The Ghost of Guir House

but the peace-loving inhabitants of later times had rendered these no longer necessary. It was now the most modern room Paul had seen

s attired in a charming costume, and looked as fresh as the flowers

here he looked out of a low French window opening upon a

ntinued, "the most extra

, and, as Paul thought, a slight display of anxiety, but nothing more. When he had finished, she simply advised him not to go down those stairs any more, as they were rotten and dangerous. This was all. Nevertheless Hen

t some of your people at breakfast,

h a piece of toast

e!" she e

nmindful of the imp

ley, what are yo

said Paul, st

nd the expression on the

ied. "Is there anyth

am always nervous in the morning, and you gave me qu

ng he had said could produce such an effect, but he watched the return of color to th

must excuse me for a minute.

ere were other members, where had they kept themselves? He would have given the world to have asked a few straightforward questions, but there seemed no opportunity to do so. Where was Ah Ben? Even he had not shown his face at the breakfast table. A painful sense of mystery was growing more oppressive each hour, which the bright morning sunlight had not dispelled, as he had hoped it would. If this feeling had confined itself to

you such a turn," said Paul apologetical

" she answered. Then looking

n outcast, as I am. I hope your people will neve

s food, that it should be of the best, and that he should

he continued, sipping her coffee (she never seemed to drink or eat anything he

with her cup as though not knowing exactly how to continue. Presently

you think abo

d at the irrelevan

hink it ought to be there," he added in a minute, "although it is doubtless missing in some cases. Sti

wonder if he had offended her, but in

t up to date. The latest investigations have shown that brain matter is distributed thro

anything you told me." And then, looking her full in the face, he added: "Do you know, Miss Guir, that you have exerted a most remarkable infl

ore he could discover one tha

at you have formed a l

have been fascinated from

bout the weather. Paul was puzzled. He could not understand her, and not knowing how to proceed, an awkward silence followed. Prese

and ways, far better than I, and perhaps y

are writing a

should like

ask what it

n, and the awful predicament

t of the situation; "but even were I competent to do so, which I doubt, I can not see how any littl

ent our story in attractive form-one w

But what is the pred

re directly my own; th

ill explain them,

ly, rising from the table; "but it would

seated themselves upon a rustic bench in full view of the edifice. Paul lighted a cigarette and watched the strange old building before him, while Dorothy was content to sit and look at him, as though he were some

to wonder if the closed door at the bottom connected with the unaccounted-for space behind this wall. His curiosity grew as he brooded upon this possibility-a possibility which he now conceded to be a certainty as he marked the configuration of the building. The blank wall was beneath his bedroom. The well descended directly into it, or upon one side of it, and communicated with it through the door mentioned. There was nothing to be learned by inquiry, and Henley determined to make another effort to force open the door. His resolution was not entirely the result of curiosity, for he had taken such a sudden and strong liking for the girl that he disliked the thought of leaving her; and yet the riddle of her environment was such that he conceived it to be no more than a proper regard for his own safety to take such a precaution while visiting her. Having reached this determination, he cast about for the means of executing it. He thought he should require a hammer and a cold chisel, but

me," she said, "and so I returned as soon

e. "Do you know, this is the most romantic place I have ever se

ly, and without a glimme

ath until reaching a decrepit

den," she said. "Shall we g

fix in your case would be irritating, from the fact that you strike me as a girl who is utterly abov

not think me forward if I should do

ed than any poor language of mi

he added, "unless I believed in you-unless I th

eiving the girl at that ver

, "I am not true, nor honorable neither. Perhaps yo

and upon the gate. He felt the keen, searching quali

idle temptation into what at first appeared but a trifling wrong, but which looked far more

Was she not describ

o it because I like you, and because I believ

n they walked out over the dank leaves, through the brilliant coloring of t

pot in all the world," said Dorothy, "a

r, and saw that they were heading for a rocky gorge, through which a small stream forced its way in a jumble of tiny cataracts and pools. It was an ideal spot, shut in from all the world beyond. The restful air, barely stirring the tree-tops, and the water, as it went dripping from stone t

some minutes of silence, "that I should imagine the

the outer world," she answered, wit

ay that you have

hall, unless some

could help you away, if your own people would not. Pa

he answered, with a shudder, "for I am quit

sk frankly what she meant, and risk the girl's displeasure, as wel

am sure you will believe in my honesty in declaring that there is no one

elancholy of her face, and then the old look

uld entail upon yourself by the service you would render. Could I profit myself at the cost of your eternal sorrow? You do not know, and alas!

enshrouded him. The girl's utter lack of coquetry, and her depth of feeli

e which would put my life in closer touch with yours; for although it was only yesterday that we met for the first time, I love you; and I loved you, Dorot

me unmaidenly, Paul, i

t things into each other's ears until a green bird came fluttering thro

hy! Do

something so uncanny in its sud

your chaperone

not for his company, I fear I should go mad. I

neighbors?"

e such a strange isolated life

ver, and his look of horror o

use you live alone," he said. "For my part, I think your life here

of course, but I can not consent to so great a

t compel me

ompel you to be

all that a sacrifice? I did flatter myself

Wait until you do. Then, perha

strange depth of feeling, an

r to reverse the bewildering spell you have wrought, and make me hate you, for never before have I felt anything approaching this strange sudden i

o friend in all the wide wo

er, but continued stroking the parrot which had lighted upon

," added Paul, nestling closer to her side. Suddenly she looked up at him with

iendship and stick to me through a t

love is not so thin-skinned as to

cried, "far, far away from it. But, mi

ainst your will?

ould not go alone. I will explain it to you

us to keep you?"

I am quite different from other girls. Only take my word for what I

h went to Henley's heart. What it all was about he could no more imagine than he could account fo

me new thought. In another minute she placed h

you have

answered Paul. "Is

said

as if what she were about

he by, does not seem such a difficult task, as no one opposes your

old me that you love me, it does not seem so hard, although you do not know who or what I am-but,

ed her up i

"you are making me the

om his grasp. "Remember I have told you frankly that you do

t Paul beca

mber of your mysterious household or family, any crimes to answer for? Is there a

scarlet as

g which could implicate you in any way with wrong-doing. No, Paul; my secret is diffe

rried conviction to the hearer

, with the parrot still upon her shoulder; and side by sid