THE HAUNTED CASTLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2289, 13 January 1898, Page 51

THE HAUNTED CASTLE.

FOB THE LITTLE FOLKS' PAGtE OF THE OTAGJO WITNESS. By Ada A. K. LudfoUD^ Chapter V. Within the Haunted Tower. The first place which the party visited was the cave underneath the castle ; the second, the secret chamber. The boye, of courso, desired to have the treasure carted away and divided amongst all parties -concerned, but their elders explained to them that they must at once endeavour to find out the living heii to the property and money. " Do you think there ia a will hidden anywhere, father ? " asked Jack. " I don't know, my boy, but I think it most probable. Anyway, in the meantime, we had better collect everything of value we may find and hide it. But first of all leb us search the castle through. Here, Bill and Tom, you two keep guard over the cave and this room while we explore. I wonder how .we can get up to the tower. I think we had better try that first.' '• Yuu know, dad,, the countess's letter cays there is only a secret staircase up to it," said Jack. " Well, well, my dear boy, let; us find it." Eider said than done. After climbing three flights of shaky, crazy-look>ng stairs they cams to a set of bare, desolate rooms, one of which was completely darkened so that they could see nothing within until Mr Mayfard, who had managed to feel his way to a window, pulled- down the rotten, old, red blind. Instantly a flood o£ bright, warm sunshine darted through the dull glass, piercing dust, cobwebs, and all — and there, written over a large gap ia tha dark' varnished wall opposite the window, were the words, " This way to tbe haunted tower and the prison

chamber." " Who could have written that ? " &a!d Mr May£or3, gazing at the large, firm wriiing ia

tec. " Perhaps Count- Burnard himself," rcp'ted his wife as one by one they stepped through tbe aperture. They had ecarcely walked a dczen yards along the narrow, silent passage when they came to another much larger opeoiag in the side pf the wall, and stepping ia they found themselves in a small dark room, with only one tiny window, across which ware fastened six thick iron bars. L joking round their eyes fell on a re ugh backless seat — cutout of a tree truck, ib seeaied — to which were firmly riveted four heavy rugty iron chains abou4 5St iv length. They lay partly iv heaps and partly stretched out on the floor close to the bleck. The paEfcy turned and left tho depressing scene hastily. They had seen, enough of the cruel placa where poor Geoffrey bad been a prisoner bo locg f»go. Continuing their walk along th& passage w»y they came suddenly upon an exceedingly long and narrow staircase. It rattled somewhat as they ascended slowly and carefully. Suddenly Pat cried out in alarm, " What's that ? Iv'&the red face r..lkit>g to itself ! '* and turned to flj\ " Coni» back, you cowerd," cried hi<? fatber sternly. " Come back instantly ! We don't want to loss you again." And Pat crepb back. There was a very small landicg at th& top of the stairs, and a rusty iron door, which was tied back by a stout piece of rope. A ehudder ran through the* frames of everyone as th&y stood gazing at a large, dark red etain in the- centre of tbe floor, a short distance from which lay a small, brown-handled, rnsty-bladed dagger. A slight rnatie caused them to look up at the high window, where the bright red blind, which was buniied into a sort o£ ball, flapped gentle to aad fro. There were two big holes in ifc ab right angles and one ju^fc below, which, each Unas it pressed against the window through the draught from the open door, gave it the exact appearance of a blood- stained human face. " Lsti us get away from this quick ! " exclaimed Mr Mayford, and back they went downstaira. The questions they asked thsmselves were: Who had opened the doors and removed the bodies 1 Where had they placed them 1 Why had they not hunted for and found the treasure? Who and where were the next; of kin? What did it all mean ? It took the party soma time to get all the treasure into the secret room, where stood the massive green chests. Every bit was carried up from the cave, and it was well into the afternoon when,, as they were about to leave the castle, tired out with their hard work, the boys, who had been roaming over the grounds, rushed in crying : " Come down to the stream, quick ! Come down and see I " " See what 1 " •• Graves I " was the startling reply. It was true. By the side of the pretty, clear stream, over-Lung with willow trees, •were three graves with a Bimple whitewashed wooden cross at the head of each. The grasa on the mounds had only jast started to grow, showing that the bodies could not have baen buried very locg. Who could have done it all 1 The next day and the next and tha next tb*y advertised in several of the papers for the heir, bat in vain, until one day, three months litter, whilst tbe Mayford family were at breakfast, the postman brought them a latter from a certain firm of solicitors in their city. It stated that they had In poeaeßsion certain letters and papers which they requested Mr.Oharlea Mayford to call and see. Jack's father did so, and found that the lawyers had in their keeping the last will and testament of the wicked earl who had killed his wife and her brother. Oeunt Bur&ard, it seamed, had repsnted j»uffix>i«ntly to leave " all he dis<3 poß%et;ssd of " to his brother Douglas*, then in India. Ebey eooa discovered tha& Dougl&s bad cosae,

to see his brother at the castls six months ago, but on learning the bad state of afEair3, had searched the castle eight and day for a long time until he had found the bodies and buried them by the stream, returning to India with his wife and little ones, caring little whether there was any money to be found or not. But now, at the urgent request of his brother's solicitors and that oE the treasurefinders, he and his family returned once more to the mansion. But they wonld not live in the horrible castle — they had it pulled down and a new one built in its place. The old rotten swing is also replaced by a stout new one, in which no filmy form with blue eyes and golden hair hanging over her shoulders swaya silently to and fro, but a substantial, fat, rosy-faced, dark-eyed little girl, whom Pat thinks is an excellent substitute for the former, kicks her heels boisterously in the air, "just to see how high she can go," in her beloved new swing, making the rambling old garden riag again with her merry laughter. Jack and Dan, you may be cure, came in for a big slice of the immense fortune, and even Pat got his fat share, though what for " he could not for the life of him tell," unless it was for offering several suggestions that wer.? not accepted in the formation of the new castle. There are five youDg children living at the castle now — three boys aed two girls — who never tire of writing to Jack, Dan, and Pat to implore them, to come over and " have a romp," and please, if you are not very tired of ifc, will you just for this OBca more tell U3 the story of " The Haunted Castle"?