The Queen of The Isle OR SIBYL CAMPBELL'S LOVE

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1055, 1 August 1904, Page 4

The Queen of The Isle OR SIBYL CAMPBELL'S LOVE

BY MAY AGNES FLEMING

Author of "The Heiress of GleYi Gowor, 1 ' "The Unsoen Bridegroom," etc., -etc,

CHAPTER 111. Continued,

laziness— to tako the swallows' ncsis out of tho c'limnoy and rnako a firo there, while A-.K.t Moll doos all the other oteotorasncoesssry for receivingos its inmato her majeßty, tho Queen of tho Isle. Then, nfl thero is but ono habitable room in the house, Signor Druiumond must occupy it, although it has not tho most ploasant reputation in tho world," "How is that?' 1 asked Drummond, drawing up a chair and seating himself in front of the firo that was already burning brightly on the hearth, " Why, to tell the truth, Aunt Moll aid her hopeful son assert it to be haunted, as it most probably is by rats, If you aro willing to trußt yourself to the ghost'o mercy, I can freoly promiso you safety from all other dangers, To be continued)

"It is well" said ho, who oppoared to mo superior. "Give him the rewaidl told yon of." Tho other silently hauded me tho purse, " And now swear never to roveal what you have this night soon to your dying day.' "Iswoor," said I, for I daro not refuse " That will do. Take him away " said the speakor, loaving the room, "My guido blindfolded me as I had been before, and led me out, locking the door on thj awful Becrct. " As I had beon brought up, I was led to the beach. Tho boat was in waiting, and I was takon away, landed, convoyed into tho carriage, which, for upward of half an hour, drove round somo circuitous route. Thon I was assisted out and left standing alono, 1 tore tho baudago from my oyos and looked around, but the carriage was gone; und I never hoard or discovered aught more of the ovents of the night. " From that day my peaco of mind was gono. Years passed, but it haunted mo night anl day, until I beeamo a moroso and dreaded man, Then I travelled from land to land, but nothing could over banish from try ears that woman's dying shrieks.

" In Liverpool I fell ill, I knew I oiust die, and wanted to come and bo butiod in my nativo land. Captain Caropboll brought mo bore; and now I can dio in peace, In pence—never, never until that woman's faco is gone I Oh God 1" he cried, ruisiug himself up with a shriok, and pointing to the window, she is there I" With a scroam almost as wild as his own, Mrs, Tom lookod, A palo, woeful face shrouded in wild black hair, was glued for a moment to the glass and thon was gone. Paralysed with terror, Mrs Tom turned to the sick man. His jaw had dropped, his eyes wore protruding, and ho was dead.

CHAPTER IV THE HAUNTED BOOM Undor the guidance of Guy Campbell, Willard Drnmmond and Sybil ascended the stoep, rocky path leading to Campbell Lodge, Captain Guy bounded ovor tho rooks with tho agility of a deer, while his two companions more leisurely followed. " Yondor is my island homo," said Sybil, as an abrupt turn in tho rough road brought theinin full view of the old mansion house, " It is nearly threo years now since I have seen it." Both paused as if involuntarily to con* template it, "Senrs and uegleot had per* formed their usual work of destruction on the Lodge, Tho course, rod sandstone of which it had boon originally built was now black with ago and tho many storms that had boaton against it, No lights wero to be seen, no smoko issued from tho tall chimneys-all looked black, gloomy and desertod. Tho swallows had built their neßts in tho caves and ruined gables, and evon tbo tall spectral pines which formed and ftvenuo to tho lelapidatcd »a,eway had a forlorn and dismal look, In the palo bright moonlight home* Btead of tho Campbells looked cold, bloak and uninviting. Even tho long gloomy shadows from tho trees seemed to the snporstitious mind of Sybil like unearthly hands waving them away. Sho shuddered with a foeling ol dread, and clung oloscr to the arm of Drummoud, "Quite a rouiautic-lookiug old placo this," said tho young man, "Really ohorming in its gloomy grandeur, and highly suggestive of ghosts and rats and other vermin of a liko nature," while he I inwardly muttered, "Dismal old nolo; even Sybil's bright oyes can hardly recompense me for burying myself alive in suoh a rickety dungeon," '• It has not a very hospitablo look, I must say," said its young mistress;" but in spite of its forbidding aspect I hope wo will be able to moke you stay hero endurable." 11 A dosort would seem a paradise to me, with you near by," said Drummond, " My only regret is that our stay hero is destined to be short." The dark, bright faco of tho young island girl flushed with ploasare; but oro ehe could reply the hall door was thrown open, and Captain Campbell stood hat in hand before them, "Welcome to Campbell Castlo," ho said with a gay courtesy, stepping aside to let them enter, "■Thank you," said Drnmmond, bow: ing gravely, whilo ho glanced with some curiosity around, to see if tho intorior looked more inviting than tho exterior. They stood in a long, wide hall, high and spaoious, whioh tbo light of the flickering candle Captain Campbell held strove in vain to iiluminato, At the farther extremity a winding staircaso rose up, and up, until it was lost in tho gloom above, Two wido, black doors flanked the hall on either sido, and Cap* tain Campbell throw opon that on tho right, saying: " This I have discovered, upon investigation, to bo at present tho only habilable apartment in tho house, Woeful are tho accounts I have received from worthy Aunt Moll of the Btato of tho chiinnojs. The swallows havo built their nests in the only one that over did draw rospectably, and all tho rest leak at such a rate evory time it rains that tbo liro is not only com* pletoly extinguished, but the rooms filled with water." " And what in tho ivorld aro we to do, brother ?" asked Sybil, in dismay at this unpromising picture. " Why, we must mako tho best wo can of a bad bargain, I havo sont Lornmuch against his will, I must my, for the young man is disagreeably alllicted with