7 (Supplement)

HAUNTED GROUND

(By Elizabeth Chester.)

(Continued from last week) Wendy saw that Sybil’s left foot was caught. To free It she would press with her right; and If that, too, were eaurht— Wendy dropped flat on the surface of the ouaking bog. and Fay screamed, not real'smg at first that her frieind’s action was deliberate. But Wendy knew that It was the only safe and reasonable thing to do, for it spread the pressure over a larger area, and there was less chance of breaking the face of the bog. Lying flat, she rolled over and over, and reached Sybil just as that girl became really panic-stricken. Wendy flat on her face, beat and pummelled the ground about Sybil’s trapped foot, and told her to drop down. Sybil obeyed, and with the ground about her foot pulped she managed to drag It clear. “Hard ground ahead—right,” said Wendy. ‘‘Roll to It.” Sybil rolled, reached the ground, and then realising that it was firm and noting the difference of colour, she ran along It. ‘‘All right now.” she called back. Wendy was lower in the hog. and she rolled desperately and fought away the sucking force that sought, to drag her down. In pursuit of Sybil she reached the path through the bog, and 9he guided Jill and Fay to it. From the black sky came rain—suddenly, large drops, falling fast. “Run !’* said Wendy. “Take the longer way. Sybil’s having sense enough to. As long as we’re on the slope w’e’re pretty safe. Bogs are flat and level.” But. less reckless than Sybil, they lost her again. Heads ducked to the wind and rain they hurried on. and did not look up untfl suddenly Wright’s Ruin stood before them. “Inside!” said Wendy. “My gosh, this rain Is fierce!” The doorway of the Ruin was wide, ind scrambling through the tangled weeds and long grass they reached it and rushed in. “Stop here,” said Fay, “and none of you move!” “Call Sybil to make sure that she’s here.” said Wendv worriedly. “Hey— Sybil r “Hullo!” came Sybil’s voice. “I’m in the large hall.” Wendy turned and walked into an immense hall that opened from the entrance lobby. Once it had been magnificent, and still the old beams remained. But plaster had tumbled down, and the bare laths, straddled with cobwebs, poked out into space, giving a glimpse here and there through broken flooring of the rooms above. Sybil, white and excited, stood in the centre looking about her. “The Manor—Wright’s Ruin; and I feel In my bones it will be struck by lightning.* It’s not for nothing I’ve come here to-day!” A vivid, hissing flash of lic-htnins zig-zagged across the black sky, and for a moment the whole room was lit in electric blue. Then shattering crashes of thunder, peal upon peal, like the roaring of big guns shook the walls of the old house. They all looked up. for some plaster had fallen from the ceiling. None of them spoke: they hardly breathed, for now from above came the stamp of footsteps, slow, measured

—an old man’s step, j Sybil tightened her fineers together, i “Great-grandfather!” she said in a scarcely audible voice. Wendy, rigid, swallowed hard. “Just the wind, silly!” she said. “You see—you see!” muttered Sybil in shaking tones. “It’s all just as they I told me. And I wa,s forbidden to come —forbidden. I promised. I’ve broken | my word!” A vivid flash of lightning lit the sky. and all four girls looked towards the lobby and the staircase that ran up ; from it. The lightning lighted the lobby as though with a million candle-power, yet threw a shadow—the shadow of a man’s head, smooth-crowned but bearded. Wendy saw his head, his bent shoulders; then the lightning i vanished and the thunder roared. I But above the roar of the thunder came Fay’s scream. Sybil rushed at ; the nearest window and smashed ' through with a tinkle of glass—and ran. Jill clutched Fay, and tugged her, and Fay clung to Wendy, who remainJ ed as though rooted to the ground. Silence reigned, and then came a thumping: and then from above a | heavy crash, and a jingling, tinkling, j jangjing. Silence, and then a deep ! groan. j Fay with a shrill scream ran the j way Sybil had gone, through the winidow, and Jill went after her. ‘‘Jill—come back!” cried Wendy. “Jill—Fay—” They stopped outside amongst the long grass and the weeds, quaking and i shaking. I Wendy walked to the window. She : was tense, as pent up as they, but her head was cool still, and she was in possession of herself, i ‘‘Who has the torch?” | “Torch—torch? Oh. T have,” said ‘ Jill. “Come outside, Wendy. Let’s l run to the hills.” | “Run —with that, poor old man upstairs?” said Wendy. “He’s not a ghost—ghosts don’t throw shadows.” “A real man—it’s worse.” said Fay. ' “Wendy, you shan’t go. You're worse j than Sybil.” ! “I’m scared!” Wendy said shakily. “Scared stifT—yellow. But I’ve got to go. Don’t you see He may have a broken leg. No one will come here. It’s supposed to be haunted. He may be just a tramp taking shelter —” "Bosh!” said Jill. “Not in a haunted house —not upstairs! Besides, Sybil knows it’s her great-grandfather—” "Give me the torch I” commanded Wendy. Jill gave it to her, and Wendy turned to the" lobby. Only for a moment did Jill hesitate, and then she clutched Fay's hand. “Come on. Stick together. Be a j pal." Jill tugged, and Fay gave in, quaking, and followed Wendy to the foot of the stairs. There, however Wendy halted and, flashing her torch, was staring at something on the stairs. "Look at this!” she gasped. “Gold!” "Gold?” gaped Jill. “Sovereigns!” Wendy looked up the staircase. Sovereigns seemed to be on every stair, and right at the top of the landing was the edge of a sack and beside it— Wendy drew back. A hand! Then, tightening her courage, she went up the rickety staircase —for the hand was not a ghost’s.