OUR DOINGS IN MALBURY,

Otago Witness, Issue 2368, 20 July 1899, Page 52

OUR DOINGS IN MALBURY,

By Fedora.

VI. How we got home that evening I cannot remember. I was almost as scared as Eva by the time she had finished her screams and tremblings. Besides, in order to get home we had both of us to go down the Three-mile road, and past the plantation of poplars where Eva had seen the apparition, whatever it was. If we waited where we were for help or companionship' we might possibly wait a very long time beforo anyone came down the road. It was also impossible to walk the other way into Malbury, for Eva declared her legs shook bo that she would never be able to go all that distance. Well, at lasl, as there was nothing else for it, we had to make up our minds to face the ghost, if needs were, and go home. I do not know how I got Eva back to her own house, and when we arrived she immediately went off into one fit of hysterics after another. T had to sit and tremble while I told Mrs Milman what had happened. That shrewd grim, person looked at us both as if we were kmaticfi. " Well, it beats all," she said at lasl, " that you two girls should go flying about to meet each other in the dai'k down the road, when you can gossip as much as you like together in your own homes ! Stop that nonsense, Eva ! Whoever heard tell of a ghost in New Zealand? You want to have more work to do, the pair of you. and then you wouldn't have time to chase about the country, getting your heads full of fdle fancies. Stop it, I say, at once, or I'll pour cold water over you. And you," she added, turning to me, "you'd better get home and go to bed. Jack'll see you home, and there won't be any ghosts while he's about, I'll warrant. If I was your mother I'd take the broomstick to you for flying about at this time of night." .Was that what phe waa going to &q fo

Eva, I wondered? I felt rather aggrieved at the abuse hurled upon me, especially as it was -undeserved. It did seem to .be " adding insult to injury that I should be accused "of "flying about the country" as the irate old laely called it. Well, never mind, she wasn't my mother, that was a comfort. Big, broad Jack Milman. duly saw me home, but. much against my inclination, he came in with me. Father had returned, and Uncle Dick with him. The two were sitting together in the front room, mothing having gone to bed. Jack began immediately to describe our encounter with the ghost, and to make fun of us both. But father and Uncle Dick looked somewhat gravely at him, and anxiously at me. I had been dismayeel when Jack had come in with me ; he was usually so hard to get rid of. He would stay and stay on until our patience was exhausted.' But to-night father took the law into his hands, and-actu-ally turned him out. Seeing that he seemed to have settled himself down for two or three hours, father said dryly: "Well, Mr Milman, J^am grateful to you for seeing my daughter home, and now you will excuse me for sending you away, but my girlie is quite upset by her experience. So I'll bid you good-night. ' And before the astonished young man knew where he was, ho was being firmly and quietly shown ouf. When he returned to the room, father said to me:

"Cheer up, lassie. It's not like you to-be frightened for nothing. If it was Eva's imagination, why be so scared?" " Because T don't think it was imagination, father." , - "What!" exclaimed Uncle Dick. "Did you see the apparition, too?'-' I hesitated. I had seen it before, though uot that night. A great > dislike rose within mo at having to answer him "No." ■ I coloured, and for a moment did not reply. " Come, come," said father, .patting me oni the shoulder. "If she thinks about it, the lassie will begin to imagine she saw it too-. Go to bed, and I'll bring you a glass of wine, and come and tuck you in, and you'll be all right in the morning." I went to bod, but not to sleep. Uncle Dick had a strangely direct way of looking at one with those honest eyes of his. I^felt I had deceived both those men who were anxious about my welfare, and sb kind to me. It was too bad that I should have to let them think nothing had happened, when in reality this "ghost" might clo serious harm to somebody if still allowed to prowl about Ihe highway. I had nearly been killed, and Eva had been seriously frightened. What would the third appearance cause? I tossed about, wondering what to do. It was out of the question to tell father about Dick and Eva. He "did not care about the Milmans, and I knew he would do everything in his power to prevent my brother from becoming engaged to her. Then Mrs Milman had -set her heart on Eva marrying John Brown, the Fortross storekeeper, who was fast making a pile of .money. But Uncle Dick had always been kind and sympathetic to me. Supposing I confided in liim? He would not betray any secrets. Besides, I had an unaccountable dislike to deceiving him. He was so open and honest himself, that it seemed dastardly to keep anything from him. At last-I made up my mind that in the morning I would tell my secret to him. Then- 1 folt easier in my mind, and soon after having made my resolution I fell asleep. The next morning I was up earlier than usual. -.When Jessie, the servant, brought me my morning cup of tea at 6 o'clock I was already dressed. I asked her to tell Mr Langton I should like to speak to him, and I named the orchard as the most convenient place to talk. undisturbed. " When I reached the place I found him already there, bright and fresh as a boy, in spite of his worries and his age, which seemed great to my 20 years. But that morning I was not to compare with him for freshness and energy. The fright of the evening before and the sleeplessness made me feel tired and languid. He saw the change in my looks and became sympathetic at one'e. Then without preamble I told him all about my adventure with the apparition, , and about Dick and his ladylove. He looked serious when I had finished. "You see," I added nervously, pulling to pieces a rose I had picked on my way, "I hate deceiving people, and I feel that if I tell you it isn't so bad. It's such a relief," I added, " to know somebody else has a share of my secret." "If it so please you, little girl," he said, still very gravely, "any secret yon wish to share shall be safe with mo, and I am glad you told me, for it is important that this should be put a stop to." " Oh, Uncle Dick," I said, with a sigh of relief and gratitude, "you are a dear! lam so glad I told you." He laughed. "A ' dear,' am I? Well, I ought fco be glad you think so." , But it was said so coolly and so differently frqm the way he had spoken first, that though I 'had made a step towards him, and though this was the man on whose knees I had sat ac a child a hundred times, and whom I liad kissed and teased and tormented, I did not dare even to put my hand on his sleeve at that moment, and I .drew back, , suddenly feeling a oold chill, as if I had experienced a rebuff. ■