The Crestdale Ghost.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2531, 29 September 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Crestdale Ghost.

" Hehe we are safe and sound!" cheerily said the driver of a huge black ambulance, as he pulled up before the front piazza of Crestdale —the beautiful villa whose tower had been tantalising the travellers for two miles. A party of five descended from the waggon as the wide doors were flung open by the housekeeper, and a kindly welcome greeted them, as well as comfortable fires. " My ! how cold it is V, exclaimed a fresh young voice, as the speaker hurried close to the generous heater. " Be careful, dear; you may burn your coat," warned an older lady, while a stalwart young fellow, the picture of ruddy health, tenderly loosed the seal wrap in question. Placing the fair wearer in a great armchair, he said — " There, Mademoiselle Jessie, be a good girl—if you can. Now, siater ours, what can I do for you f turning gallantly to the other lady. " Thanks, you foolish boy," was the pleasant rejoinder, " look after those parcels and those live commodities shivering there." The live commodities were a Maltese cat, a canary bird, and two rather raw recruits from Erin ; and the " foolish boy " at once set about assigning places for things and people. "There's a kitchen sopiewhere

back here—come ahead, Michael. All right, Katie, follow me, and fetch the menagerie along." Properly installing them in their domain, the young gentleman made his way back through the wide, chilly rooms that intervened, and joined the ladi '8, who were fast making themselves at home.

" A trifle bleak, this, isn't it ?" he said, rubbing his hands before the fire. " But just take note of that fragrant beefsteak. Say, girls, I don't see any table set anywhere." And he looked ruefully around. " Give us time, young man," remonstrated the elder lady. " Here is a move in the right direction already," she added, as the housekeeper appeared with the teatray. " Mabel, can't we have muffins f pleaded the younger voics. "Muffins? Not on such short notice, dear ; but you may have toast and eggs." "You'll disenchantme -with your enormous appetite," whispered the young man, and he got a saucy slap for his pains. " Riding hours and hours on that horrid train is enough to starve anyone," was the ready defence ; " you only came from New York." Mabel and Jessie Winthrop were orphan sisters, the one fifteen years the elder, and mother ns well as sister to her idolised charge. Her own life romance was a buried chapter, and now she was chiefly concerned for the happiness of the two young persons seated th?re. George Barrett was a distant cousin, and was to be married to Jessie Winthrop in two weeks' time. They had come down to make ready the villa, which was their favourite home. It stood upon a winding river, close to the seashore, and commanJjJ a view of the surrounding country for many miles, It was an immense house, containing about twenty-five rooms, and full of unexpected niches, nooks and crannies. It was kept thoroughly furnished, but locked up through the winter months. An unexpected cold wave had made the coming of the prospective toridal party a somewhat dreary affair. A few happy touches here and there transferred the gloom into cheer, and it was with renewed animation that they arose from their repast an hour later. George was to return to the city next day, but would run down frequently before the wedding. Meanwhile, this, their first evening, passed quickly and agreeably for all.

The ensuing week was a busy one. A whole army of sweepers, dusters and renovators were turned loose in the villa, and the good work went on with a will.

Michael took charge of a pony and phaeton, and the sisters often drove to the village shops, two miles away, where the nearest railroad station was. It was very necessary, however, that Mabel should make a final trip to the city, to purchase some indispensable articles, and she arranged her time so that George could return with her on the last exening train.

" You won't be afraid, darling f was Mabel's fond question, as she made out her long list of purchases.

" Afraid!" echoed the other. " Why, no ! —what is there to be afraid of? It is perfectly safe." "Yes, I know. Otherwise I would not leave you."

" The house is big," said Jessie, " but we have near neighbours. Besides there's Mike and Kate and Mrs Lawrence. Oh, I'm all right, Mabel darling." - " See that the house is securely fastened, dear, and look for us tomorrow night," was Mabel's parting injunction, as she kissed her and said good-bye. "Indade, Miss Jessie," said Katie a little later, "indade it's not*right for the loikes av yees to be here all alone." " Why, Katie, what's the matter?" laughed Jessie; "you don't call this being alone, do you T' " Ah, but haven't yees heard the quare noises in the tower, Miss Jessie ? An' sure an' there's a ghost in this house. Howly mother define! us!" and Katie piously crossed herself in real terror. " A ghost, Katie ! I'm ashamed of you. It is only the wind. It always blows here, fearfully. You might turn a regiment loose in the house, and they could scarcely make more noise than these big, rattling windows." " Arrah, me jewel," protested Katie, "there's a terrible walkin' about in the tower every night these two nights. And didn't yees hear about the awful murther in the town beyant us, and the murtherer iscapin' ? Such a quare murther, too, with the finger rings all left on, and the money purse in the pocket. Ah, Miss Jessie, a murtherin' ghost won't niver be laid." "You silly Katie!" said Jessie, merrily. " Don't be afraid. I'll take care of the ghosts. We are all right." The night passed without incident, and" the next day Jessie devoted her energies to an important task which she lazily deferred till now, Mabel was to take supper in the city, and reach home about nine ; so, after an early tea, Jessie amused herself for an hour at the grand piano, then retired to her cosy room in the second storey, which had been elegantly fitted Up. The high winds from the sea. had lulled, and for once the house was utterly quiet—so quiet that the

