THE FIGURE IN WHITE

Evening Star, Issue 21820, 8 September 1934, Page 5

THE FIGURE IN WHITE

Serena Bolton found it delightful staying so near a beautiful old abbey like Romsey. She loved history. Though she was only twelve she managed,'very often successfully, to pretend that she was an ancient abbess, living in the precincts of the great church; and when their neighbour, old Miss Peters,

! spoke of a ghost Serena was thrilled. She wanted so much to see it. , Miss Peters smiled at her when she t stammered out, “ Would it be an Ah- . bess in white?” “ Very likely,” said old Miss Peters, ; with a twinkle. “ Well, I haven’t t seen it myself, but my cook declares that last night, very late, a figure in white passed her window, gliding towards the bridge.’’ _ Last night—only last night 1 Then it might be possible for Serena herself to see something. She determined to keep awake. It was brilliant silver moonlight. She , was just closing very sleepy blue eyes at 11 o’clock when she heard a step in s the ; quiet little street behind the ab- ’ bey: She sat up and drew back her curtain. ' Her eyes were heavy and almost refused to open, but something seemed ! to glimmer softly by and vanish. It was a figure in white. “I’ll just go to see if it is the Abbess,” Serena decided. In a very • short time she had slipped on her gumboots and; wrapped her big coat round j her,stripped downstairs, and let herself [ out. To chase a ghost—what an experience! How right to have it in haunted Romsey, which lay 'all ghostly ; quiet tinder the' moon. ; There-is, as perhaps you'remember,- ; a glorious chestnut tree by the bridge, and -Serena hurried, up to find only a j girl artist, in a white waterproof, come , to paint a chestnut tree in the moon- ’ light. “It’s all come to nothing,” said ' Serena to herself, in her deep disap- ; pointment at finding no gleaming Ab- ' bess of ancient days. “ Hullo! Have you ever noticed the exquisite slant of the chestnut leaves?” said the artist’s gentle voice, - “ I’m trying to do a close study from life.” And Serena was shown a drawing of boughs against a pale, clear sky. How ■ lovely the picture was, how sweet and | ; wistful the face of ; the young girl • artist. i How much more beautiful was the great chestnut tree itself. Serena had ‘ never noticed the elegant twistings and turnings of the boughs, the perfect, harmonious shape of it. The even- , ing was not wasted-after all.