stillness became oppressive. Mrs Lawrence had retired with a nervous headache. Mike was bent upon routing an army of rats at the barn : and Katie had asked permission to come up and sit with Miss Jessie after her day's work was done. Meanwhile the young girl sat in her bower of luxury, softly humming a favourite song, and very happy in thoughts of her approaching marriage. While deep in her smiling reverie a stealthy footstep distinctly sounded outside of her door. Raising her head from the lace trifle she was finishing, she had not time to feel a sensation of real fear, when cautiously the door knob turned, and a hoad intruded itself which struck her as dumb as though Medusa had appeared and drove the life blood in a frozen current to her hoad. The face was ghastly, the hair black and curling upon high, narrow shoulders, the figure slight and spare, and a pair of restless black eyes glittered swiftly and cunningly around the room. " Hist!" he said to the horrorstricken girl, softly closing the door and turning tho key ; and if Jessie had a distinct thought in that awful moment, it was of thankfulness that the winter dampness had so warped the door that the key would not fairly catch in the lock, A bit of repairing thus far overlooked in the wedding preparations. " Don't be frightened," he said, still in a whisper; " you'll take care of me, won't you." But the girl's great grey eyes only rivetted themselves in more hopeless, helpless terror upon the apparition. Every muscle seemed paralysed. He drew a chair to the open grate, as if the fire were most welcome. " You see," he said, in his quiet, soft voice, " if they track me here they may hang me, and they would be wrong—all wrong. I did not intend to kill her, but she would not hold still!" At this he laughed a blood-curd-ling laugh, and the horrible truth burst upon the girl's dazed senses. She was alone with a maniac. All tlie stories she had ever read rushed to her memory, and the only clear idea that she had was the conviction that she must, if possible, humour his vagaries till help came. She was a petted, spoiled darling, but she had great strength of will, and sho now called it into requisition.

plexity. "It must be transferred into my own veins, that 1, too, may be young again." " But not the throat! I could not sing any more then." "Ah so—l heard you sing. 'Twould be a pity. Well, I'll tell you what I will do. I'll open a vein in your arm and take a small bit. This will quicken the nervous centres, Then comes my greatest and most scientific discovery. Listen closely, for I do not mean to impart the secret to another. It is the transfusion of brain! Some other man's head got on to my shoulders, and my brain is all wrong. Now, with the blood newly charged in my veins, and your young, active brain absorbed into my own uncertain head, I shall find the elixir of life, and you will not have lived in vain."

Great Heavens! Did she hear aright! She had submitted to blood-letting once to gratify an old family physician, who insisted upon the remedy; and she felt almost brave enough to endure this operation again, if it would only kill time and satisfy her tormentor. But to cut into her brain ! Merciful God ! What should she do? She could not escape, for he watched her with cat-like vigilance. She dared not scream, for so did the other frightened victim. What else could she do but try and gain time 1 With a rapid expression he continued— " Since the days of /Esculapius there has been no such transcendent theory as this which is to make me famous. All my weary nights of thought and days of study are to be renewed at last. Come, child, are you ready 1 I will not hurt you. Only a little pin prick, and no pain. I would not hurt you, dear." What if he should let her bleed to death! Oh, sister, oh, lover, come, or she must die of horror, if not the knife ! " What do you wish 1 What do you require V she asked with pallid lips, and a voice that strove in vain to be steady. " Only a handkerchief and a basin," he said, coolly. " You are not afraid ? Good girl! Now for my crowning victory !" As a sleep walker she procured the articles, and bared her round white arm. Skilfully he bound it, and tenderely made the incision; but as she felt the warm crimsou tide trickle down she gave one feeble gasp, and knew no more.

She hurriedly glanced at the clock, and calculated how long it would, be before her dear ones should arrive. Alas! it was just eight. What, oh, what could she do ? Of whom did ho speak t Kill her? Kill whom? Then the mystery of the murdered girl darted into hor mind. Katio had beon right then. There was in truth a murdered girl. "Was this her slayer ? Suddenly, with a confidential gesture, ho bade her sit down near him. " I'll tell you about it," he said; " if she had only kept still! But she screamed and tried to run away. I oan't stand noise. It sets me wild. I must have this blood — this pure, young, life-giving stream. But she would not listen to me. Poor thing! It was too bad, wasn't it! Hey ? Speak !" Trembling at the sound of her own voice, the girl commanded herself lo say— " Yes; who was sho ?" " I don't know," ho replied, seriously ; '• she was beautiful and fresh, almost as fair as you. I was getting away from that accursed place. Think of confining a man of my learning in a madhouse. But that was just it: I had mastered the new theory, the transfusion of blood. They wanted to steal my glory, so they locked me in. But I outwitted them. I captured these, and ran away." As he spoke he laughed wildly, and took from his jacket a black case of bright new surgical instruments. '' These were what I needed," he continued, with a chucldo, " I could not attain tho goal without these beauties." Then caressingly, ho went over them. " Lancet, trocar, bistoury, probe, tourniquet," mentioning the whole collection, while he passed his fingers affectionately over the small sharp knives. "Formany years,"he went on, " I have studied this theory. The only thing is to find a young, strong, healthy subject. I found her —I was hiding in the bushes, she was on the highway—but she would not listen to me." " You did not kill her ?" the girl forced her dry lips to ask. "Nay, nay, that is an ugly word. I had to sacrifice her, I did not kill. Then the foolish mob came, and I fled hither. But I had a bit of bread and meat. She dropped her basket of lunch. I've been hiding in yonder tower," pointing upward. "I thought I might find what I want, and now, my clear, you will help me, won't you ?" This he said coaxingly. "Help you! What can I doT " Such a simple thing. Hold very still while I draw the rich, red blood from your pretty white throat." "You would not spoil my throat V pleaded Jessie in winning tones, with the courage born of despair. " Such a very little throat," clasping her soft fingers about it. " But where else can I find the gloi'ious stream so rich and so red V he argued, with a frown of per-

" Get on as fast as you can, driver," said George Barrett, as he and Mabel took seats in the viilage stage. Then, turning to hia companion, he said in reassuring tones, " don't be frightened, dear, she is all right." " I know it is foolish," said Mabel, "but those wretched placards made me nervous, and all that talk about escaped murderers and lunatics ! I am almost beside myself. Do hurry." As the wide portals of Cresdale appeared, Mabel cried in sudden terror— "Something is wrong, George. See how dim the lights are ! She would be here to welcome us, I know." With the fleetness born of anxiety Mabel ran into the hall, and upstairs to her sister's apartment. George felt impelled to follow, and reached the door just as a shrill scream sounded from the rooin.< With one stride he entered. " My God!" he exclaimed, and fell on his knees beside the bed, for there, bound hand and foot, lay the pale, still form of Jessie Winthrop, and on the floor was a basin of blood, Mabel clung to her sister, wildly imploring her to speak to her. Recovering his presence of mind, the young man hastily unbound the silken cords from the delicate wrists and ankles, and bent in anguish over the white face. Eagerly he noted a faint quiver of the eyelids, when a figure bounded from behind the heavy portiere, which loosened from its cords, had fallen from the floor, and sprang from the room, intercepting Michael, who was entering the door with a parcel. The man gave a yell of horror, and instautly the house was in an uproar. " See to her Mabel!" shouted George, as he darted in frantic pursuit. But the man had utterly disappeared in the din. Katie, who had been napping in. the kitchen, now added her screams to the uproar, and a furious ring at the bell sounded long and loud. The latter proceeded from a party of men, who were in pursuit of a man whose face had been seen at the tower window at Crestdale; whether the escaped lunatic from the State asylum or the escaped murderer for whom there was a large reward offered remained to be proved. The search that was instituted soon unearthed the victim, who dashed out upon the roof, and rather than be captured threw himself from the tower. His mangled "remains were removed amid the horror and excitement of the assembled crowd below. All night the anxious watchers hung over the prostrated girl, gathering her story, bit by bit. It was supposed that the maniac had bound her for the final and fatal operations he had gloried in when the sound of their arrival frightened him away. For days Jessie Wir.throp was ill from the terrible shock. The wed-

ding was utterly quiet, but George refused to have it deferred. It was months before the stricken bride would consent to live at Crestdale, and years must elapse before she can refer with composure to Katie's murtherin' ghost.